In the sticks

This year I have been afflicted in various ways, by the builders being in and out for weeks on end, and more still to come, by falling over a manhole which resulted in some stitches to the upper lip and drinking through a straw for a week or so, and by an ear infection which caused great wobbling.

So I took to a stick. This is now part of me and I use it while the infection takes its time to go away.

However, along with the stick has come a certain degree of attention. There are lots of people of my age using them. However my attention has been taken by a young man with a growing family who regularly uses a walking stick, to great effect! He looks terrific and has great dignity, rather like those old school army officers who were accustomed to use a walking stick when on their rounds, evoking the image of a landowner visiting the estate rather than a young subaltern making his presence felt with his leather covered cane in hand or tucked under the arm.

May be this article could be recovered, the walking stick.

Is there a case for a movement to "bring back the walking stick"?

I only ask!

Fr Ted