Alive-versary Year 8

 


Well.. here we are. Another 365 days of being paralyzed. Another 365 days of gratitude and love. Another 365 days of trying to live intentionally and love hard. I’m not going to lie to you, this year was a difficult one; harder than most have been. These annual reflections on my alive-day help me immensely though. They help me to view the bigger picture rather than the challenging screenshots that come from living “one day at a time”. I’m grateful that I’ve maintained the tradition of writing a reflection each year despite pivoting this blog (for the most part) to art, comics and humor. 

This injury is like anything else in life. It’s going to have its highs and lows and they will ebb and flow. Year 7 to 8 saw my nerve pain jump through the roof. It came at the same time that I had been trying to taper down my medications (which I’m stubbornly still doing) so that certainly hasn’t helped with the pain. I keep distracted and try to see pain for what it is… something that I can feel. One thing I will say is that chronic pain is exhausting and unforgiving. Outside of pain, paralysis has managed to chip away at my armor a bit more. Every war has its battles and they can’t all be victories. For now I will assess the losses and plan a counter attack.

I say something similar every year, but the reality is that I was given a second chance eight years ago today. Whether through divine intervention, quick action from my brother/friends/medical professionals, or a combination of the two, I am here today. My existence is not how I pictured it back in 2017. I thought my life was over as I laid in that hospital bed. With support, I’ve done everything in my power to ensure that wasn’t the case. That is something to be marveled at here in 2025. 

For this reflection, I want to recognize the challenges. They continue to mold me (although a little reprieve would be gladly welcomed). The beautiful thing about life is that it’s a wonderful mystery. Hopefully next year’s reflection is all about the victories and miracles of that year. Here’s to hoping! 

God Bless!

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