The Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary defines a she-ro as a woman regarded as a hero. For most, that’s reserved for their mothers, me included. But this past year I’ve had a 3-legged she-ro who helped me get my head around my recent finger amputations. Some background: she came to us 4 years ago as a rescue dog, right after her owners threw her out of a car on a busy highway and she had one of her front legs amputated. The rescue people told us she really didn’t know or act like she’d lost a leg – said she just wanted to bring her energy and love to a loving home. We provided that and she’s rewarded us with loyalty, love, and a positive outlook on life – pretty cool, I thought, for a three-legged rescue. It was indeed like they said, she looks beyond the obvious and makes the best of using her other three legs to live her life to the fullest. And that’s what she taught me after my accident – take control, adapt, move on, and make the most out of what you have. Indefatigable. A wonderful role model. My she-ro. So, I was crushed yesterday when she tore an ACL on her opposite side hind leg, the one that propels her body and heart. I worried this might be one obstacle too many, but she proved me wrong again – she’s already adapting and looking to do the things we do, even if they’re a little different and take some getting used to. Role models come in all sizes and shapes and become heroes and she-roes to countless others. If this sounds like someone you know, reach out and thank them; and if the opportunity presents itself, be a hero or she-ro to someone who needs one today.
Maya Angelou (1928 – 2014); American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist.
No comments:
Post a Comment