March 7, 2026 – What it means to inspire
Am I ever going to stop crying? I cry when my child succeeds at living in her wheelchair. I cry when I see her struggle with lifting her leg because she can’t move it via the muscles in her legs. I cry for lost future events that I’m not even sure are lost. Like getting a pedicure. That is something I’ve always done with my girls. I got my first one the other day since this all happened. I cried and I’m not even sure why. Am I never going to get another pedicure with my oldest? She asked me if it even makes sense for her to get a pedicure since she won’t be able to feel it. I said it is still good for her skin. I have so much saddness running through my body. I don’t want to be so familiar with sadness but I know if I don’t let it out, my body will hold onto it. And I know that is not healthy. I wonder how many times my oldest cries when she is alone.
This is where the rubber meets the road. This writing is sad up to this point so what am I going to do about it? I don’t want to leave here feeling sad. I want to be inspired. I want to know I will survive this and push through to thriving. I am looking to others who inspire me. Ilia Malinin is one of them. He is the first to congratulate his competitor who took the gold in the 2026 Olympics. Such a genuine example of being selfless. Likely in one of his lowest moments he rises to meet the moment and comes out shining. Clearly not shining in the way everyone expected him to shine but what moment will be remembered more? His lowest moment or the one where he embraces his opponent? They both happened at the same time and isn’t that true of life? We all have saddness and happiness.
So I will pick myself up off the floor. I will look for my shining moment. It won’t be in front of the world like Ilia’s moment but it will fill up my soul just as powerful as his moment consumed him. That will be my final thought from this writing. And a few definitions. . .
Inspire – to excite, encourage, or breathe life into
Selfless – concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one’s own
