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Holt Mica
VROOM!
 I have dreams like every other 12-year-old boy. I have definite ideas of who I am and what I am becoming. I have a mental map drawn out but life doesn’t always follow my route. Life has a way of taking pit stops in ditches, getting stuck at red lights, and hydroplaning in unexpected weather. Despite these annoyances, life also has a way of making me appreciate the scenic view, a different view I might not have seen had I not been challenged with retinitis pigmentosa (RP).
I did not take the wheel with the intention of standing out. I simply try to keep myself healthy in mind, body, and spirit. That’s why I became confused when I was told my well-tuned race car had mechanical problems. My parents already knew from a DNA sample taken when I was a baby. RP runs in our family, starting with my great-grandfather.
In middle school I began to notice that while reclining in the dentist’s chair the overhead light would give me a gigantic headache. I then slowly began to realize that my vision was compromised in bright sunlight, as if a piece of paper were being set on fire in front of my eyes. Eventually, I had difficulty seeing in low light. As dusk settled my surroundings faded and things seemed misplaced. I felt like a supercharged Corvette with busted headlights taking sharp turns in the dark. I became fearful, and my fear got me in more accidents than RP.
I had a choice. I could put the Corvette in storage, trade it in for a slower model, or learn to operate my dream car safely with RP. In order to make that decision I had to determine who the driver was…me or RP? My fear left me feeling insecure. I felt doomed to live a life that I didn’t plan. RP was not on my road map! I became angry. Eventually my anger turned into action. I crumpled up my map and snatched the keys to my future from the strong grip of RP. I decided the best person to live my life is none other than me. RP would have to take the backseat.
Thankfully, I know who built my car. It isn’t Chevy or Ford; rather, it is God. And despite what you might think of some car makers, God doesn’t make junk! I reminded myself that He has a special course in mind just for me; a unique path to travel which will enable me to offer the most good to others. I may not always understand it; but I can trust that if I do the best I can He will do what I can’t. That’s the difference between knowing exactly where the road takes you and believing there is something even more amazing beyond the road itself.
Believing there is more to see than what can be seen with my eyes, I decided to keep on keeping on with tune-ups along the way. Instead of quitting soccer, I now wear sunglasses on the field. I sometimes get snide comments about looking different or strange looks when I shield myself from the sun’s rays. And people don’t always understand why I stop playing outside as the sun goes down. But ultimately it is my decision to keep pressing forward regardless of what passersby say or do. They are just folks watching my journey for a brief time mostly busy with their own race. I have to stay focused on the course ahead, having faith that doctors and researchers will continue with their race in helping to find a cure for retinal degenerative diseases. In the meantime I have a trail to blaze. Vroom!
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