Now I Understand Why Grandma Kept Nagging Me

Earlier in the day, Grandma had revealed the truth to me about my having had Polio when I was eighteen months old. I almost shivered when I remembered how adamant Grandma had been in her criticism of my mother allowing me to believe my six months' paralysis had been because of my falling on a soapy kitchen floor the maid was mopping!

I had mixed emotions that night while lying on my pallet upstairs before falling asleep. Why had my own mother deceived me all my life by sticking so rigidly to the above story? Was she just trying to spare my feelings or - - was she actually ashamed of the fact that I'd had Polio?

I knew without a doubt that my mother loved me very much. She had always protected me from and criticism about my slightly different way of walking.

As to my Grandmother, my eleven year old logic was beginning to fathom why she had always wanted me to walk with a more normal gait. She resented almost desperately that my mother had never told me the truth!

I stared at the ceiling ofthe dark room and came to a profound conclusion. I would have to forgive both my mother and my grandmother. After all, my Polio was slight and I even fooled some people because of my efforts to walk well. I could have had a much more severe case.

I decided then and there that I would strive even harder to live a normal life in spite of weak ankles!