Dad's Walking Stick

While writing the recent post about my hiking stick, I was reminded of one that my dad had years ago. I found out soon after that he still had it! I asked him to bring it on their next visit, which was this past week. I'm honored to have a guest blogger for this post, my dad. Enjoy.

My Vine Twisted Walking Hiking Stick Cane
By Arnold Lindner

“Words dissemble, Words be quick, Words resemble walking sticks.”
An American Prayer – Jim Morrison

In the early seventies, we rented a tenant house on a large farm in central Virginia. This is probably where I found and grew fond of my twisted walking stick. At that time, I was agile and was not in need of the steady support that I now need in hiking or walking on uneven trails. However, thru the years this tool has been my companion on many hikes, most of which were with church youth groups that I led. I have no idea what species of tree it is from. But, what I do know is that sometime in it’s early life, this vine grew around it in a spiral climbing pattern, eventually snuffing the life out of the tree.

My walking stick is twisted at each end and straightens itself out in the middle. This is sort of like my life. During my early years my mother died leaving me with a twisted beginning. Fortunately for me, I found a wonderful wife who has helped me straighten out some of the twist that came during those formative years.

The fact is I just like the feel of a walking stick in my hand. I don't actually lean on it like a cane (not yet, at least), but I find that swinging it lightly, touching down every few steps, gives a light assist to my balance and helps me keep a nice rhythm to my walk. "A hiking stick helps make the miles glide by," wrote Robert Birkby in Boys Life magazine. "It swings comfortably in your hand, offering balance and a rhythm to your gait."

For me, it's not a matter of using hiking poles as a "popular" or "fashionable" thing, it is just common sense. This walking stick has given me balance as I trekked the trails. In the Psalms, King David referred to the walking stick in the 23rd Psalm as a support through the valley of death. Like David, I have found stability and balance by relying on the scriptures of God’s word. Without which it would be easy to loose ones balance and perhaps not move in a straight line. Ross McCague writes, “Death haunts and curses lay. I only ask to emerge before it is too late, The bony stick holding up my tattered fate.” One can only speculate how old age will also add some twist at the end of my life.