A Mission For Life

I just want to dedicate this story to my amazing friend Gymnast14! I hope you enjoy my story! 

I felt the noon sun glaring on my back. I could sense my breathing becoming short and raspy, as I was getting nervous.  I can do this, I told myself, I could overcome this once again, I CAN win.

      For those who don’t know, I have Muscular Dystrophy, which mean that my muscles are gradually weakening and shriveling up, to the point that supposedly I won’t be able to walk, or even sit, and will die in my early - teens. I am 13, and my name is Lexi. I have done physical therapy, and that has helped me a lot. I heard the gun go off. I ran so fast that there was a gasp from the onlookers. I watched as the white finish line came close and closer. I can do this, I can do this, I chanted to myself. And then it was all over. I had won. I felt the familiar burn in my legs as my family and friends patted me on the back and gave me hugs. They called my name to receive the trophy; I walked up and smiled while holding it up. I could see the flashes of the cameras. As I walked down I could see a newspaper writer walking up to me. I hated this part, they always wrote an article about me like they expected me to die before my next race, plus, they always changed what I said. I walked quickly to the car, and jumped in, my family behind me. We always went out to dinner after a win. “So where do you want to go, Lexi?”Asked my dad, “Red Lobster!”  I quickly yelled out. “Red Lobster it is!” and we started to drive.

          I sat on my bed staring at my trophies. I can overcome this, I said. Don’t misunderstand I am a Christian, but I don’t really want to die yet, I want to get married, and have kids, run races and live a normal life. But I know that’s impossible. I sighed as I glanced at the clock. Well tomorrow I have physical therapy so I better go to bed. I turned off the light and went to sleep.

     “Lexi! Keep going! You need to keep going if you want to improve!” said my physical therapy coach. “I’m just tired today” I yelled back. I hate the treadmill. I know you’re probable like ‘you do track how you can hate the treadmill?’ I just do.

    Months passed by, just as usual. School, track, physical therapy and winning races, it was all the same. I had a race today. I smiled at the thought, another win and another dinner with the family. The day rushed by and I was now standing at the start, I heard the gun, and I ran. I felt my leg cramp causing me to trip. I had failed. I cried at the thought. My family rushed towards me, showering me with questions about if I was alright. “Yeah, I just got a leg cramp and tripped that’s all” I said. “Honey, if you want to go out to dinner we still can” said my mom. “No that’s fine; we can just eat at home.” How I wish that that was the only time that that happened. As you probably guessed, it wasn’t a cramp, it was my muscular dystrophy.

   “You just can’t keep running, I’m sorry” said the doctor, sounding more bored than sorry. “You were very lucky to be able to run for this long” and with that he left the room. I cried. “This can’t be true! Why did God give me a want to run, and then make it impossible?” I screamed to my mother. That pretty much summed up the next week. Of course I can run, I thought, I can do anything. I thought in denial of what the doctor said. This is not the end for my running, I know that this is just a bad spot, and I’ll run again, I’m sure of it.

      I lay bored in the hospital bed. They all crowded around me, they thought I would die soon. I don’t care if I die, when I can’t run, I thought angry. I want to die. I started to cry at a sudden thought. “Honey, what’s wrong?” said my mom. “I was just thinking what it would be like to run with Jesus.” I whispered. Within the next few minutes, I found out, and it was the greatest feeling in the world.

This story is really a piece of my heart, because I had to stop what I love because of a physical condition. I really hope that you enjoyed it, and if you did, please take the time to comment, and or vote. Thank you so much for reading! 

~Angela~

P.S. Thank you so much for over 300 reads!!!!! Please comment and vote!