Independence

We arrived at Peg's and it was good for awhile. But being helpless was not fun. I had to depend on someone else for everything.

Peg quickly became my therapist, trying to teach me independence. As I've said before I'm stubborn, so I was obstinate about that. I felt it was to difficult for me.

Peg's two oldest children needed to be driven back and forth from school daily. Peg was not comfortable leaving me alone, but it was not easy or quick to load me in the car. It only took about 15 minutes to get to the school and back, so she slowly started leaving me alone, this way she could focus on her kids during that time. Until she returned I was not sure of doing anything for myself.

I remember, one particular time while she was gone I had to pee. I just couldn't wait, I was seriously going to pee my pants. I thought if I peed my pants, Peg would be mad and I didn't want to feel like a baby anymore than I already did. I reached for the sink, which was beside the toilet and held on for dear-life. I stood, wobbly, but I stood ("Good job," I told myself). Then slowly with one hand shaking, then the other, I pulled my pants down ("Really good!"), lowered myself ever so carefully to the toilet ("Yipee!") and went ("Wow!"). Then I got to confident and on the way back up I fell, in the tub! ("Oh, crap!") While laying inside the cold, wet tub I thought, "How do I get out of here?" and then determined, Peg was not going to find me like that! With all the strength I could muster I pulled, tugged, huffed, puffed, and got myself out of the tub("Whew!").

Just then Peg came in the door, she couldn't see me. I could hear the worry in her voice as she called my name, echoing from every corner of the house. Guess where she found me? Wet, out of breath and with a huge grin on my face!

Peg looked at me with disbelief and asked "What's going on?" Answering proudly, I told her the story. When I was finished she scolded me, yet brimming with pride, she said, "You could have gotten hurt!"

I didn't think of that and if I had, I wouldn't have gotten my independence as quickly.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13

I am blessed

Merrym Dawn Mathis Bruce