Taking MS Out For A Walk

I took ms out yesterday for a morning walk. 

I love where I live.  There are houses sort of dotted inside the woods, there's a large farmhouse, couple of ponds, lots of birds singing, chickens cackling...you get the idea.  I was truly enjoying the scenery, listening to the beautiful sounds of the birds, enjoying the awesomeness of the hugeungous hawk that was perched on top of the roof of one of the houses...and the little round bird, who must have been upset with said hawk, 'cause it perched next to him and didn't stop screaming in his ear.  He finally got the point and flew away.  That made me laugh, because it reminded me of my husband and I.  He's like the big hawk, perched on his chair after a long day's work.  I'm the little round bird, needing his help around the house, so I yell at him until he decides it is no longer relaxing to sit...

I was truly enjoying every moment of my walk.  I gave thanks to God for the fact that I could see all of the beauty around me, because I only had one tiny black spot in my line of sight.  I gave thanks for the air moving in and out of me with no pain or discomfort.  I gave thanks that my legs were moving beautifully and with full feeling, though they were beyond tired from the exercise...but that was the good kind of tired!  I gave thanks, believe it or not, for a condition like this.  It has allowed me to understand that nothing is to be taken for granted.  Not sight, mobility, hearing, sensation, or lack of pain.  It might sound silly, but I felt like it was just me and God, that I had His full attention, and it felt almost surreal.

I heard a car coming down the hill and was snapped back to reality, carefully moving myself as far to the side of the road as possible.  I was completely exhausted from my exercise, getting ready to lift my hand in that courteous, "how ya doin'" wave.  Just that quick, I tripped over a rock, turned my ankle, and was heading down in a hurry, face first.  I thought I was as good as gone, because everything switched into sloooow motion...Matrix style.  My mind only had time to yell, "right hand out!" but all I got down was my finger tips.  My body prepared for impact.  But it never came?

By the grace of the God I had praised and conversed with the entire hour prior, I was able to keep from falling on the road, directly into the path of the Toyota.  I knew the brand of car, because I could see the emblem coming at me.  The driver had the wherewithal to see the Matrix playing out ahead of him/her, thereby giving me lots of room to wreck.  I'm sure that person was in awe of my mad skillz.  Either that or wondering if I was related to the lady who staggers around this area each morning, looking as if she had way too much to drink the night before, complete with gigantic sunglasses, fumbling for a cigarette pack in her handbag.  I've still not figured out where it is she walks to.  In any case, my favorite phrase applies..."I'm not drunk, I have MS". 

Once I composed myself, I brushed the stones out of my fingertips and took a physical inventory.  My ankle felt a little twinge, but even that was disappearing.  I stood in the road, completely in awe of the fact that I was absolutely fine.  Tired, but fine.  I wondered how something so crazy could even happen!  I mean, how can you be headed for face plant, directly in the path of an oncoming car, and nuthin'!  I made my way home, a little shaken up by what nearly happened.  I kid you not, the following Bible verse popped into my head:

“If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the LORD, who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone” (Psalm 91:9-12).

Ooooh okay, got it!  Hey, thanks for that too:-)