A Whisper from Within

A few months later, I had another important experience while I was driving—this time much happier than the accident on the highway. I was leaving A.I. DuPont from helping out with Healing Touch and I was heading to my van in the parking lot, when I noticed a woman was following me. Then she approached me and asked me, “How did you get here?” I said, “I drive. “She said, “you drive?” She had such a dumbfounded, surprised look on her face when I told her I drive. She couldn’t figure out how I could drive because I am disabled. She asked me, “How can you drive?” I told her I drive with my hands, using hand controls. She said, “I have an eighteen-year-old daughter who is paralyzed from the waist down, and she is so closed up: she always wants to stay in the house and do nothing. She is so depressed, and I am trying to figure out a way for her to do things and be as independent as possible and to open up her world with possibilities to have her dreams come true.”

I took her to my van and I showed her my hand controls, how I maneuver my seat, and how my ramp works so I can get into the van. Then we both sat in the van and talked. She asked me how I overcame my situation and accepted it to get where I am today. I told her, “I’ve gotten to where I am today because of the power in believing and having faith and because of the love of my whole entire family. They gave me the strength, power, and encouragement that nothing is impossible. My two most important examples were my mother and father. That’s what you have to give your daughter: tremendous encouragement that nothing is impossible. Show her the power of believing in herself to never give up and to be proud of who she is. That her dreams and goals can come true one way or the other. That “impossible” can become possible! I can’t emphasize enough how you and her father are her prime examples in life, and if you both show her and make her aware of all your love and support and strengths of faith, then those qualities will be embedded inside her and help her to live a happy, fulfilling and successful life. You need to be strong for your daughter. Be her best example of what her life could be. Make her aware of what power she has inside her. Ignite that flame within her! I have a daughter, and I’m the one with the disability, but I have to be strong for her because I want to be the best example for her. I want her to see that if her Mommy can do things and overcome an obstacle or hurdle that’s in my way, then so can she!!! BE STRONG!!!”

She took a deep breath and then exhaled while tears fell from her eyes. She said, “Thank you so much, you made me have so much clarity and insight of what potential and possibilities my daughter has in her life. She has the power to make her life become however she wants it to be, and her father and I will be guiding her with love and support and strengthening her with encouragement every step of the way. We’ll be right beside her.” Then she gave me the biggest hug!!!

Ever since I talked to that beautiful mother, she opened up my eyes of what God’s plans are for me to do. I felt the most powerful, rewarding feeling that day, after I helped that woman become aware of the power and potential her daughter has—and the power she has, as her mother, of being the prime example for her daughter. It felt so right to help her, and I just knew without a doubt in my heart that this was God’s intention.