As children, we were always looking for excitement and being the oldest, I was often the ringleader (And was always accused as such!) and, yes, I came up with some doozies.

When we moved from East Haven we moved to a very large old farmhouse on a dairy farm. We had moved to this house with the stairways of polished wood. They were awesome…and dangerous. They were great to slip down on your butt, but I was looking for something a little faster. And then one “sick day” as I lay on the sofa, watching Donna Reed, I realized that the two back cushions of the sofa would be perfect. Waiting for our babysitter, Mrs. H to head to the bathroom, I grabbed one of the cushions and ran to the top of the stairs. Pulling up the front like a snow toboggan I felt like this was going to be a rush. I pushed off like a bobsledder and Whoosh! Down the stairs I went and crashed into the front door. This being a sick day and all, I only got that “run” in, but when my siblings returned home from school, I shared my excitement with them. We could get two kids on each cushion, so we planned for the next day.The next day we were all at the top of the stairs. We pushed off time and time again. Little scratches and bruises but no serious damage. As we began to go two on a cushion and race side by side, Mrs. H came around the corner, ready to come up the stairs. We plowed into her, slamming her into the front door. We all rolled off the cushions, leaving her and the cushions in a heap. We nearly pushed her through the front door. (Of course she couldn’t wait to tell my parents what we had done. But, it never stopped us…)

Often in life, things seem like good ideas but in all the excitement, we never think of the consequences. We could have killed her (If for no other reason than stopping her heart!).

As an adult (At least chronologically!), I see that counting the cost would and could be advantageous to the health of our families and ourselves. What is the “cushion” that you have been riding that may be ready to cause a problem for you or others?

We were using stairs long before Home Alone!