How many times in life are our dreams shattered because we think we can’t do something? For the past seven years, I have been a tour director to China, and in a recent group one of the participants was a blind man, Premo Foiannini, who, for years, had walked all over Salt Lake City selling brooms to raise money for the blind.
At the orientation to meet the new travelers, I became very concerned. This was the largest group I had ever led, with forty-six participants. Would I be able to care for them all, including Premo and his wife, Marcelle, who were both in their eighties?
Premo and Marcelle arrived in China the day before we were to climb China’s Great Wall. I always stay at the bottom of the Great Wall with those who can’t climb steep steps. My right knee lacks cartilage, and I don’t climb stairs very well. I was all set to sit with them and enjoy a few hours of rest and relaxation at the base while the others climbed.
“Premo would you and Marcelle like to come over here and sit down for a few hours?” I asked. Premo replied, “Oh, no, we came to climb the Great Wall!” Astonished at his reply, I shook in amazement and panic. They couldn’t possibly go up alone; they could easily take a bad fall. I wanted to make sure they would be safe, so I followed them as they began to ascend the irregular steps. Before I knew it, they were well on their way up.
So, we were off and climbing the steep stairs, Premo and Marcelle. Every once in a while, as we would stop to rest, I asked Premo, “How far do you want to go?” “I want to go to the top. You know, there was a blind man who climbed Mount Everest.” I swallowed hard and we continued. As we neared the third tower, which is well over two-thirds up this particular section of the Wall, you would have thought I was accompanying two rock stars. Tourists from everywhere noticed Premo’s white cane and gave him encouraging words and accolades and took his photo as he climbed.
In all of my visits to the Wall, this was the highest I had been. I must say, there were a few tears of joy as the three of us reached the third tower. That day I learned from a sightless eighty-two-year-old man on the top of the Great Wall of China the biggest adventures in life is to follow your dreams!
