But now, just two weeks after the play that would change my life, my faith was starting to crack. Who was I to question His plan? It had been drummed into me: faith would set me free. Mom’s take on it? “Ryan, God chose you to be bald,” she said. Kids can be less than tactful, and sometimes they’re downright mean. I was diagnosed with alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes patchy hair loss. When I was five, my hair started falling out. Mom used to tell me, “Whenever you’re in a tough situation, find a light in it.” In every situation, there’s always a way to focus on the good in it and not the bad-it’s just a matter of attitude. From them, I learned that God always has a plan for me. When I was growing up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, my dad, Vernon Shazier, was a preacher and my mom, Shawn, was a God-fearing, walking advertisement for the Golden Rule. My faith had always been my not-so-secret weapon. My new game plan was to figure out what I had to do in order to get better. I’d grown up in football and the church I’d grown up following game plans. After the chopper ride from Cincinnati to Pittsburgh and surgery days later, I still had faith. When it first happened, when a routine tackle against the Bengals on the turf of Cincinnati’s Paul Brown Stadium left me with a burning sensation in my lower back and no feeling in my legs, my first thought had been, It’s a stinger-a nerve injury common in football that can temporarily send tingling, numbness, or loss of feeling, usually down the arm. Even though the doctors had told me all about the spinal cord injury I’d suffered, even though they’d told me I only had a 20 percent chance of ever walking again, until now I’d assumed that I was going to get better. I’d developed a urinary tract infection, and I had a fever. That’s what I said to myself about two weeks in. Recommendations from the African Diaspora.Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Arrow Icon Arrow icon.Little, Brown and Company Arrow Icon Arrow icon.Hachette Nashville Arrow Icon Arrow icon.Grand Central Publishing Arrow Icon Arrow icon.If you believe that any review contained on our site infringes upon your copyright, please email us.
Feel free to recommend similar pieces if you liked this piece, or alternatives if you didn't.Are you a beginner who started playing last month? Do you usually like this style of music? Consider writing about your experience and musical tastes.Do you like the artist? Is the transcription accurate? Is it a good teaching tool? Explain exactly why you liked or disliked the product.