The woman behind me in the supermarket checkout line said in a low voice, “It’s always something,” after the cashier announced her register was not working.

As the customers in line moaned in unison and scanned for the shortest checkout line, another voice behind me shouted, “The same thing happened yesterday.”

At that moment I was reminded of the Haitian proverb, Dèyè mòn, gen mòn. And because my Haitian Creole is as functional as the register in checkout lane five, I used Google Translate when I stumbled upon this nugget to learn that the proverb simply means, “Beyond mountains there are more mountains.”

Then a manager appeared next to a “Buy 2 Get 1 Free” display of candy bars and said, “Number five’s register is not working. Please move to lanes three or seven.”

Carts immediately started breaking left and right; my brain told my legs to move, but they didn’t move. “Lanes three and seven. Move.” I was the only one still standing in lane five. The manager looked at me. I muscled a half-smile back. “MOVE!” The capitalization and exclamation point jump-started my brain, and I steered the cart toward lane three.

The problem with having an incurable brain disease is that it doesn’t go away. There’s no rest for the weary. There’s no pill or procedure on the planet that will cure my disease. Every waking moment is a moment of bodily conflict.

Now I’m at the back of the line in lane three thanks to my quick reflexes. The line is so long I’m backed into the baking aisle and standing next to a wall of yellow bricks of sugar. The register looks small and impossible. Beyond my cart, there are more carts.

My disease is my (metaphorical) mountain. And because I’m going to be in this line for a while, I’m curious: What’s your mountain?

What mountain do you stare up at every morning? What mountain have you been avoiding? What mountain have you attempted to climb, only to lose your footing and fall?

Some days – maybe like you – I’m a climber. Some days I scale my mountain with courage and strength and determination. Even with bruised and bloodied hands, I’m committed to ascending to the top. To look down the mountain and feel proud. To feel my heart swell with triumph as my eyes embrace a top-of-the-mountain view.

But some days I’m not a climber. Some days I simply can’t get my footing. Some days I don’t have the courage and strength and determination to climb another mountain. Some days my bruised and bloodied hands hurt too much. Some days I sit at the base of the mountain terrified to move.

The checkout line inched forward, and I shuffled along with it. My brain was failing to connect to my body. The mountain on this day was higher than yesterday’s mountain. I took out my phone, opened the “memo” app, and typed …

How to climb today’s mountain:

Drink water

Take medication

Eat fruits and vegetables

Do push-ups

Take the dog for a walk

Write to you

Read some pages from my favorite mountain-climbing books: The Obstacle is the Way, The Alchemist, Reasons to Stay Alive, Full Catastrophe Living

Listen to Les Brown

Take a nap

Make my kids laugh

Cook a healthy family dinner

Make a mountain-climbing playlist

Respond to that email I’ve been avoiding

Accept that mountains are not easy to climb

Accept that today’s mountain is the only mountain that matters

Accept that when tomorrow comes there will be another mountain to climb

Facing down the mountains you encounter will test your mettle in different ways. Staying the course and getting through each day and on to tomorrow builds character.

I slid the phone into my pocket, entered the chute decorated with magazines, gift cards, and gum, and moved the groceries from my cart to the conveyor belt. The cashier smiled and said, “Did you come from lane five, hon?”

“Yes.”

“Same thing happened yesterday.”

I nodded, “So I heard.”

Be well,

Jay

I’m not graceful at this marketing thing, so here it goes…

If you enjoyed the excerpt above you should buy my new book Ordinary Hero, like right now. It’s a bighearted read filled with humor, learned-wisdom and will make you rethink struggle and going to the supermarket.

The ebook is currently available for just $.99 on Amazon. And when was the last time $.99 changed your life? You should probably just buy it.

The paper back version will be available on 11/1/23.

How was that?

Before you go, one more thing…

To celebrate my 10 year diagnosis-versary (September 4), International Ataxia Awareness Day (September 25), the release of my new book Ordinary Hero (November 1), and The National Ataxia Foundation’s upcoming “Hike for Mike” event, I’m participating in an exclusive NAF fundraising campaign.

My goal is to increase Ataxia awareness and raise $5,000 to accelerate finding a cure for Ataxia.

Click here to learn more and make a donation. As a bonus, if you make a donation you will receive two chapters from my upcoming book, Ordinary Hero: The Power of Building Character One Step at a Time.

Greetings to everyone who found me on the University of Pennsylvania’s Ataxia Clinic’s website! Thanks for stopping by. I have ataxia and though I’m not a doctor, I hope my words comfort, encourage, empower, and serve as good company on your journey.

Pre-Order Now: Arriving Gracefully on 11/1/23!

 October Book Promos for You:

Are looking for inspiration? Are you searching for a better version of yourself?

This month I joined literary forces with some best-selling authors in two awesome book promotions. Click the link below:

Become Inspired. Become You. 

Buy Here!

Recent letters you may enjoy:

Celebrating My Worst Day; Year 10

Celebrate the Little Steps

Life is Change

Adversity Also Builds This

~~

Jay Armstrong is a speaker and an award-winning author. Despite being diagnosed with a rare neurological disease, that impairs his movement, balance, eyesight, and speech–Jay presses on. The leader of the Philadelphia Ataxia Support Group, he hopes to help you find joy, peace, and meaning in life.

For Jay, a good day consists of 5 things:

1. Reading
2. Writing 
3. Exercising
4. Hearing his three children laugh
5. Hugging his wife
(Bonus points for a dinner with his parents or a drink with his friends)

Jay hasn’t had a bad day in quite a long time. 

You can also visit Jay at jayarmstrongwrites.com