Todays Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul

[Guest guest]

Walking by Faith

By Corinne Ann Ingram

I'll never forget the day I met her and her glowing personality. It

was

the beginning of my senior year of high school. I had that typical senior

attitude - I was anxious, excited, a little on the proud side. I wanted to

enjoy my senior year, and I wasn't too concerned with meeting or befriending

any

lowerclassmen, especially not the new kids. Fortunately, my arrogance was

overcome the moment I met in my computer class on the first day of

school.

There was just something about her. She was so friendly and sweet, and

seemed

genuinely excited about being at our tiny eighty-student Christian high

school.

It was only ten minutes of initial small talk that endeared to my

heart. She liked basketball. Basketball was one of the highlights of my

childhood, and our slightly weak team was always thrilled to welcome new

players.

She was taller than me by a couple of inches, and my five-foot-seven

frame

was unfortunately the tallest on our team. Each practice, as we worked

together

toward our common goal, we became closer. She was always so encouraging and

positive; it seemed like nothing could get her down.

I remember vividly an early tournament we attended that December. We

were

playing a team that was tough. They had been our rivals throughout my

basketball years. The game went back and forth, and victory was up for

grabs.

However, it looked like our team would not pull through. Three of our

starters

had fouled out, and we were falling behind until entered the game with

great enthusiasm. She played well, but it was her attitude that helped us

the

most. " We're going to win this! " I remember her saying. And we did! After

that game, I remember admiring 's determination to succeed and her

powerful

encouragement. She seemed to be fearless of any obstacle she might have to

face.

Unfortunately, in only a matter of weeks, she would have to face a

life-

changing one. was involved in a terrible car accident on her way to

school. During a bad snowstorm, her family's van skidded off the road, and

was thrown several feet onto the pavement. Her major injuries

included a

crushed vertebrae in her neck and a bruised spine. For a day or two, no one

knew if she would survive. Then the doctors told her that she would never

walk

again.

As soon as I heard the tragic news, my heart sank. Why did this happen

to

someone like ? My spirits were instantly lifted, however, as I watched

classmates, friends and teachers earnestly praying for 's recovery. It

wasn't until a few weeks later when a couple of my friends and I visited

in the hospital that I realized the extent of her positive attitude. She

had

impacted her family, friends, our basketball team and even the nurses with

her

faith in God and her strong will to recover completely. Despite the

doctor's

negative prognosis, remained calm and determined. Her faith never

wavered, even though those of us who loved her most doubted that walking

would

ever be in her future. put herself 100 percent into getting better

and

walking on her own. When she wasn't doing painful rehabilitation exercises,

she

was either spreading her kindness to others or praying.

It wasn't long before was indeed walking again. She showed the

same

strength and devotion toward getting better as she did each time she walked

onto

the basketball court. She isn't playing basketball yet, but I don't doubt

that

she will be amazing us once again. Sometimes just believing can make

anything

possible.

[AUTHOR'S NOTE: now attends a Christian college in southern Florida.

The

last time I saw her was at a varsity basketball game at our former high

school.

Of all the people who I wanted to see during my Christmas break, she was at

the

top of my list. We greeted each other with a big hug, and she had that same

big

smile on her face - that smile that even after all she had been through,

still

shone courageously. She had completed her first semester of her freshman

year

and would be returning after break to continue her education in writing.]