If there are 2 things that people know about life, it's that 1. It's short and 2. It's tough.
Things don't always go the way that people want it to or expect it to. Sometimes it gets really hard and sometimes that's the most beautiful thing about it. Life would be boring if we all knew everything that was going to happen and sometimes, what seems to be the worst thing in life, turns out to be a blessing in disguise.
Take me for example: About a year ago, I had tons of doctors telling me that my life was basically over and I would be confined to a bed for the rest of my life. They told me that I would be dependent upon my parents and fiance, that I could never have kids and that my hopes and dreams were never going to happen.
Now, that's a lot of information for someone to take in. However, it's a completely different thing to try to prove them wrong. And that's exactly what I'm doing. A year later, you wouldn't even know that anything was ever wrong with me, that I was ever sick. I have overcome so much and am no longer confined to the four walls of my apartment.
I have learned that nobody, not even teams of doctors can tell you how your life is going to turn out. But they can give you options. Option 1: Listen to them and not even try to get your life back. Or, Option 2: Realize that you're only 19 years old and you've got a heck of a life to fight for.
Now if anything is going to teach you to appreciate life, it's feeling as if it's over. One thing I learned from this experience (which is still very tough to deal with but is getting better everyday) is that life can change direction in a blink of an eye and you shouldn't take one second of it for granted. Every second that you spend watching re-runs of Friends on the couch at 2 o'clock in the afternoon is a second of your life that you traded for something else. I'm not saying that anything is wrong with watching some TV and vegging out on the couch but it's not something that I recommend on a daily basis.
Speaking as someone that battled months of clinical depression and never left the couch that whole time, I would much rather be spending my time elsewhere. This process, even though it's been painful, tough and at times, torturous, has opened my eyes to what life is truly about. It has taught me how to be a better person and I will work for the rest of my life to stay the kind and understanding person that I have learned to be through my medical journey.
I have been given a second chance and I'm grateful for that because not everyone gets a second chance in life. I appreciate every second of my life on this earth. I have the freedom to swim, to skydive, to rock climb, to para-sail should I wish it. Despite what all of the experts said, my life is far from over and one day when I'm on the New York Times Best Sellers List, they'll know that too.
Now granted, everyone has problems and some peoples' problems are much bigger than others'. However, not to sound corny but, life is what you make it. The purpose of this blog is to spread my message of positivity to the world. I'm not saying that I never complain about life and that nothing ever gets on my nerves, but negativity is contagious. When people are negative, it's much easier to get sucked into that frame of mind and way of thinking. Positivity takes more work but the benefits are so much bigger and better.
You have one life and you should go out and live it to the best of your ability. Make yourself and the others around you happy but above all, appreciate the life you've been given. As you're taking your next breath, someone else in the world is taking their last. So cherish your life, your family, your experiences and even your struggles because that's what they are... yours.
Nothing in this world is guaranteed except uncertainty. And when life throws you a curve-ball, just adjust your bat a little bit but still imagine yourself hitting that home run. Everyone has joys and everyone has sorrows but hey... it sounds like life to me.
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