Welcome back to Second Chance to Live. I am glad you decided to stop by to visit with me my friend. You are always welcome around my table. In life, we may experience events and circumstances that suddenly redirect our experience. In an instant — like the switch on a railroad — life events may set set us in the opposite direction of our hopes and dreams. What we once knew, now seems foreign to us. Our anticipation is turned to disappointment.
In the process, we may find that our hopes, dreams, and aspirations have been dashed upon the rocks of circumstances that are out of our control.
We may have experienced a acquired brain injury with permanent brain damage. We may no longer have the use of our limbs. Our mobility may be reduced to the use of a wheelchair. We may be bed bound. Consequently we may believe that who we are in life no longer matters. That our significance has no meaning or purpose. We may believe that our hope of finding our destinies are gone forever. We may feel bound by our deficits and limitations.
Consequently, we may be sad, angry or even bitter with life.
For many years I listened to the lies of my limitations and my deficits. I bought into the notion that who I was in this life was of little significance. In my experience, I felt like a man all dressed up with no where to go. In the process I bought into the notion that no one cared or wanted what I had to give in life. That my hard work and determination to make a difference was of little affect. That my persistence and tenacity to overcome obstacles — in my life — was in vain.
And then one day — through a series of events — the vail of my dismay lifted and I saw a ray of hope. The ray opened my eyes to a new way of living.
I discovered that although I am an acquired brain injury survivor with deficits and limitations, I am not my abi, deficits or limitations. Consequently, I no longer needed to limit myself because of my acquired brain injury, my deficits, my limitations or my disability. I discovered that I could experience life through my passion, regardless of what happened to my body and my brain. I could learn to learn to use what I have to give to those who want what I have in ways that work for me.
The good news is that I could learn to express who I am to the fullest. My body may be broken and battered, I may not be as smart, I may believe I am limited at times, but that does not have to slow me down.
I discovered that I could use my creative energy with out limitation. I discovered that I could let go of the notion that I needed to express myself in a conventional manner. Consequently, I traded the notion of significance with the ripples of my being. In the process I discovered that I could follow the flow of my passion. In my pursuit, the fruit of my passion subsequently becomes apparent as my being paints — as with a wondrous brush — upon the canvas of life.
My passion creates an echo from my being. In the process I experience my destiny — one moment at a time. In the process I encounter my meaning and purpose — one day at a time.
Consequently, although I have limitations and deficits — because of my acquired brain injury — I no longer need to believe that I am limited. My friend, although you may have an acquired brain injury, deficits, limitations and a disability, you no longer need to limit yourself. You can learn to channel your being through your passion.You can learn to use your gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for you. You can learn to use your passion as an expression of your being. You can learn to paint with your life.
You can trade your notion of significance with the ripples of your being. You can learn to move beyond the confines of your limitations, deficits and disability. You can learn to use what you have in ways that work for you.
What used to work for us no longer needs to define who we are now. We no longer need to be limited. We can create with our lives.
“There are so many opportunities in life, that the loss of two or three capabilities is not necessarily debilitating. A handicap can give you the opportunity to focus on art, writing or music.” Jim Davis cartoonist
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