"7DaysOfSmiles Challenge" My Story!
This is what inspired this project!
I recently injured my foot and was basically confined to my house for over a month! Recovery is still in progress!
I can tell you this; it can make you crazy! I was disabled by the physical pain, feel helpless, isolated, angry, sad, lonely, and very depressed to say the least! Loosing your independence is devastating!
Friends try to help and I appreciate all their efforts! Sometimes it's just hard to ask! This only compounds the other emotions I already feel. There were days I just wanted to give up! If you know me, that is not an easy thing for me to say! :-)
The events in this story are what inspired this project!
After all the emotions I decided something had to change. I started looking for an alternative to crutches because they just were not working! I found the iWalk 2.0. and immediately ordered it.
When it arrived, I learned how to use it. Then I decided I needed to see the ocean and feel some sunshine! I was so excited that I might be getting my independence back but I still couldn't manage to shake the depression!
I decided to get on the bus, go the beach and see what would happen? It would take patience with this new device but I knew I could do it!
Once at the beach I started practicing walking some more. It felt wonderful to be outside! Feeling the brisk ocean breeze and hearing the waves as I soaked in the sunshine was incredible!
Suddenly, I realized someone was following me. He was laughing and mumbling something. I turned around and saw a homeless man in a wheel chair. He was trying to catch up with me. He was laughing as he shouted, "You have too many toes!" They were exposed and sticking out behind me about his eye level because of my cast.
I said, "You are crazy!" I was now laughing with him. He said he wanted to touch my toes because I had so many. I replied, "You'll have to catch me!" I then tried walking a little faster. He rolled right along, still laughing and teasing me. He was gaining on me!
I had to slow down because I was now exhausted! I didn't want to fall and get hurt again. This allowed him to catch up and finally touch my toes. Hysterically laughing he repeated, "You still got too many toes!" He then apologized if he had bothered me and offered to leave me alone.
I paused a second and said, "No, you are not bothering me." I told him how he'd made me laugh, which was something I thought I had forgotten how to do? Distracted by someone offering him food he told me goodbye.
I walked a little ways farther and sat down to rest. I was close enough that I could still watch him. He continued laughing and seemed to be entertaining the people who had offered him the food.
After they left, he just sat there eating the food he had received. A bird landed beside him and he began talking to it while offering some food! How sweet was that!
The bird ate a little bit and flew away. I felt sad for the man. Soon he started laughing again. The bird that had flown away returned with dozens of other birds. It appeared that the bird had somehow told all his friends.
Excited about all the birds, he crumbled the food he had left and fed them all. I just sat there amazed and started crying!
If this man, in his condition, could make me laugh, smile, and cry surely he must know some secret? He definitely knew kindness and laughter! He also showed love for wildlife.
Immediately my burdens seemed lifted and everything came back into focus! I told myself, "You need to be more like this man!" My problems didn't seem so dismal any more. I'm healing now, just slowly and eventually I will walk again.
The part I haven't mentioned about this kind laughing stranger, not only was he confined to his wheelchair, he was missing his leg above the knee.
This is what put things back into perspective for me! I'll walk again, but his leg will never grow back.
This is proof that this challenge can make a difference! It worked on me! It not only changed that day for me; it totally changed my life in a beautiful way!
Thanks for reading if you've made it this far! LOL!!! I hope everyone will take the "7DaysOfSmiles" challenge! You could be the next person to save someone's life! At the very least you'll brighten their day! :-)
This is what inspired this project!
I recently injured my foot and was basically confined to my house for over a month! Recovery is still in progress!
I can tell you this; it can make you crazy! I was disabled by the physical pain, feel helpless, isolated, angry, sad, lonely, and very depressed to say the least! Loosing your independence is devastating!
Friends try to help and I appreciate all their efforts! Sometimes it's just hard to ask! This only compounds the other emotions I already feel. There were days I just wanted to give up! If you know me, that is not an easy thing for me to say! :-)
The events in this story are what inspired this project!
After all the emotions I decided something had to change. I started looking for an alternative to crutches because they just were not working! I found the iWalk 2.0. and immediately ordered it.
When it arrived, I learned how to use it. Then I decided I needed to see the ocean and feel some sunshine! I was so excited that I might be getting my independence back but I still couldn't manage to shake the depression!
I decided to get on the bus, go the beach and see what would happen? It would take patience with this new device but I knew I could do it!
Once at the beach I started practicing walking some more. It felt wonderful to be outside! Feeling the brisk ocean breeze and hearing the waves as I soaked in the sunshine was incredible!
Suddenly, I realized someone was following me. He was laughing and mumbling something. I turned around and saw a homeless man in a wheel chair. He was trying to catch up with me. He was laughing as he shouted, "You have too many toes!" They were exposed and sticking out behind me about his eye level because of my cast.
I said, "You are crazy!" I was now laughing with him. He said he wanted to touch my toes because I had so many. I replied, "You'll have to catch me!" I then tried walking a little faster. He rolled right along, still laughing and teasing me. He was gaining on me!
I had to slow down because I was now exhausted! I didn't want to fall and get hurt again. This allowed him to catch up and finally touch my toes. Hysterically laughing he repeated, "You still got too many toes!" He then apologized if he had bothered me and offered to leave me alone.
I paused a second and said, "No, you are not bothering me." I told him how he'd made me laugh, which was something I thought I had forgotten how to do? Distracted by someone offering him food he told me goodbye.
I walked a little ways farther and sat down to rest. I was close enough that I could still watch him. He continued laughing and seemed to be entertaining the people who had offered him the food.
After they left, he just sat there eating the food he had received. A bird landed beside him and he began talking to it while offering some food! How sweet was that!
The bird ate a little bit and flew away. I felt sad for the man. Soon he started laughing again. The bird that had flown away returned with dozens of other birds. It appeared that the bird had somehow told all his friends.
Excited about all the birds, he crumbled the food he had left and fed them all. I just sat there amazed and started crying!
If this man, in his condition, could make me laugh, smile, and cry surely he must know some secret? He definitely knew kindness and laughter! He also showed love for wildlife.
Immediately my burdens seemed lifted and everything came back into focus! I told myself, "You need to be more like this man!" My problems didn't seem so dismal any more. I'm healing now, just slowly and eventually I will walk again.
The part I haven't mentioned about this kind laughing stranger, not only was he confined to his wheelchair, he was missing his leg above the knee.
This is what put things back into perspective for me! I'll walk again, but his leg will never grow back.
This is proof that this challenge can make a difference! It worked on me! It not only changed that day for me; it totally changed my life in a beautiful way!
Thanks for reading if you've made it this far! LOL!!! I hope everyone will take the "7DaysOfSmiles" challenge! You could be the next person to save someone's life! At the very least you'll brighten their day! :-)