A little background: My youngest daughter needed to have both her legs casted for 2 months last winter. We had expected it to be tough. We thought she was going to be in a wheelchair for 2 months, and had even contacted the school to make arrangements for recesses, bathroom breaks, gym classes, etc. My husband and I sat and made lists of all the fun stuff we could do with her inside (while her friends and siblings still got to enjoy the winter wonderland outside). You get the picture. We were trying to keep her upbeat and positive and fill her days with fun so that she didn't feel like she was missing out. Those 2 months passed relatively quickly. Her outlook and attitude was always so positive. Sure, she got frustrated at times (heck, we all did). As it turned out she didn't need a wheelchair. She could walk, play...even dance! This was a major win. She is competitive dancer and we had agreed to take her to every practice so that she could still watch and learn the routines, but her heart soared when she realized she could actually participate! I wish I could share the videos of her dancing with these 2 clunky casts on. It was part hilarious, and part totally inspiring. She didn't let it slow her down. She couldn't do the leaps or spins and sometimes she would feel clumsy, but she was just thankful to be there (and we were thankful for her amazing dance teachers that supported and encouraged her. They always included her and made all the difference for her during this time. Erin, Christine and Dana - my heart is forever grateful for the way you love on our girls).
Earlier this fall we went in for a check up, and they decided to cast her legs again! So, here we are in the beginning of round 2. Casts on both legs for 2.5 months. This time though, my heart broke for my little girl. We knew that the issue had returned, and in our hearts we thought the doctors might want to cast again. We told her our thoughts before the appointment, just to prepare her. In the end, we were right. As the Doctor said that he would cast again for 2.5 months I looked over at my little girl and saw her head drop down, and the air leave her lungs. She slumped slightly forward, and let that feeling of defeat settle in. Have you ever been there? Have you stared a moment right in the face and felt like it was too much? My heart broke in that moment. And then an amazing thing happened...
I watched my little girl take a deep breath, lift her head up and say "It's okay. It'll be fine". She looked over at me and I knew in that moment that she was choosing it. She wasn't happy about it, she didn't want this, she was choosing to make it okay. Choosing to make it fine. I know she doesn't want to be in these casts. They are heavy, they smell and they stop her from doing so many things that she loves. But everyday she teaches us to choose that it will be okay, and go out and make it so. She accepts the bad, and celebrates the good.
Such a powerful lesson from such a little girl. She is our future. Our students are our future. Let's create in them a drive and a passion to "make it okay" when things kinda suck. Let's empower them and give them the internal dialogue that would have them say "I can handle this. It will be okay. I will make it okay." And then let's teach them how to take action.
I will leave you with this picture of my sweet girl. It was taken at a recent dance workshop where she danced for 4 hours straight (for 2 days in a row!). There was a lot of buzz around her as she high kicked and got her groove on despite both legs in casts :) This is the face a little girl who is going to change the world. She may not lead a country, she may not run a million dollar company...or maybe she will. But one thing is for sure - whatever she does, she will face it head on and will always choose for it to be okay.
Talk again soon,
Carly
