What Makes a Champion?

Here is part of a new essay about a milestone in my life.

  www.childrensbookswithlifelessons.com/

 I was born with cerebral palsy, which made walking difficult. In fact, I was nearly four-years-old when I took my first unsteady steps. A doctor said I’d never walk, but Daddy wouldn’t accept that. Instead, he chose to teach me to ride horses.

      Daddy and I worked diligently toward our goal. After six years, I’d learned basic things— walking, trotting, and cantering. I asked Daddy if I could learn to jump.

      I grew up at my family’s riding school, called Sweetbrier. It was the place where my dream could come true. What did I dream about? Becoming an equestrian champion. Lots of kids can do that, right? In my case, there was an obstacle to overcome.

     “What if you fall off, honey?”

      “Daddy, I’ll get up. I always have.”

       He said he’d think about it, but my intuition said success wasn’t around the corner.

for the full essay, please visit www.childrensbookswithlifelessons.com/