Hello friends,
Every day is a little bit closer. A little bit closer to my goal. Every new thing that I am able do is so amazing. I don’t think you can really appreciate YOUR life until you face having it taken away. I think all too often we focus on having some other life. Some other house, some other car, some other job, some other everything. I think that longing for something else is why “reality” TV is so popular. It captivates so many, even when it is so far removed from the reality that most of us live in day after day. I mean seriously how many of you could ever race around the world like “The Amazing Race”? Or spend 40 days on a deserted island or some remote tropical paradise like “Survivor”? Or even in college, how many of you lived with 7 total strangers like “The Real World”? Hmmm, okay well maybe I did, but that is a story for a different day! I guess what I am trying to say is that I am happy just surviving the amazing race that is my real world. It’s fun to lose yourself in a world of make believe, but don’t get caught up in the hype. Real life is so full of joy if you just take moment to stop and really appreciate it!
This weekend I went out to a small swimming hole to take a break from the heat. I must admit, I was a little nervous. As walking has been a bit of a challenge recently, I could only speculate about my ability to coordinate my body for something as complex as swimming. On dry land being uncoordinated might result in a fall. While painful, this would more than likely be survivable. Being uncoordinated in the water could have far more dire consequences. So just to be safe I decided to rent the inner tube and even considered the water wings, but my pride/vanity wouldn't let me go that far!
I am using the cane most of the time now, so it seemed like it was time to give this challenge a go. So into the water I went. Tentatively at first as I adjust to the sand moving under my feet, I took a few steps into the water. Marveling at how for the first time since this all began, the ground really was moving beneath me, LOL. When I was finally out far enough to use the inner tube to support my weight and felt the pull of gravity slip away, I felt the biggest grin spread over my face. You know the kind of smile that is so contagious that your whole face wants to join in on the fun. I was no longer fighting the battle between what my body was telling me and what my mind knew to be true. The water and my natural buoyancy kept up, down, left and right in their proper alignment. I finally relaxed completely for the first time in months!
I suppose I have always had an affinity for the water. As I serenely, floated in the water letting my mind wander, I thought back to a picture in one of my family photo albums of my mother and me in an infant swim class. I realized that I have actually been swimming longer than I have been walking, so it only makes sense that this would feel so natural to me. Some of my best childhood memories revolve around family trips to BaldMountainState Park and the pool at AvondaleHigh School (where much to the amazement of the older kids) I would jump from the highest diving board without fear. In the water, I felt normal for the first time in months. I spent a lot of time at the spot where the water was just over my shoulders with my feet firmly planted on the squishy bottom just walking back and forth, enjoying the feeling of walking relaxed and upright. I hardly wanted it to end. I almost pouted when it was time to leave LOL.
Moments like these are what I look forward to. That and of course my puppy Gizmo. He is really developing some personality. He is alert, energetic and more than a little mischievous. He is so funny when I tell him no. He looks so offended that I would dare interrupt his fun. He will stop, but as soon as he thinks I am not looking he goes right back to what he was doing. The problem is, he is so cute I can’t stay mad for long. I will be very happy when this teething phase ends though. He wants to chew on everything including me! House-training has also been an adventure. He is close to mastering peeing on the pad, usually getting at least within a few inches of the designated place. Number 2 on the other hand has been far more difficult. He just can’t seem to grasp the concept that pee and poo belong in the same place! Luckily, I am starting to learn his patterns and can pretty accurately predict when he is ready to drop off a package with just enough time to rush him over to the potty pad. Once more I have to wonder if I am training the puppy or if the puppy is training me!
Well I have to get ready for work in the morning and head for bed. Thanks for listening. Talk to you soon.
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