Gavin's First Train Ride

Every morning the El and the Metra roar by our bedroom window a dozen times while Gavin is having his morning nurse. Each time a train goes by he stops, looks, and listens, and then laughs and chatters. Joe and I are convinced that his first word will be "train." So, when the opportunity arose for me to take Gavin on a train ride, I was excited. On a freezing cold and lightly snowing day, Gavs and I bundled up and walked to the Metra station by our house for ride into downtown Chicago where we had lunch plans with our friend Miss Kelley in the Ogilvie Station Corner Bakery.

After riding the Metra downtown and back, I have a HUGE newfound appreciation of how difficult it must be to be handicapped, even after watching the struggle my brother and sister-in-law have transporting my niece in her wheelchair. The handicapped elevator for the train was locked down, so I had to haul Gavin in his carseat, a stroller frame, a stroller wind cover, and a massive diaper bag up the steps to the platform. Then, I had to lug everything onto the train during its 30-second stop for passengers. Fortunately, there were some nice men around to help me lift the stroller on, but how do handicapped people get onto the train? We repeated the process when we disembarked.

Wow. It was eye-opening to walk (or roll) in someone else's shoes for the day. I will gladly advocate to make things easier on the disabled whenever I can!