I was always the last chosen for teams in gym class. I begin this post with that disclaimer because I want to be very, very clear that I have been as far from athletic as one can possibly get. Back in the day, before my inherited disease was diagnosed, I was just seen as super clumsy and everybody thought I was nonathletic because I preferred reading and crafting to rowdy outdoor play.
How very, very odd to be feeling like an athlete for the first time in my life. Don't get me wrong, I'm still significantly disabled. Still can't walk worth a lick. Couldn't jump an inch off the ground to save my life.
So, how can I make such a preposterous statement? Because, for the first time in my young life, I have rippling muscles. Yes, rippling! As a result of working out with resistance bands, I can flex my arms and see muscles dancing up and down my arms. Not there yet, but I see ripped,wiry, slim arms emerging. Arms of an athlete.
When I toss my wheelchair out of my car, lean over and snap the wheels in place, and transfer my body from one driver's seat to the other, I feel graceful and athletic in the fluid mastery of this task. I'm not ever gonna be pictured on the front of a Wheaties box. No matter. What does matter is that I feel like a champion. I feel strong and empowered. Graceful and lithe. And getting more so with each passing day.
Isn't that a delicious irony?
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