Welcome back to Second Chance to Live. I am glad you decided to stop by and rest. You are always welcome around my table. In life, events, circumstances and disappointments may redirect our experience. In an instant — like a switch on a railroad — life events can set us in the opposite direction of our hopes and dreams
In the process our hopes, dreams, and aspirations may be dashed. We may have lost limbs or suffered permanent brain damage. Our damaged bodies may subsequently limit our abilities. Consequently, we may be sad, angry or even bitter with life. I want to share something with you that revolutionized my world.
Who I am on the inside matters more than who I am on the outside. My body may be broken and battered by an injury. I may not be as smart as I used to be before my disability. And I may be discouraged at times, but that does not change my passion.
I am not my disability, my limitations or my deficits.
My passion resides within my being. My passion provides the mechanism that empowers my gifts, talents and abilities. Because my passions lie at the core of my being I can learn how to channel my creative energy even thou I may have a disability, deficits or limitations.
As I follow, develop and learn to channel my passions, the fruit of my purpose becomes apparent. My passions are channeled through my gifts, talents and abilities. My gifts, talents and abilities echo my passion. My passions subsequently point me in the direction of my destiny.
In the process I experience my purpose. In the process I fulfill God’s will for my life — one day at a time.
Although I have limitations because I am a traumatic brain injury survivor I am not limited. Although you may have limitations because of your disability, you are not limited. Regardless, of how you or I came to be disabled we do not have to give up on our passions.
We can learn how to channel those passions in ways that work for us. We can learn to experience life more abundantly. We no longer need to buy in to the notion that our circumstance are meant to keep us down. Instead we can learn to use our circumstances to empower our process.
We can learn to use those circumstances to enhance both our lives and the lives of those people in our world.
Today’s Thought
Be encouraged my friend. Your are a gift to your world. Our traumatic brain injury / disability is not meant for our harm. In reality what we have been given is a gift. What we thought was meant for our harm will be used for our good.
Our disabilities will direct our lives — like the switch on the railroad of life — in the direction of our destinies.
Although I could not see how my traumatic brain injury was to be used for my good some 41 years ago, I now know that to be true. More over through my experience I now realize that I have been prepared to be a messenger of hope.
Be encouraged my friend. More will be revealed to you.
Follow your passions. Follow your bliss. Take the time to breathe because you will learn how to channel your passions in ways that work for you. Do not give up on yourself or on your journey. You are on the right path.
Be encouraged my friend. You will find your way. Only believe. And if you have a hard time believing, believe because I believe. You can trust the process, a loving God and yourself. More will be revealed to us.
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pam reynolds says
It brought tears to my eyes when I read the comment you made about not being as smart as you used to be. My daughter has battled with her accquired brain injury for the last 6 years- she is 22. She says all the time about how she constantly messes up and it breaks my heart. I am yet to find someone to spend time with myself because they have a hard time accepting her for who she is. I also love the- circumstances do not define who we are in this life- THANK YOU SOOO MUCH. Caregiver of a survivor
secondchancetolive says
Hi Pam,
God bless you. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment. You are a blessing to me. I am sorry you and your daughter are struggling. I don’t know where you live my friend, but I would encourage you to seek out a traumatic brain injury support group in your area and get involved. Being around people who understand and are more accepting makes my life a whole lot better than being around toxic people.
I have experienced exclusion for much of my life until I started to accept myself. I wrote an article on the topic of inclusion/exclusion. Please read my post, The Power of Identification https://secondchancetolive.org/2007/04/18/the-power-of-identification/. I have people in my life who refuse to accept that I am affected by my traumatic brain injury survivor. I choose to limit my contact with those individuals. I choose to associate with people who accept me.
I believe that we are all champions. I wrote a post on that topic. Please read my post, The Measure of a Champion and share the information with your daughter: https://secondchancetolive.org/2007/05/16/the-measure-of-a-champion/
I would also encourage you to read through the titles in my Site Map https://secondchancetolive.org/site-map/ and spend some time reading through some of those articles. Although not all of the titles listed within my site map have traumatic brain injury or living with an invisible disability in their title’s the content of those articles is designed to help the reader to live life on life’s terms.
I hope the above information is helpful Pam. Please feel free to stay in touch with me and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask. You can leave a comment or send me a confidential email and I will be in touch with you Pam.
I will say so long for now. Have a pleasant evening and God bless both you and your daughter.
Craig