Every Saturday afternoon my mother takes me to the park. Today, I saw a squirrel run past us as it chased another squirrel up a tree. The unexpected activity caused Mom to jump which made me giggle uncontrollably. The warmth of the summer's sun made my face and arms tingle. I really enjoy going to the park with my mother. As she pushed me in my wheelchair I could see other kids laughing and having fun on the merry-go-round, see saw, and sliding board. In the distance, there was a little girl rolling around in the grass as she played with a frisky tan and white puppy. Then, right in front of us, there was a little boy wearing a red baseball cap like the one my grandpa gave me. As we passed him by, he tugged at his mother's shirt sleeve and pointed in our direction. She nodded as if she didn't know what to say. He soon lost interest and then ran over to the monkey bars to play with some other boys and girls. Why didn't his mother tell him that it's rude to point at people just because they are different?
As she often does, my mother bent over and kissed me on my forehead as we continued over to the swings. Once there, she took me out of my wheelchair and held me in her lap. With one hand she held on to the chain and with the other, she held on to me. I felt safe in her arms. I closed my eyes and relaxed as the breeze caressed my face. We swung and swung until the colors of the blue sky turned shades of orange and pink like the flowers in our backyard. I knew that meant that it was time to go home.
Once home, Mom started getting me ready for bed. Bedtime is my favorite time of the day. Tonight, my mother gave me a warm bath, put me in my batman pajamas and we cuddled as she read me a story. Sometimes she falls asleep next to me. But tonight she tucked me in, kissed me on my forehead and whispered "Good night Sweet pea".
Before I fell asleep completely, I could hear her crying in the other room. She wants to take my pain away. I want to take away her pain too.
Soon, all is quiet and Mom is asleep. I crawl out of my bed, and I begin to run.
I run out the front door and down the street. The light from the stars hides the darkness and in my mind, it is daylight again.
I run back to the park and I do all the things I could not do before.
I run.
I see the little girl and her puppy. He tries to chase me but I am too fast for him!
I run.
Up the front of the sliding board I go as if I had wings! Then I run to the monkey bars. The little boy in the red baseball cap is still there. I challenge him to a race. "Catch me if you can" I said, as I run!
I run so fast and I run so far that no one catches me.
I run, and I run, and I run. Faster and faster. Away from everything that has ever scared me and from everyone who’s ever made me feel sad.
I run.
My batman pajamas now have a cape that whips in the wind!
I run.
All the way back home into my waiting mother's arms. I wipe away her tears and we laugh and we laugh. She kisses me on my forehead and says: "Good morning Sweet pea, it's time to wake up."
Tomorrow has come and today is just like yesterday. I can not walk and I can not talk but it doesn't matter in the slightest. My mother takes care of me and makes me feel loved. I wish I could tell her that I love her too. She prays for me every night and she asks God to make me whole. Little does she know that every night in my dreams, He does!
