Lessons Unexpected

I was reminiscing today about how thankful I am for lessons I never knew I'd need. Not math or history but the life lessons you never want to need. 

When I was in high school my mother had complications that caused her to loose the ability to walk. She was told she'd never walk again (which awesomely ended not true) and ended up in a wheel chair for more than a year.

Both of us standing just two months ago

I remember when we'd go somewhere with wheelchair ramps (that always seemed to have crazy slopes) she'd come flying down them and grab a wheel to turn to a stop just as she reached the bottom. Passersby would usually panic thinking she'd lost control and was in need of help but she explained it that it was less painful on her arms to not try to control the decent when there were no pedestrians in the way. Seemed legit. And, it always provided me with a great deal of amusement, especially the day she did it towards a body of water. 

I thought it was great fun to play in her chair. Especially at places like dinner where'd she'd already be sitting at the table, I'd sit in her chair and if I ended up in someones way it was always more efficient for me to just get up out of the chair and move it. If I'm being honest I did this more for the hilarious reactions and less for the fun of sitting in the chair. 

There is the important skill of being able to get up curbs, over bumps,and whatnot and for that, those in a wheelchair for an extended amount of time learn the wheelie. More advanced is moving directions or spinning while in a wheelie, it's fun. I spent many months practicing it at home because I thought it was so fun (which most things are when you don't HAVE to use it). 

 When you pull it off in public most people seem to think you are about to plummet to injury. Although I was never in the chair in public needing this skill I saw plenty of people react to my mother.

Here I am some 20-something years and a freak accident later finding myself so grateful for my experience in wheelchairs and for public access to them in hotels and airports.  I needed the wheelchair, I didn't need to do the tricks but it sure made the chair a lot more fun.

So, to my previously severely handicapped mother: 

Thank you for teaching me how to use your chair while I pretended to be disabled because one day I would need these skills for real. Things like getting from a wheelchair to a toilet; turning the wheels in opposite directions to make tight corners without bumping your legs; and even how to get in things like bathtubs without the use of your legs (or at least one leg). 

I never knew I'd use these skills or even that it was a life lesson I was being taught but clearly I'm grateful for the knowledge now.