Until I met a man who had no feet……

“I cried because I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet”.

In a surfing accident in 2008 I flirted with death for a while and emerged alive with…let’s call them limitations and I could probably have been forgiven for wallowing in a long pity party, but this story is not about me. It is about someone far more courageous, tenanacious and gracious than I could ever be.

Sometime ago quite ‘serendipitously’ I met an amazing woman who had experienced the harshest of life’s realities. I was mightily inspired by her and wanted to introduce her to my readers. Now I generally don’t have a problem with content. I sit down at my computer and start writing but this time was different. I knew what I wanted to say but just couldn’t get the words out the way I wanted to…almost as if I had developed a speech impediment with my fingers. You know what I mean.

I determined to persevere because I really wanted to share with the world the real meaning of courage. The kind  that this remarkable young woman displays daily.  I went into her blog as I have done often and it suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks. Tracy in one blog post explained  far better than I ever could what it means to be her.

My new friend Tracy Todd lives in a beautiful part of South Africa close to a place called God’s Window and this is briefly her story:

For those of you who don’t know… almost 13 years ago, at the age of 28, I was left totally paralyzed from the neck down after a tragic car accident.  I often feel as if I have lived two lives. I guess, in a sense, I have.  At the time of the accident I was happily married and mom to a 10-month-old son.  I was a young, active and independent woman.  I was a talented sportswoman and had a promising career in Education.  My perfect world was shattered on that fateful Easter Monday, 13th April 1998.

Amazingly, it is still, after all this time, the small things – the things that most people take for granted – that I miss the most in life.  I woke up this morning with this prayer in my heart…

Dear Lord

If only YOU gave me back the use of my arms – I don’t need my legs – for just 24 hours I would…

I would wrap my arms around my 12-year-old son and hold him to me tightly.

I would squeeze his cheeks between my hands and kiss him all over his face.

I would play with his hair and hold his hand in mine.

I would hug him for the entire 24-hour period if he would allow me to – but you know what boys are like at this age – hugs and kisses from Mom must be restricted!

I would wipe my tears of joy and blow my nose holding tissues in both hands.

I would hug all my family and friends.

I would put my arm around all the special people, who have been so good to me, to thank them for their ongoing love, care and support.

I would linger in a hot bubble bath and wash my own hair and cleanse my face.

I would brush my teeth on my own.

I would dress myself.

I would apply my own makeup.

I would blowdry and style my hair in my own way.

I would go out into the garden and dig into the soil with my bare hands and fingers.

I would pick my roses, hold them to my nose and sniff their divine scent.

I would eat all the ribs I could and savour each bite.

Then I would pick the bits of meat out of my teeth with a toothpick.

I would brush my teeth and floss them again.

I would hold a steaming cup of coffee to my lips with both hands and sip it slowly. Or, maybe a tall glass of bubbly.

I would slam the door of my bedroom shut so that I could just be alone even if it were for just a few minutes.

I would open the door and slam it shut again!  This would be a great physical release for so many pent up emotions.  The hardest thing to come to terms with has been my total loss of privacy and independence.

I would hold a pen in my hand and sign my name on a piece of paper 100 times.

I would handwrite a letter to my son so that he can never forget what his mom’s handwriting looked like and always read how special he is and how much I love him.

I would pat my dogs, stroke their fur and hug them.

I would play with their ears, hold their snouts in both hands and place their wet noses on my cheek. Then I would contentedly wipe their slobber off my face.

I would put my hair behind my ears and take it out again.

I would scratch my head and rub my nose.

I would hug my son again.  And again.

I would clap my hands for joy and put my hands together as I pray to YOU to thank YOU for the many Angels and blessings YOU have brought into my life.

I would…  The list is endless!

AMEN

I share this prayer with all of you… NOT to solicit any sympathy or pity. I hate pity! I share my prayer in the hopes of reminding you to STOP for a moment… THINK of all your blessings… APPRECIATE what you can do… SEE the beauty in your life, your heart and that of others… and truly LIVE.

Take NOTHING for granted.

Tracy….you are my Hero.