3 Things I Won't Take For Granted

One cold winter’s day I slipped on black ice and fell. Despite being well wrapped up and having the fall cushioned by my thick coat I still sustained a back injury. I didn’t realise how bad it was until later that day when I found myself in the accident and emergency room at my local hospital.

I was in severe pain but knew a prescription of a strong analgesic would take care of that. I called a friend and asked them to pick me up in two hours.

Four hours later I was still at the hospital. Different doctors had come to see me. All had left with grim faces, shaking their heads sympathetically. None of them told me what was going on.

"We just need to do one more test," was the only answer I received. I had already been to the X-ray department. What else could be wrong?

After another four hour wait I was sent home with crutches and the pain management medication I so badly needed. I remember wondering if I would ever be able to walk again.

It’s been 11 years since that incident. Thank God I recovered fully and am now an avid runner. I’ve had other close calls with life-threatening incidents since that day. They have taught me to be more self-aware and to appreciate the blessings in my life, no matter how small.

Good Health

I am grateful for good health. I will never take it for granted. The ability to move independently is so precious when you know what it's like to be unable to do so.

We take simple things like brushing our teeth, showering and eating for granted until we are unable to do so by ourselves. I woke up one morning unable to use any part of the right side of my body. My right knee was the size of a tennis ball, my right hip felt out of place, I couldn’t lift my right arm without experiencing excruciating pain. None of the drugs the doctor prescribed worked.

I was offered the option of having a steroid injection. The doctor warned me that there was no guarantee it would work. He warned me of other risk factors. As if to mock me he added that I would never regain the full use of my limbs. I cried.

A miracle happened because the steroid injection worked. I was ecstatic. I was warned not to celebrate too much as the effects would wear off and I would have to return for another dose but I would have to wait for at least two years.

I never needed the second dose. Everyday I am grateful for good health.

The Love and Support of Friends

You never know who your real friends are until your life hits a pothole. You never know who truly loves and cares for you until you have nothing.

My first experience of being shunned and rejected by people I thought cared came as a shock. They were people who had always been there for me during hard times. I was facing a minor setback but it was "too much" for them to handle.

I couldn’t figure out why this happened until I realised the reason. They erroneously believed I would never be able to return the favour. I saw their true colours, washed my hands off them and moved on.

Strangely enough, I was able to recognise genuine friends who loved me unconditionally. I have never been more grateful. Being loved and accepted for who I am and not what people can use me for is liberating.

I am grateful for the love and support of true friends.

The Gift of Life

I woke up one morning feeling satisfied with life. I had accomplished a big goal and was ready to celebrate my good news with the world. I decided to check my emails first.

An unfamiliar sender’s address caught my attention so I clicked on it. If it was a phishing email I would delete it without clicking on the link. They always have a link, don’t they?

This particular email contained no links but had a crying emoji. My heart started racing. I knew then that something was terribly wrong. I was right. A family member had their life brutally taken away.

It was a stark reminder that each day you wake up alive is a gift and an opportunity to begin again. You get to start on a clean slate every single day. Life is a gift which can be taken away any time.

That’s why I no longer focus on past mistakes or what went wrong in my life before. Someone once said - Stop living in the past. It has nothing new to say to you. You take the lessons learnt and move on whilst appreciating the gift of life.

I value and appreciate health, the love and support of true friends and most importantly, the gift of life.

Life, as we know it, can change in an instant.