A Lesson on Drive

After getting back into the swing of things, I started to feel normal again. Of course, that didn't last long. My legs started giving me problems again, but worse than before. It was to the point that Coach Brown asked me if I would like to red shirt for the year. I thought about it and told her no. I'm not sure if it was the right decision or not. I kind of felt like I was being selfish, but at the same time, I knew that I didn't want my condition to take over my life. With the final answer being no, Coach Brown began to drive me harder than before. I know she didn't do it because of my condition. I had been out of practice for about 2 weeks. It was killing me sitting around elevated and not being able to play. Surprisingly, each practice became more and more bearable. It didn't help that during volleyball season, the gym is extremely hot. We have one big floor fan to help cool us off and Coach Brown gave us many water breaks. When the weather is extremely hot, my lower extremities swell up like a blow fish. When the weather cools down, my body tends to regulate itself and the swelling decreases.  I remember a practice that changed my life. It was an evening practice full of conditioning drills. This one particular drill was set up like an obstacle course. Lots of chopping your steps, jumping on boxes, zigzag lines, and spiking. I remember Coach Brown encouraging me through the pain that I was feeling. She knew that we all were tired and aching, but she knew that my level of pain was different. That night, I learned a personal meaning for the word "drive." And to end this post, I'm going to answer a question that many have asked me. A question that I have failed to give the true answer to them. The most popular question is "Why won't you sit down somewhere or sit still and rest?" The real answer is because God has given me limbs to use. They may not be perfect, but they are still functional. I plan on using them and wearing them out until they are cut off or nonfunctional. So, I stay busy because I know one day I will be forced to be still. Until then, "Thank You God For The Activity Of My Limbs!!!"