...falling down and getting the wind knocked out of me when I was seven years old.

When I couldn't breathe for that moment, it terrified me. I started crying, I could feel my skin burning, I was hysterical. What happened? Michael's mother, who had driven us to the soccer game where I tripped and fell crossing the field, told me very calmly, "It's okay, you're fine, you just got the wind knocked out of you." And I'd never heard that phrase before, never felt that sensation before. All I knew is that for what seemed like an eternity, I could not make my body breathe, I had been out of control, I had been standing and then I was on the ground, I was helpless and frightened.

Then I caught my breath. I calmed down. I stood up. Michael's mom put her arm around me and we walked to the car. I was okay.