To watch and listen to a video presentation of this article, click on this link: https://youtu.be/l2yQht8xG2o
I am writing this article to share some of my experience with you to encourage you. Although you may not see how things are going to turn out, trust. More will be revealed with time, so don’t give up. Don’t give up on hope of how your child can learn how to thrive in their lives. In 1967 at the age of 10, after my traumatic brain injury, I had no idea how enriched my life would become at 68. My process and journey just took time.
My Encouragement to You — More will be Revealed
Your child’s process and journey may also take lots of time as mine did, but I am glad that I did not give up. So encourage them to not give up on exploring a way (s) that will help them develop their passion and purpose. As you read this article may you also be encouraged to not give up on hope.
“Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid.” Albert Einstein
“Purpose is about a process and a journey, not a destination. I can not know until I know and knowing just takes what it takes. There are no silver bullets or magic potions. By accepting that reality, I am given the gift of knowing. I am given the gift of knowing by trusting the process, a loving God and myself.” Craig J. Phillips MRC, BA
An Introduction to my Process and Journey
I sustained an open skull fracture with right frontal lobe damage, a severe brain bruise with brain stem involvement in an automobile accident. The accident happened in 1967 when I was 10 years old. I also fractured my left femur and remained in a coma for 3 weeks. I was placed in traction to set my left femur because they could not operate on my leg because of my severe brain injury. I remained in traction for 6-7 weeks. When my left femur had “set” enough I was placed in a full body Spica cast. I remained in the cast for about 5 months.
After my left femur had healed enough, I was taken out of the cast and began physical therapy (several sessions) and then I was on my own to learn how to walk. I also was able to learn how walk, talk, read, write and speak in complete sentences. Once my external wounds healed the impact of my traumatic brain injury became invisible and was never again considered. Because little was known about brain injuries or invisible disabilities I found myself being blamed, shamed and scapegoated for what people could not see or understand for many years.
Details in a Snap shot — Process, Journey and Evolution
Traumatic brain injury, car accident, in 1967 when I was 10 years old. Open skull fracture, right frontal lobe damage, a severe brain bruise with brain stem involvement. Coma for 3 weeks. Fractured left femur (thigh bone), traction 7 weeks, Spica (full-body) cast for 5 months. 2 EEG’s, battery of psychosocial testing. Was not supposed to succeed beyond high school academically. Learned how to walk, talk, read, write and speak in complete sentences. Tutored at home in 5th grade. Mainstreamed back into elementary school in the 6th grade. Graduated on time with my high school class in 1975. Went on to obtain my undergraduate degree in 10 years (2 universities, 1 community college). I then went on to 0btained my master’s degree (2 graduate schools) Rehabilitation Counseling. Credentials CRC. 20-year history of getting and losing jobs, client with 2 different State Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (Florida and North Carolina). 2nd Vocational Rehabilitation evaluation determined that I was not employable. Applied 3 times for SSDI, the 3rd application approved. For many years I felt like someone who was all dressed up with nowhere to go. I experienced a lot of disappointments and discouragement despite all my best efforts to succeed academically and vocationally. But I am glad that I did not give up on finding a way to use my gifts, talents and abilities in ways that worked.
In my search I created Second Chance to Live, on February 6, 2007. I created Second Chance to Live 7 years after my 2nd Department of Vocational Rehabilitation evaluation and counselor reported that I was employable. 7 year after my 3rd SSDI application was approved. 7 years after writing poems, an autobiography and a book, registered with the library of Congress.
“It is not that I am so smart. It is just that I stay with problems longer.” Albert Einstein
“Ideas do not always come in a flash but by diligent trial-and-error experiments that take time and thought.” Charles K. Kao
For more details, click on this link: Comprehensive History of Second Chance to Live — Answering the Call that never Came
In my Experience
In my experience, I had to exhaust all my efforts to not be impacted by my traumatic brain injury. I had to get to a place, before I could stop beating up on myself, because of my own denial and denial of family. I had to grieve what I was powerless to change before I could be willing to look for solutions.
Look for solutions through accepting that it was not that I had not tried hard enough and that I could try something. Try something different to find a way to use my gifts, talents and abilities in ways that would work for me. Ways that would work for me, instead of giving up and going to the grave with my song.
“Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” Henry David Thoreau
If interested in reading my autobiography in detail, click on this link: Second Chance to Live Author’s Autobiography in Bullet Points
Creating Hope to Encourage and Inspire Ongoing Brain Injury Recovery
I created Second Chance to Live on February 6, 2007 to answer a call that never came. I have been engaged in answering this call for 18 years. My mission and vision are to encourage my readers and listeners to not give up by pursuing their goals and dreams. To not give up on their goals and dreams through creating hope in their ongoing brain injury recovery process by their engaging their mind, body, spirit, soul and emotions. To date I have written 2240 articles placed into 13 Categories.
To date I have spoken throughout the United States 144 times from my 30 presentations. I have done so to encourage a holistic and ongoing brain injury recovery process. I believe that a brain injury is only an event, not a destiny that defines the individual. I encourage the individual to own their power through taking deliberate steps to create hope in their lives. I strongly encourage the use of neuroplasticitiy to create new neural pathways and brain reorganization to enhance the individuals quality of life.
Quotes and Thoughts that have Encouraged and Inspired Me
“Big things have small beginnings.” Prometheus
“I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas Edison
“Regardless of your lot in life, you can build something beautiful on it.” Zig Ziglar
“Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over.” Guy Finley
“It is not that I am so smart. It is just that I stay with problems longer.” Albert Einstein
“Believe in yourself, go after your dreams, and don’t let anyone put you in a box.” Daya
“Decision is the spark that ignites action. Until a decision is made, nothing happens.” Wilfred A. Peterson
“Those who danced were considered to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music.” Angela Monet
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” Joseph Campbell
“Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new-ending.” Carl Bard
“It is not as important as what happens to us, as how we respond to what happens to us.” Craig J. Phillips
“Research your own experience. Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless and add specifically your own creation.” Bruce Lee
“Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.” Napoleon Hill
“Not everyone will understand your journey. That’s okay. You’re here to live your life, not to make everyone understand.” Banksy
“Seek out that particular mental attribute which makes you feel most deeply and vitally alive, along with which comes the inner voice which says, ‘This is the real me,’ and when you have found that attitude, follow it.” William James
“History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats.” B.C. Forbes
“You can not connect the dots looking forwards. You can only connect the dots looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. Because believing that the dots will connect down the road will give you confidence, even when your heart leads you off the well worn path. Everything else is secondary.” Steve Jobs
“If you advance confidently in the direction of your dreams and endeavor to live the life that you have imagined…you will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Henry David Thoreau
“Your time is limited so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” Steve Jobs
“Insist on yourself, never imitate. Your own gift you can present with the cumulative force of a whole life’s cultivation, but of the adopted talent of another, you only have an extemporaneous half-possession. Do that which is assigned to you and you cannot hope too much or dare too much.” Henry David Thoreau
“I was told over and over again that I would never be successful. That I was not going to be competitive. And the technique was simply not going to work. All I could do is shrug and say, “We’ll just have to see.” Dick Fosbury (Inventor of the Fosbury Flop and winner of the gold medal in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City).
“Don’t quit. Never give up trying to build the world you can see, even if others can’ see it. Listen to your own drum and your own drum only. It is the one that makes the sweetest sound.” Simon Sineck
“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.” Steve Job
So love the quote by Steve Jobs. I can hear Richard Dreyfuss ‘s voice in my head when I read the words.
Thank you Maree. Quote are great. Have a super day. Craig