Growing up they really didn't know what was going to happen with me I mean it
ranged from we don't know if you're gonna be able to walk to who knows what
kind of you know mental capacity you'll be at.
Walkabout was just another time where you know I had to prove myself I didn't
really know what to expect other than we're gonna be in the wilderness for
ten days and we're gonna be packing everything that we needed. I was born
with spastic cerebral palsy on the left side I was glad I was one of the first
ones to have to tell my story so that it was easier so that they realized like
oh this is why he walks that way because it's it's something that you can't
really hide it just it's just there it's easy to see.
All of the lakes we're headed to are out that direction along with Yosemite National Park so that direction is normal.
Well we're gonna we're gonna climb this slab right here and a little bit
nervous about it but we're gonna try my best and see what happens.
We came up to a river and I remember the first step the rocks were real slippery
that we were on and I was already feeling like I was gonna lose my balance.
I took another step forward I fell back tons of water just rushing everywhere
and thinking all my stuff could be ruined and this is only the first day.
One of my guides pulled me right up we just kept going it wasn't made a big
deal. They're able to still see me not as someone who lost their balance because
of some kind of disability like spruel palsy or something but just as someone
who fell and got back up and just kept going.
Alright guys what are we doing? Taking the food out? In the wilderness you know we
become close really quickly because we don't really have any other choice I
mean you know we're backpacking we're living each day together and being
physically tired and then telling each other stories to complete strangers
really opens people up quickly and it's a really cool experience because you went
in as strangers but now you feel like you can tell this other person that you
just met you know anything. It's something special about you know being
physically tired and being willing to be open with each other that allows for
this kind of relationship.
My biggest takeaway from walk about was my own works aren't good enough no
matter how hard I think I have to work at something and you know might use my
own strength that it's it's not it's not enough you know so that's something
that God teach me that I don't have to depend on myself you know I have to
depend on him.
