Hello and welcome back to Second Chance to Live my friend. During the past several weeks I have written a series of articles surrounding dreams, goals and milestones Achieving Milestones while Living with a Disability, Dare to Dream Dreams and then Following those Dreams, Being Led Beyond My Understanding and Accomplishing Goals and Baking Cakes.
In my experience, I waited for many years to be recognized for what I could bring to the table of life through my gifts, talents and abilities. In many ways, I felt like a student in the back of a classroom who kept raising his hand hoping to be called upon to give the answer. Sadly, no matter how many times I raised my hand, my desire to use my gifts, talents and abilities my efforts were ignored.
Not only did I find my efforts ignored, I found that my attempts to use my gifts, talents and abilities were practically minimized, marginalized, dismissed and discounted. In many ways, my attempts to use my gifts, talents and abilities were met like a child being told to sit down and shut up. For many years, I allowed these tones to set my course and I remained discouraged.
In my experience, I reached a point in time when I realized that I simply was not going to be called on to give the answer. When I realized that I was not going to be called on, I realized that I needed to take steps to answer the question (s) that I felt needed to be answered. With my awareness, I realized that I could no longer wait for someone to call on me to answer the question.
I realized that I needed to answer the question (s) to which I felt needed to be answered through using my gifts, talents and abilities. I realized that I needed to stay committed to the process regardless of whether I was told – through being minimized, marginalized, dismissed and discounted – to sit down and shut up.
My encouragement to you my friend; is, if there are people — who though their actions are telling you to sit down and shut up – consider the possibilities. Stand up and speak out. Do not give up on your dreams. Discover ways to use your gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for you – to answer the question (s) that you feel need (s) to be answered and stay committed to the process.
Here is my Contact page. Send comments and questions and I will respond to you.
Receive more articles like this one simply by clicking on Subscribe to Second Chance to Live by email.
Bookmark and Share Second Chance to Live with your friends through a Feed Reader
All material presented on Second Chance to Live is copyright and cannot be copied, reproduced, or distributed in any way without the express, written consent of Craig J. Phillips, MRC, BA
Linda says
My husband suffered a TBI when he was in a motorcycle accident last June (2010). He was in the hospital until Sept. because of all of his physical injuries. When he came home he was incontinent and disoriented, but got better as the weeks went by. He was getting PT, OT, and ST a few times per week. About a month and a half ago he started becoming more depressed, anxious, and angry. It finally resulted in my call to a mental health facility at which time he was taken to the hospital for 72-hr eval. That turned into 14-day eval and now they have put him into a state mental hospital. The doctor said the white matter in his brain had a spongy appearance. My question is, can he get better with medication and therapy? or is he doomed to spend the rest of his life in a mental hospital? I went to visit him yesterday and he seemed to be the most sane person there. I feel so bad that he is there–he is not crazy–just injured. What can we do?
secondchancetolive says
Hi Linda,
Thank you for writing to me and for sharing what you have concerning your husband. I contacted a friend of mine who has more experience knowing how to handle a situation as you are experiencing with your husband and the mental health hospital. Linda, my friend stated that “Thanks Craig but I don’t think there is much to do with this other than have them contact the state protection and advocacy program in their state and get a lawyer to make sure his civil rights are protected”. I am not sure how to best advise you other than passing my friends advice / suggestion on to you. Please let me know if my friends suggestion / advice is helpful Linda.
God speed to both you, your husband and your family Linda
Craig