Smile Magee History... When I discovered I wasn't like every other kid

For my first blog post ( yay! :D ) 

I'm going to throw it way back in Smile Magee History to when I was 8 years old and discovered that I wasn't like every other kid.

I honestly don't remember a day when I wasn't in pain. For as long as I can remember Parts of my body always hurt.

 I knew that since I was always super tall for my age, the dr told my parents that as I stopped growing taller. My muscles would finally catch up me and I would end up being a bit less spastic, and for example be  able to finally catch a ball when it was thrown to me . So I thought that  possibly  as I grew older, and as my muscles caught up with my height, that the pain just might go away. I have to admit  A huge part of me thought since my body always hurt, mabey everyone else's bodies hurt to. 

In second grade I learned that wasn't the case... 

It was a picture perfect spring day. I was in an elementary PE class that was accurately named named "fit kids"

Our teacher

had all of us kids get in a  giant line at the edge of the playground and told us to run as quick as we can to the kickball field that was on the other side of the playground. He started us off with the magic words " On your mark, get set, GO!". I pushed off with as much strength as my little legs would allow. My class mates effortlessly zoomed past me and I was left in the dust. My legs were THROBBING! I was in shock! Reality slapped me in the face as my little mind came to the resolution that, My classmates couldn't move that fast if they were in pain to, I must be the only one of my friends, maybe EVEN the only little girl in the world who's body hurt ALL THE TIME !

 Then to make things worse the unit on kickball started. That game ended up being my childhood nemesis. All my friends LOVED it, my body ached and throbbed during the whole game. I would find myself sitting by the old oak tree when it was my teams turn to kick and I would just pray that The teacher wouldn't notice that I never took my turn. And when we were put into the outfield, I would walk as far back into the outfield as I could. And i would stand tall and ready, honestly trying to be In the game, but then my legs would start THROBBING. so I would end up sitting in the outfield, watching butterfly's and praying that that little ball of red torture  would come no where near me! It seemed like more often then not the cards wouldn't be in my favor, and that stupid ball would fly towards me,  I would of course miss it. and be hated the rest of recess for " ruining the game". I realized during the next week That my friends wouldn't ask me to come play with them at recess because they were playing KICKBALL.  And if I did join them, I would be picked dead last, and then teased because I wasn't any good. Kickball, which I viewed as a great evil in the world was taking all my friends away from me! I decided I needed to go to great lengths to make kickballs reign of terror in my life come to an end! For a whole weekend I plotted what I could do to save my social life. As I was plotting that weekend I realized something.. Even though I was in pain, even though I was a spaz, I had one thing going for me. I WAS FUNNY!! 

That following Monday I walked confidently out to the kickball field. A big smile spread across my face when a classmate called out that It was time for the Captains to pick out their teams. It was time to put my plan into action!! Whenever the captain looked at me I pulled a funny face, or did a silly little dance. I ended up being picked in the middle!! I was OVERJOYED that I wasn't picked dead last! The plan was working!! Then it was my teams turn to kick. I didn't cower beside the old oak tree like usual. Instead I got near the front of the line. When it was my turn,  I kicked, and of course I missed the ball by a long shot.  But I made a joke about it before anyone else could! Their words couldn't hurt me if I made a joke about it first! They started laughing with me, not at me, IT WAS AWESOME!

That day I swore to myself I would never admit my body pain to anyone, that It would forever remain my " dirty little secret " and that I would just coast by on my humor for the rest of my days. And for 14 years of my life I did just That. 

Day after day I made up for my bodily pain, and lack of physical abilities with humor. At first it was completely a coping mechanism ( heck it still probably is lol)  But that discovery of humor ended up being one of the biggest blessings in my life, At a very young age it taught me that no matter what I faced, I could be strong, and find the humor in every difficult situation.

My humor helped me find my place among my peers, led me to actives I love to this day, singing, acting, and performing, and helped me build my confidence, I knew that even though I was physically weak. I was just as important and just as cool as any other kid, humor broke me even further out of my already cracked shell, I gained the confidence to talk to anyone and everyone! I was even the type of girl who had the guts to stand on top of my desk and preform to my class the latest song I learned in singing lessons. 

My plan of humor was basically flawless till the age of 14, when a teacher I trusted with my secret, forced me out of the chronic pain closet 

But that is a story for another time. ;) until then keep reading, stay strong and SMILE ON!