I Am Thankful For... Part 2

This week I am thankful for a few things. 

I am thankful for the ability to live on my own because that means that I am able to make my own decisions. Like when I decide to make a few drives down to Tampa. One on Wednesday to go to Clearwater Aquarium and another on Thursday to see my best friend after almost a month. 

I went to Clearwater on Wednesday because my roommate wanted to go to the Aquarium while she was down here in Florida. Clearwater Aquarium is the home of Winter the Dolphin, star of the 2011 major motion picture Dolphin Tale. The movie is based on winters story. She was found beached with a crab trap wrapped around her tail. The rope was so tight is cut off all blood flow causing her tail to die and most of it fall off. The aquarium rescued her and revived her back to heath. She developed her own method of swimming but the new side to side motion she made was hurting her spine. A prosthetic company offered to develop a tail for the dolphin and after many months and a lot of hard work they eventually had success. 

Winter now wears her tail a few times a day as therapy. She has inspired many people to not let their disabilities or their struggles hold them back from living their life. She is pretty awesome.

Me holding one of her prosthetic tails. 

I am also thankful for my legs. Because one thing that visiting Winter taught me was that a disability does not define you but that it is still a very big struggle. I am thankful that I have been blessed with my health and that I don't have to deal with something so difficult like losing a limb. 

Finally, I am thankful for where I live because it has given me this place to run: 

It is beautiful and serene. I feel safe here and it has become a place where I have discovered my strengths. Taking up running is something that I am so proud of and I don't think I would have done it if I had lived somewhere different. 

One thing that this semester away from school has given me is a chance to focus on myself. For that I am thankful.