How Pain Controls Our Lives: Finding Emotional Freedom

It was a sunny summer afternoon. My grade school friends and I were at my grandma’s house, and they had brought a pair of in-line skates with them. I’d mentioned that I’ve always wanted to try skating, and today they were going to teach me.

I excitedly strapped on the skates, helmet, and pads, ready to fly down the garden path in my grandma’s backyard. Wobbling like a newborn giraffe, I turned toward the slight decline, ready for what I was sure would be a thrilling ride. Just as I prepared to push off, Grandma called out from the porch.

“You’re not ready for that, Addison. Practice on flat ground first.”

I sighed as she laid a large sheet of plywood on the grass. After a few minutes shuffling half-heartedly across the wood, I was done.

“Enough of this baby stuff,” I thought. 

I checked if the coast was clear and made my way to the brick path. “Let’s see how this works.” I pushed off with one foot, and for a few seconds, it was perfect. A breeze hit my face, and my balance held steady. 

But then, everything stopped.

It wasn’t the crash that hit first—it was the snap, followed by a tearing sensation.