22

Last night as I was kneeling down to say my prayers a memory came into my mind and I strongly believe that Heavenly Father wanted me to remember it for a specific purpose - what, I haven't quite sorted out.

"Remember how it felt when you walked after surgery." 

I don't really remember much pre-surgery. I don't remember what it felt like to walk like a "ballerina on pointe." I remember all the therapy and serial casting and being terrified of the saw even when they showed me that it couldn't cut into a tomato. I remember the braces. I remember the teasing. But I don't remember what it FELT like. But, I remember after. 22 years ago.

{via}

The casts all the way up my legs. The mosquito bites I couldn't scratch. How yellow my legs were when they came off. Eric rubbing baby lotion on my legs. The missionaries doing wheelies in my wheelchair. The walking casts. How bad it hurt to stand up, to put pressure on my feet. Accidentally stepping on the track for the shower door while taking a "real" bath for the first time in 6 weeks. The walking casts coming off.

And, a family friend asking what it felt like to walk for the first time with my feet flat on the floor.

It was amazing.

And for some reason, I needed to remember that.