If You Believe, You Can!
She believed she could tie her shoes
didn’t know she was “handicapped”
fine-motor-skills challenged
didn’t know that many children
with Down syndrome
wear slip-ons or shoes with Velcro
their whole lives
she was determined
would twirl and twist laces
worn thin, we’d replace ‘em
she kept trying
we kept encouraging
she’d master the first loop
then get stuck
master the second loop
get stuck again
year after year
she practiced, focused
and one day… she did it!
not once but over and over
double-knotted
triple-knotted
she’d bring the shoes to us
show her success
want them unknotted
to begin again
time after time
‘til muscle memory stuck
proud and happy
she knew she could do it!
Note: The photo wasn't submitted to Your Country Neighbor, but I wanted to post this pic here of my daughter when she was in the early years of struggling with her laces. She was so tiny and trying hard to mimic the skills of others. I wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to do it. But she believed she could!
Click here to see the January issue of Your Country Neighbor
No comments:
Post a Comment