An inspiring letter...carrier

"I have MS," says Jose Chavez, a ten-year veteran of the United States Postal Service. "It doesn't have me."

As we "deadhead" back to his postal vehicle, Jose tells me he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002. Deadheading is when a carrier doesn't have any mail in their bag.

Despite the diagnosis and a leg that lags the other, he still carries out his duties, and he does them well. A dog barking doesn't even draw a look over the shoulder, he's kind enough to tell this photographer not to walk through a patch of lawn because of the doggie land mines there everyday, and he looks at golfers across the street with envy. Not because he is unable to play golf, but because he is not playing on this sunny spring day. "I'm pretty much comic relief on the course," he says. "As you can see my balance isn't great." He says his brother and father just laugh and laugh, but "I can walk the course," he adds.

I asked Jose how many miles are in his route.

He stops to think.

"I have more businesses now," he says. "It used to be ten, but now it's about seven."

I think to myself how I see people who are fully capable of walking drive laps around parking lots, just so they don't have to walk so far.

Does walking help his MS? "I like to think so," he says with a grin.

Here's to you, Jose. Keep up the great work and better yet, great attitude.