One of thegreatest pleasures in life is doing what people say you can't do. My best friend,Chelsea, taught me this.

Chelsea was a normal, happy little girl at ageseven. She loved running around and playing with her friends, but one daysomething terrible happened.

Chelsea and I were in her front yard when theball we were playing with rolled into the street.

"I'll get it,"said Chelsea.

"Remember what your mom said?" I asked. "Shetold you not to go in the street by yourself."

"I know, but justthis once. I'll be alright. "

But she wasn't alright. At the exactmoment she ran into the street, a car came right at her. There was no time forher to get out of the way.

She was rushed to the hospital, and stayedthere for over a month. I sent her cards and notes hoping she would get better.Finally, her mom called us with news from the doctors. They said that my bestfriend would never walk again.

Chelsea had different plans. She didn'tcare what the doctors said. She was determined to walk again, and she made sureeveryone knew it.

At first, it seemed impossible. Chelsea couldn't evenmove a toe, let alone walk. She went to physical therapy, took all kinds ofmedications, but nothing seemed to help. She wasn't going to give up,though.

One day at therapy, she surprised everyone. She could move hertoes! Although it was a very slow process, she kept improving. Some days weretougher than others, and though Chelsea did become very frustrated, she refusedto stop trying.

After a month of working on moving her legs, she asked thephysical therapist if she could try to stand up. He told her she was welcome totry, but also warned her that she probably wouldn't succeed.

Chelsea wasdetermined to prove him wrong. She slowly pushed herself up out of the chair andstood on her legs for the first time in over a year. She took a minute to get herbalance, and then she did what the doctors had told her she would never do again.She walked! It was only a step or two, but her smile beamed across the entireroom!

"It was the happiest moment of my life," she told melater. "I did what they said I could never do, and it felt sogood!"

Now, five years later, Chelsea walks wherever she can. She hastaught me many things throughout our friendship, but this lesson is by far themost important. I will always remember her when someone tells me I can't dosomething. I will try my hardest to prove him or her wrong so that I can feelthat same wonderful feeling of accomplishment that Chelsea did!