I Can

I was in a focus group yesterday for rare diseases and although I can't say what was said, it was a good group, and hopefully will lead to some really good findings for us!

However, that's not what I wanted to talk about. After I left the focus group, I jumped on the Metro Train and headed to Union Station for a bite to eat. There's this really nice food court that on any ordinary day, would be almost empty at 2 in the afternoon, but was absolutely crowded where you could only inch your way around. There was a bunch of clergy with pockets of people and signs being carried around. That's when it hit me! March For Life had just ended and people were getting food before heading home to their home churches for prayer. They had all met up at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, beautiful gorgeous church I love to go to every so often for a sort of refreshing of my soul. I love the sacred art and was able to go to Mass the other day.

So I inched my way around the enormous food court (I think it's the entire length of Union Station in the basement of the train station) and found a place to eat. I thought I'd never find a table but was able to find one with a perfect view of the beautiful stair case, 4 floors and winding around, it's almost majestic!

As I ate, I watched people going up and down those stairs with a bit of jealousy, alright, more than just a bit. Some were walking, some were even running, everyone hurriedly going to their train or bus trying to make it to their next destination .

But all I felt while I watched them go about their day, was envy.

I was going up an escalator to the Metro Train and I heard a train coming. I started walking up the escalator, maybe 5 or 6 steps, but by the time I sat down, I was so out of breath, and my heart was beating so fast, it took several moments to quiet it down.

I guess, what I'm' trying to say is, people who are healthy, if you can walk and talk, if you can eat and breathe, if you can run up a flight of stairs, be thankful. Be thankful that you better off than so many of us who can't.

I count myself as one of those that can. I can walk without oxygen. I can eat AND breathe, (something I couldn't do at my sickest), if not for my back pain, I could work. I can talk on the phone without being short of breath. I can do so much! I can walk on a flat surface without being short of breath, any kind of incline, and forget about it. But I CAN. and that to me, is pretty phenomenal!


Should I be envious of those walking or running up and down those stairs? probably not. What I need is to be proud of what I CAN do.