Growing Pains

I remember lying in bed when I was young and crying out for my mother to “Help me! My legs feel broken!” My mom would come running into my room, pull back my blankets and lay her hands on my perfectly healthy legs. She checked the skin and rubbed my knees assuring me that I was going to be fine, “You’re just having growing pains.” 

With this explanation for my suffering my vivid eight year old mind imagined my legs were growing like vines beneath my bed sheets. I imagined my bones and muscles were being stretched like play dough. I was full of hope that I was growing taller by the minute every time my legs ached. At different growth spurts in my life I believed I was literally becoming taller and taller and taller…

Today I’m 5’2″ and haven’t grown an inch since I was thirteen years old…