Writing a book is difficult.

Well. It’s easier than a lot of things that we all live through everyday.

And, finishing this thing has come in fits and starts.

Whenever I’m ready to give up, Walter Borden comes to visit me.

Well. He doesn’t physically come to visit me. His words though? They come back, just as fresh and as helpful as the day I heard them:

Keep-a-goin’

In the eleventh grade a local actor visited my high school.

His name was Walter Borden.

He performed part of his play called Tightrope Time.

Side note: Tightrope Time became a book by Walter. I even found him performing parts of the play on CBC. Check it out here!

Walter must be a remarkable fool. In the video he states: “I have tried to show that in spite of all the things that may come down on your head in your lifetime, the human spirit will always rise again.”

There is a refrain within the piece that gets repeated: Keep-a-goin’

My whole life that echoed through my heart. Things would get tough, I’d hear Walter - Keep-a-goin’

When Laura was in cancer treatment, Walter’s words were never far - keep-a-goin’.

Funny enough, during that time I saw Walter when he was outside on a smoke break during a rehearsal.

I told Walter that I remembered him from twenty years prior. I told Walter about the impact he had on me. I told Walter that when I was struggling I would hear his voice. Keep a goin’. We both teared up.

Walter is a national treasure. Watch the video.

And if things are tough?

Think of Walter Borden.

Keep-a-goin’

Walter came to visit my high school as an artist.

When I mentioned the visit, he vaguely remembered. Maybe he pretended to remember. It didn’t matter if he did or not.

But, this small act of sharing a simple message that the human spirit will always rise again, suck with me my whole life.

We all have this ability to put goodness into the world.

We all have the ability to help each other keep-a-goin’.