I’m a little late in posting this but it’s been on my heart so much that I know I have to write about it to get peace.

Last Thursday morning about 11,I walked out of Ross and grabbed the wall as I stumbled.
My son had walked ahead to load our packages and was going to come back and help me but I thought I could make it on my own.
I’m stubborn like that. 🤗

The woman that has held the door open for me came up to me …
She was wearing a mask and I was not.
I couldn’t read her lips, but I could read her eyes which showed compassion and understanding.
The universal body language of kindness was clear.
She offered her arm and I gratefully linked my hand in her elbow and we walked together maybe ten feet before my son met us and took my arm to lead me the rest of the way to his truck.

This woman stepped forward to help me.. but more than that. She saw me and acknowledged me..
I’ve noticed something .. since I’ve had this injury which has affected my gait.. and for a short time, forced me to use a walker and then a crutch… that people are uncomfortable with disability, with injuries, with “differences”.
I’ve watched people avoid eye contact.. the same people that once came out of their way to talk to me, have acted as if I was invisible suddenly.

I get it. I really do. Sometimes people think whatever is wrong with you might be contagious.
One of my wheelchair bound clients told me once that people will talk to his wife as if he was no longer a person in his own right..”what would he like to have?”to which she would reply “I don’t know.. why don’t you ask HIM?”

So that Thursday when the woman offered her arm to help me walk, she really gave much more.
She gave me hope in the human race, she gave me validation that I was still me, and she gave me assurance of what I’ve always believed… That when you touch the body, you reach the soul.

She didn’t know who I was and she didn’t care.. All she knew was that I needed help and she stepped forward.
She didn’t know that I had just finished with Phu Lam and was extra wobbly from a hard training session.
She didn’t know about my Covid journey and how I was fighting to get my body and health back… She was willing to give and I was so glad to recieve.
If she sees this-or if someone knows her and tells her- please contact me .. I would love to tell her “thank you” for choosing to walk with Love!

walkwithlove #writingmyheartout