As Long as you have breath.

I seem to be spending a lot of my time at the Naval Hospital these days. Sometimes, it gets frustrating. Various maladies have differing degrees of discomfort associated with them. Physical Therapy is very stressful and painful. So, I think it is understandable if I get discouraged and frustrated from time to time.

When I do feel discouraged, I have to make an effort to pause and think about the larger picture. You see, I am alive. That, in itself is an accomplishment. I've been fighting to live, all my life, literally.

You see, I was not supposed to survive. 57 years ago, being 2 months premature was a real medical emergency and the odds of survival for the child were minimal at best. Add to the equation that my mother had suffered a host of miscarriages and it is easy to come to the conclusion that my number was nearly up from the very beginning.

I've talked in past posts about challenges in life and that is not the point of today's post so, let's skip that subject all together. I'll say this: I'm not complaining or looking for any sympathy. I'm just trying to illustrate that life is a difficult road for everyone. It has it's own particular challenges for each of us.

So, in view of the above, I'd like to say that there are a couple of things I have learned from this adventure. First and most important; although you may not believe it, you are only apportioned that adversity that you can handle.  This is not to say that you know you can handle it. Further, I am not saying that shouldering your challenges will be easy. On the contrary. A challenge, by it's very nature intimates difficulty. So, take a page out of the United States Marine Corps handbook and suck it up. In the end, you will be glad that you did.

There is nothing as satisfying as meeting a challenge and surviving. I can tell you from my own experience, it's the best feeling in the world. I don't care what the challenge is. It can be as complicated as completing a physical demand or as simple as making a cookie. If you have never done it before, it is a challenge and you must meet it. No one ever succeeded by quitting.

Most importantly, the biggest lesson you need to learn is this: As long as you are breathing, you are winning. The goal of the game is to live. All you have to do is continue doing so. No one who matters cares about the material things that you have. I care about my friends and family as people, not as repositories for things. They are not the J.C. Penny Catalogue. If you have nice things and you like them, fine. If you live a more modest life, that's fine too.  The things in your life are not what are important.

The only person you need to impress in your life is yourself.  So many of us spend our days looking to impress others. It may be friends or the boss or our neighbors that are our target. It's an up hill battle that you just can't win. Stop fighting it. Be happy in who you are.

Once you stop running in the "rat race", you can enjoy life for what it is. Simply, life.

How many of you remember the smell of the first clear day of spring after the flowers have bloomed? Maybe it's the smell of the sea that brings back a special memory. The sound of children playing should be a symphony to your ears, not a distraction.

Go to a little league game. Dig in the garden. Make mud pies with your grandchildren. Enjoy life. That is what life is for.

I was reminded today how wonderful a gift our lives are. I had just left Physical Therapy. They really do work my arm and shoulder hard and it was pretty sore. I was feeling frustrated and a little demoralized.  As I was walking towards the main entrance to the hospital, I ran into the surgeon who performed the open heart procedure on me 16 months ago. During our quick conversation, I was reminded that it was because of this man that I was still alive. So, no matter how I was feeling, I had an obligation to him and the rest of the good folks at the Naval Hospital to celebrate that gift of live which they had renewed for me.

I am  grateful for the work so many people have done to keep me breathing air in this life. I hope to be doing so for a long time to come. I have come to realize that the privilege of  breathing is indeed a gift and should not be taken for granted.

No matter how difficult your day may seem, remember; there is always someone who is having a more difficult time than you. So, be thankful for each moment you have here. They are all indeed a gift.

As always...