When the dust settles
This originally appeared 9/28/15
This last summer has been a whirlwind for me. Starting with meeting Ronda Rousey the end of May, my story going viral two months later, and then ending up on GMA, a national platform in which to spread apraxia awareness. Though there were many surprises, the biggest and most amazing of all was a personalized video to me and Ashlynn from Ronda herself. You can watch it by clicking on the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
When I first met Ronda, I had no idea how famous she was. After I met Ronda, I have been known to tell people that I don’t think I have quite followed a celebrity more thoroughly now. I have never been star struck, but when I saw that video of her to me and Ashlynn I could only look on incredulous that this busy, famous person, took time out of their schedule for us. I have watched that video a dozen (hundred) times. I have analyzed everything. I’m so amazed at how beautifully she speaks knowing her struggle. I’m still left to wonder about her last words:
“I know our paths will cross again someday at some point, and I can’t wait to see you again.”
What does that mean? Oh Laura, you could say. She was just being polite. She was just talking, of course she didn’t mean it. It was just something to say.
I maybe believed that for less than a second. You see, I think I mentioned I have never so thoroughly followed a celebrity before, and because I have been I know that Ronda doesn’t say what she doesn’t mean. That’s why she gets so much crap in the media. She says what she means. I love that. She worked so hard to say what she wanted to say, screw censors, or political correctness. Ronda, keep saying what you want to say.
She also has said that if she endorses a product you know she really uses it, because if she says it, she means it.
She has ALSO said that she is a woman of her word. She has proved it time and time again in various events in her life if you follow her, but she also proved it to me. Not that she needed to. I knew what she promised and she delivered that night. She posted that brochure probably upon stepping foot back into her hotel room.
She did so much more than she promised, interviewing then on GMA specifically about apraxia, spreading awareness once again to millions of people!
I have to admit that moment was pretty sweet. I had quite a few people doubt my story, or just in general be doubters that she had apraxia and that she didn’t want anything to do with awareness (even though she posted that brochure on two of her social media accounts). That GMA piece shut everyone up, and it was so freaking awesome. For a brief moment, I felt like Ronda must in the octagon when she defeats some loud mouthed, trash talking hater. It was so sweet I became a little sassy myself and posted this picture on my fb page:
I didn’t have much time to reflect on that moment. That day. I was blasted with emails and calls afterward and I wanted to answer them. What is the point of spreading apraxia awareness if then you aren’t willing to help or at least reply to people you spread it to?
It took me awhile, especially since I went back to work and then see private clients at night. I was also planning the Denver Walk for Apraxia which brought out 380 people!
The weather has still been nice so we were ALSO hanging onto every last minute of summer on the weekends that found us camping and at the lake.
Needless to say, I’ve been so crazy busy. Now though, the dust has settled. The emails have quieted down, the phone calls have stopped. I can write again! I can reflect again! To put it simply, I can be ME again.
Which leads me back to that video and Ronda’s promise. When I gave Ronda that brochure, I had tucked the Denver walk flyer in it. It’s crazy I know, but part of me was convinced she was going to come to the walk after she sent me that video. I didn’t want to write or blog about it hoping I wouldn’t jinx it. Crazy right? Hey! Don’t judge! When you get on GMA you start to think anything is possible! haha
Anyway, you might be shocked to discover…….she didn’t come.
There was a day I wrote I had her promise she would mention apraxia in her interviews ringing in my ears and running through my head. Though it was only a two short months later she did so on GMA, those two months felt like eternity! The point is though, she DID.
Now I have a new promise, a promise that she knows our paths will cross again. I know I know. You are thinking, “boy lady, you are seriously delusional” but I’m telling you people, I follow Ronda and she always keeps her promises!
Anyway, now I wait. Or do I? I’m not one to wait for things to happen to me and Ronda posted a great quote one day on her IG:
