Saturday, June 29, 2013

Faces of Courage

My husband is away on a rare outing with the men of our church today. I have a car and money, but I haven't left the house, finding I enjoy the quiet and solitude on an absolutely beautiful day and doing whatever I want to do!

The weather has turned wonderfully cooler, about 20 degrees lower than it has been; while admittedly it is not exactly cool, the wind has been in the north and the humidity must be lower. It was so nice I couldn't resist taking my grilled cheese sandwich and applesauce to eat at our wicker and ratan table on the porch where I could admire my garden flag we hung just outside the screen door.

When we were shopping for the hardware at Lowe's to hang the flag yesterday, I couldn't help noticing a beautiful young woman wearing a Lowe's vest energetically wheeling herself around in a wheel chair. She positioned herself in the aisle with us as she assisted another employee find what we needed. When she finished and the men were still talking, I turned to her and asked, "Are you a veteran?" She had no legs, and I thought she might have lost them in the line of duty, as so many of our service personnel have.

"No, nothing like that," she smiled, "I wish it could have been that. I was in an automobile accident." It was heartbreaking to see someone so young and beautiful in that condition, but she had an amazingly positive attitude. "Oh, that's alright," she said when I told her I was so sorry. (My husband told me later that she was an excellent parts person and had waited on him before.)

I shared with her about our beautiful 15-year-old granddaughter's recent unfortunate accident with a four-wheeler. She was so sympathetic about her injuries. I knew she could relate. I couldn't help but think of our Corrin's positive attitude, too.

"Mama, she is handling this so well," my daughter told me on the phone yesterday. "She has her moments, of course, but she realizes how blessed she is to be alive." She said her doctors are amazed both at her attitude and her remarkable progress. We talked of how God has given her and all of the family grace and favor in getting through this.

"You know Corrin wasn't wearing a helmet," her mother told me. I had wondered about that and how it might have helped her, but I was surprised at what Amy said next, "They said if she had been wearing one the chin guard would probably have caught on the pole she hit and it would have been fatal." I caught my breath.

She also told me that since she was wearing braces, more of her teeth were protected. This was a surprise, too, for I had pondered whether or not they had made it worse. We are so grateful to God for being merciful in this near-tragedy. "This will be her testimony," I said to Amy. I can only wait to hear how God is going to use this in her life. One thing I know, she went riding that day as a young girl, but she came back a young woman.

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