Grace In Motion: Learning To Dance With M.S.

If you know anything about me one thing is for sure, Grace is not my middle name. It started in 2023 when I had my first fall from losing my balance and breaking my right hip. Then in 2024 my husband and I decided we were going to start 2024 right with a trip to Rome. Rome was as beautiful as I imagined until again I lost my balance and broke my left hip. Not to cool when your in a foreign country, that is a story for another time. Made it into 2025 still getting stronger until you guessed it, using my cane I lost my balance again and fell and broke my wrist and a vertebrae in my back. At this point I’m sure your thinking will you just stop already. I mean how many bones do we have in our body? Don’t tell me, that may become my new goal.

Along with the physical unbalance comes my emotional challenges. I don’t know about you but I am one that doesn’t like to ask for help. In 2023 I laid on the floor for two hours with my husband trying to lift me up to no avail until I finally agreed to call a friend for help. I always felt if I asked for help the it made me look weak. What I learned, was pride was keeping me from asking for help. In asking for help, while it was humbling allowed those who cared for and loved me to step in.

Grace isn’t always about perfect movement, but peaceful acceptance. Please don’t misunderstand me, I am a person who is living with Multiple Sclerosis. In no way will I accept Multiple Sclerosis to define who I am. I am a lover of the arts, travel, adventures, outdoors. Yes, I even went skydiving twice and didn’t break one bone. I am married to the most patient man I have ever met. I have five beautiful children and six amazing granddaughters.

I am reminded of the LeeAnn Womack song titled “I Hope You Dance”. Here are some of the lyrics. I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean. Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens. Promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance. And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance. I hope you dance.

Julie Payne