I have spoken to many groups ranging from kindergartners to adults about my journey over the past 12 years of being in this wheelchair. Sharing my story and my experiences is something I truly love to do. Over the years of talking to so many different groups, I have learned that no matter what the age is that I’m speaking to, I get asked some of the same questions. One of those questions that I love to answer is, “Annie, if you regained all your movement and strength, what would you want to do first?” It is so hard for me to just pick one thing, so I will break it down into my top five.
1. SOFTBALL! I would grab my batting gloves and my favorite bat, and I would go to the batting cage and hit softballs until I couldn’t lift my arms anymore. I love softball! I played four years of varsity softball in high school, and after high school I played as much as I could fit into my schedule. The sound of hitting that softball just right… in that “sweet” spot… It is a sound that I will never forget, and it is a feeling I miss so much!
2. DANCE! I am by no means a good dancer. Actually, I’m awful at it… but I do remember how great it feels to just lose yourself on the dance floor. Now don’t get me wrong, I still can do a pretty wicked shoulder shimmy, but it just does not compare to dancing the night away.
3. COOK! I’m Italian, so cooking is an inherited trait that has been passed down through my family. Cooking was something I used to do all the time before my accident, and it was also something that I never thought I would miss. Whether it is cooking for myself, or surprising the one I love with a big plate of homemade spaghetti… I miss it!
4. RUN! Yes, you read that correctly…. I said, “RUN!” Back in the day I was never a distance runner, but if there is one important lesson I have learned with being confined to a wheelchair, it is…. “Where there is a will, there is away.” So, you can bet that I would work at it… and I would run… and run… and run.
5. PLAY CATCH! It could be a football, a softball, a frisbee… I’m not picky. I love the feeling of throwing the perfect spiral with a football, the “smack” of a softball being caught in a leather glove, or seeing a frisbee glide through the air. It is so simple, but so satisfying.
So, that is my list. As I was writing it, I realized that every single one was something I took for granted. I never thought that the last time I did each of them that it would actually be my last time. I do not think many people look at the “simple” things in life that way. That is one of the most important reasons why I love sharing my story… I want to help you to embrace the little things. I am a true example of the saying, “You will not miss it until it is gone.” So, never forget what is important… never forget that life throws curveballs… never forget how very precious life is… and never forget that you get this one chance at life. So, hit the ball, shake your booty, embrace your inner chef, run the marathon, and celebrate that perfect spiral.
Oh I remember those days!