One shoe truly CAN change your life.
One year ago (tomorrow), I got dressed for work, and – for the first time since June 2007 – I put on a PAIR of shoes! I remember that day quite well… and after a few hours, I had to resort to my post-operative shoe and copious doses of Advil. It was an accomplishment, in my book, nonetheless.
Most of you probably know that I was on crutches for 15 months, sported a walking boot (3 actually!) for 2 years, and cruised the halls of work, the mall, Target… from a wheelchair. Throughout this adventure, I visited 6 different orthopedic surgeons, before God brought Dr. John Gould (a highly acclaimed UAB physician) into my life. May 13th, 2009, Dr. Gould skillfully removed a “dead” bone, shaved another bone, cut a ligament, cut a tendon, moved / repositioned an inflamed nerve, removed a large neuroma, and injected 2 joints with cortisone… in my RIGHT foot. YES, I am forever indebted to my fabulous and caring friends and family, who played the role of chauffeur on many (MANY!) occasions!!! Love you much!
Those days, months, and years were invaluable and life-changing. The lessons I learned were priceless. Through our disabilities, we can learn to further appreciate and fully embrace our abilities. We have the opportunity to develop a deep sense of compassion, empathy, determination, and patience. We have the option to smile when others point and stare, laugh in the rain (YOU try to maneuver crutches and an umbrella!), and we can CHOOSE to live creatively!
My yoga journey began while I was still “one-legged.” Acceptance of the HERE and NOW, coupled with INTENTION and BREATH, allowed me to cultivate a deep and meaningful practice that has carried (and continues to carry!) me through a multitude of highs and lows! These past 12 months of “recovery” have been nothing short of a miracle, and tonight, my heart is filled with gratitude and joy. In the words of Albert Einstein, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
October 2009, I began to practice fully weight-bearing TWO-legged yoga! I started to run again (something about which I am very passionate) last winter. In March, Mom (who had recently undergone a total knee replacement) and I completed the 2K Azalea Trail Fun Run! In May, I was able to utilize my right foot in a yoga lunge… pain-free! AND, in June, I set forth on a path toward becoming a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher at the 200 Hour Level (RYT 200)! I will graduate from the Yoga Birds Teacher Training 2010 (under the unparalleled instruction of Melanie Buffett, E-RYT, Anusara-Inspired®) in December, and have already agreed to teach 2 weekly yoga classes!!!
This blog entry may appear trivial, but tomorrow, as I say a small prayer of “thanks” with each step I take, I will know that - while one shoe (boot, or post-op!) MAY change your life, the truth [found in a Chinese proverb] remains… “To get through the hardest journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping” ~ or hopping, or wheeling. ;)
Love to all,
aeb :)
