Wheelchair Walking
A Testament to the Human Spirit
Happy World Gratitude Day!
In honor of this day of thankfulness, I want to share a story with you.
I walk in the park almost daily, and I always see a woman who has either suffered a serious injury, undergone surgery, or lives with a debilitating condition of some sort. When I first saw her last year, she was “walking” in a wheelchair. From her seated position, she shuffled her feet with tiny baby steps, holding on to her canine sidekick. Sometimes, a health aide dressed in scrubs would walk alongside her. What struck me about this woman: though confined to a wheelchair, she was always chatting and smiling.
Months later, I noticed that her wheelchair was gone, replaced by a leg brace, a neck brace, a knee brace, and two canes. Her tiny steps were now taken from an upright position. But it took her over an hour to walk a distance that would normally take 15 minutes for the average person.
Her dog and health aide hovered nearby.
Last week, she had only one cane, a big smile, and no health aide as she held onto the harness of her beautiful canine supporter. She was still walking very slowly, but I would no longer describe those steps as baby steps.
She caught me looking at her and we exchanged a smile. If only she knew how much her progress inspired this silent onlooker.
We complain mindlessly: “I have to go to work... I have to get groceries... I have to join a boring call... I have to get gas... I have to pick up the kids... I have to do the laundry... I have to read these emails... I have to...”
Let’s change one word: I get to!
There are many peering from windows, hospital beds, or the confines of a broken mind, who would give anything to amble outside, feel the wind against their faces, play with a puppy, get the groceries, do the laundry, or even bathe themselves.
But for whatever reason, they can’t.
So,
No,
You don’t have to.
You get to.
Sometimes, it takes witnessing another’s struggle to realize there are others in much tougher situations.
As I watched that woman shuffle slowly with her cane, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude that I had just effortlessly walked four miles. It struck me how easily we take our health, abilities, and lives for granted.
So let’s continually embrace gratitude and the realization that we get to!
But never forget that...
It’s important to celebrate the boldest, baddest, bravest, and best version of your beautiful, courageous, and unique self.
You do not need to walk on eggshells or seek crumbs of validation and acceptance from anyone. Your opinion about you is the only one that truly matters.
The voices in your head that tell you that you aren’t good enough, strong enough, or capable of curating the life you need and deserve were likely planted by a parent, an abuser, a family member, a teacher, or even someone trying to sabotage your efforts. It is time to evict those toxic squatter thoughts. Not every opinion deserves space in your sacred heart.
Replace the noise with affirmations that resonate with your true self:
I am enough.
I am incredibly unique.
Everything is working out for my highest good.
I am a survivor.
I am capable.
I am loved.
I am a badass!
That woman in the park reminds us that we all have the determination, strength, and resilience to rise and overcome. We just have to channel them and stay the course. It’s not easy, but true joy comes from showing up for ourselves with gratitude, grace, and grit—despite the cards we were dealt.
People stared at that woman in the park. Some pointed; others likely wondered why she wasn’t in a facility instead of “walking” in her wheelchair. But she chose to wield her power and pen to write her story on her own terms.
People will toss their opinions around like confetti, but remember: this is your one and only life. So do the things that feed your soul and make your heart sing, because only you know what you truly need, what works for you, and what brings you genuine joy.
No explanation or justification necessary.
So... on this World Gratitude Day, let us embrace gratitude for the good, the bad, and the ugly each and every day. By recognizing the beauty in our daily lives, we cultivate a mindset that celebrates our existence.
Fun fact: you are brimming with awesomeness, my friend, and you deserve all the happiness you can stand.
And...
You GET to be a Rockstar!