I CAN UNDERSTAND TO SEE

     It had been teo years since the car accident.  To me, it seemed like forever in my eyes.  The car accident left me blind!  Since the accident, mama always tells me, "Twanet, the important thing is your still alive."  When mama would say that to me, my mind would clash!  What did she mean?  I could no longer see!  I was partially, paralyzed in both my legs!  I also lost my daddy!  He died instantly when a truck hit our car head-on.
     I remember looking down the long, dirt road in front of our house.  Just waiting to see the dirt race up into the wind.  Kind of like a huge fan was turned on in the sky.  That meant daddy was on his way home!
     I'd pretend our huge, yard of thick, green, grass was a gymnastic mat for my cartwheels and back flips.  The tumble weeds blowing by with the wind, was my competition!  When the dust would clear, there was daddy fussing at his car.  I can still hear his voice saying, "This old, heap of scrap made it one more day!"
     See, I used to be an upbeat, girl.  Always dreaming of becoming a gymnast!  Maybe even performing in the Olympics one day.  Whe I realized I was blind and thought I would never walk again, I lost hope.  I lost my ambition for life.
     My Grandmother, Antoinette came to live with mama and I in our home in Beaumont, Texas.  Right after the car accident.  Grandmother Antoinette, she was a clone of my daddy.  When she would speak, it was her voice, but my daddy's words.  She was a strong minded, stubborn woman.  Very intelligent, and also showed enough love to shower the world!
     When I started physical therapy for my legs, I felt it was hopeless and a waste of time.  Mama worked everday except Sunday.  She attended church every Sunday.  Daddy and mama owned a mercantile store.  So with daddy gone, she really had to stay on top of things.  I also feel she felt close to daddy in the mercantile store.  That was my daddy's, as he'd say, "Lead in life!" 
     Grandmother Antoinette came to my physical therapy sessions.  She pushed me mentally more than the Doctor's!  I could not stand when she'd do that.  But, I loved her for it!  Now, I can walk again!
     One night, after supper, I could hear mama and Grandmother Antoinette discussing that my Doctor felt I could attend school now.  They recommended, "Live Life," a school for the blind.  I immediately felt like I would be on a train to fear!  I was so frightened when mama brought in a stranger to tutor me in Braille.  That way, I could keep up with my grades.  I was thirteen at the time.  But with Grandmother Antoinette's humming gospels and constant remarks to my tutor and I saying, "Twanet, pay attention child!  You can't get much out of life without an education!"  She'd say to Mrs. Burhardt, my tutor, "She's not shy!  She's just like her daddy.  She has a brain like a light bulb!  All you got to do is get her to flip the switch!"  Her words made me feel safe.
     But now, this idea of learning a whole, entire, unfamiliar building!  Meeting new people made my stomach bolt up in anxiety!  I was terrified!  I wished I could just go back to my old school.  I knew it like the back of my hand.  My friends, my teachers, I knew them my whole life!  Mama told me not to worry.  I could visit my old school, friends and teachers after school and on weekends. 
     Then the day came.  I was petrified and nervous!  Mama drove me to my new school.  When we got out of the car, she took my hand and placed a ring on my pointer finger.  I asked mama what was the ring for.  She told me it was just a little token of love.  She explained to me that my Grandfather Bill, gave the ring to Grandmother Antoinette before he passed away.  She said Grandmother Antoinette passed it down to my daddy.  It was just when daddy purchased the mercantile store.  Mama said daddy always felt the ring was blessed in wisdom, strength and courage.  I thought to myself, please let it work for me!  Then I heard an unfamiliar voice.
     "Good morning, Twanet.  I'm your teacher, Mrs. Leona.  You'll be just fine."
     I heard Mrs. Leona telling mama when she could come back to pick me up.  Mama gave me a hug.  Then I heard her drive away in the car. 
     "Class, this is Twanet," announced Mrs. Leona.
     "Hello, Twanet," greeted the class.
     "Hello," I said shyly.  Mrs. Leona guided me to my seat.  As I stumbled, I felt another hand helping me.  "Thank you," I whispered.
     "Twanet, since this is your first day here, you have to make a promising pack," stated Mrs. Leona.
     "What's that," I asked, nervously.
     "Class, lets show Twanet a promising pack," said Mrs. Leona.
     My palms broke out in a sweat!  What did Mrs. Leona mean?  Show me?  I could not see!  Then a friendly voice spoke.
     "Hi, my name is William.  Open your hand."  I felt a Braille book placed in my hand.
     "Thank you," I said.  As my fingers ran across the Braille, it read, American History.
     "Hi, My name is Commie.  What do you smell?"  I could smell a sweet, flower near my nose.
     "A rose," I answered.
     "Right," cheered Commie.
     "Hello, my name is Vera.  Open your mouth.  What do you taste?"
     "Mmm, chocolate!"  Not only did I began laughing, the whole class including Mrs. Leona did to.
     "What do you hear now, Twanet," asked Mrs. Leona.
     "Laughing," I replied.
     "That's correct.  So repeat after me," said Mrs. Leona.  "I can understand to see.  That is your promising pack."
     I felt so relieved, excited and comfortable when the entire class joined in with me saying, "I can understand to see."  I could not wait to tell mama and Grandmother Antoinette the ring worked for me!  And how much I learned in one day!
     I know daddy already knew.  I felt his presence in the class room.  On this day, I learned to smell, touch and feel my life!  In my eyes, I could see again.