Columnist Gene Myers wrote a touching post on North Jersey.com recently about why he, with his cerebral palsy, has become a columnist.

Describing his experience with his cerebral palsy, he explained that he’s “lucky” compared to many. As he wrote, “If there were a sliding scale of misfortune it would show that amongst my compatriots with disabilities, I am on the luckier side. I walk somewhat stiffly with a cane. It’s a look that the TV character House made cool for a while. Compared to others I have known (people with no use of their arms or legs, people who have no arms or legs, people who can’t speak, etc.), many would be happy to limp a mile in my shoes.”

He said that he couldn’t play sports, so that much of his joy came from activities he did with his mind including playing music and writing poetry. He explained that, “I have to admit this column is a quirky one. The idea from the start was simple: Newspapers are filled with bad news. Why not write about the things people do to make themselves happy?”

His first column ran seven years ago, and The Joy of Life has, since, been picked up by 27 newspapers. He wrote that he’s certainly not done with the column yet, “But I want to let you know how much writing The Joy of Life has meant to me. It has given me a deep sense of pride, and I count it as one of the many ways in which I am lucky.”