Just like turning sixty, we have to make a decision. Are we going to made this time in our life full of negative thoughts and actions or are we going to open up to positive possibilities? The Walking Stick or The Elegant Cane may present itself if we, or our parents require to consider using one. Quite honestly, Im secretly looking forward to choosing mine! You see, it is an elegant appendix to our style and purpose and ever so useful.

Firstly I would like to introduce you to a young woman whose attitude of having to use a cane to assist in her recovery.

How a Fashionable Cane got One Vogue Writer back on her Feet!

Ah yes, a cane, I thought. Why hadn’t they offered me this at the doctor’s office? There was something regal and dignified about a cane—Old World, even. They kind of reminded me of a character in an Edith Wharton novel, though as Vogue.com Contributing Editor Rebecca Johnson pointed out, they often carry an unfair stigma. After undergoing a series of surgeries for a shattered ankle, the long-distance runner found herself suddenly traversing city blocks, stairways, and ice-covered sidewalks with the help of crutches and canes, opting for classic, pared-down styles. First, there was the hand-carved African walking stick her grandfather lent her and then the one she inherited from a sympathetic stranger who saw her attempting to navigate a precarious set of stairs. “A man on the street saw me sidestepping up my rail-less front stoop in what I referred to as my ‘robot boot’ and gave me his cane,” she said. “He had another one at home, he claimed, and it was cheap. When I healed up, I passed that one on to another stranger who looked like he could use it.”

The cane, as the glittering array of options on Amazon.com showed me, is also a fantastic way to deflect attention away from an unshapely bandage or, in my case, the Adidas track pants I took to wearing to conceal my swollen calf and ankle. Whether adorned with a metal handle or flask or embroidered with a dizzying pattern, the novelty cane has plenty of personality; the sight of them triggered my first smile in days. I chose a Lucite version—very mod!—had my new support system overnighted, and soon I was making my way to the CVS for reinforcements in style. You would be surprised at how the seas part for a young woman with a cane and just how many men suddenly go out of their way to offer assistance (ahem).

It would, of course, take round-the-clock rest, icing, and plenty of anti-inflammatories to get me fully back on my feet, but I can certainly say my road to recovery, while slow, is a surprisingly chic one.

source: https://www.vogue.com/article/most-stylish-walking-canes-fashion-weekHow to choose a walking stick

And it is important to choose your cane carefully. On a serious note, this will become a companion which assists in your safety in walking and balancing.

There are three basic considerations when choosing a walking stick. The first is length. For most people, a stick that reaches from the ground to about their sternum works well. You want something that is long enough that when you’re traveling downhill you won’t be slumped over.

Next is thickness. This is largely a matter of personal preference and comfort. I have fairly large hands and prefer a walking stick that is about 1.5″ thick.

Finally, material. I much prefer a wooden walking stick, ideally made from something I’ve found in one of my travels. It just seems quite fitting to use a natural material when I’m in the wilderness. Others, though, prefer aluminum or even PVC. Again, this is a personal choice.

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And for those who wish to open their minds to other possibilities, here is a wonderful book suggesting 49 uses for a Walking Stick, a must read - amusing and also enlightening to realise that this doesn’t have to be a drudgery of having to use one, but on the contrary, a positive and ‘stick of expression’!!

Purchase the book here.