"If you were sick, why did you go sledding?"

This is what Will asked me Sunday after he and I shared our first sledding experience down "Dog Hill" in Cherokee Park. We had a blast! I had braved the icy roads at 8 o'clock that morning to reach Keith's Hardware and buy two sleds before they sold out. I went home and even started our taxes before heading back out with Will. We passed a stuck car heading up the hill and managed to squeeze into a great parking spot. The wind was bitter but the hill was welcoming. But while the hill was welcoming going down, going up was a different story. I was quickly reminded that I'm nearer to an out-of-shape old man than a spring chicken after a couple of hikes up that hill.

Later the next day, I confessed to the kids that I had been suffering a cold all weekend. After learning this, Will asked, "If you were sick, why did you go sledding?"

I replied, "Son, there are some things a man does even when he is sick. And going sledding with you is one of those things."