I have, from time to time, received complements about my coping and adjusting to life as a paraplegic. On some occasions, the complement has contained the statement,
"If it happened to me I wouldn't be able to deal with it the way you have."
And, I'm sure I would have had similar thoughts had it happened to someone I know. The thing is, you never know how you will cope until you have to. I spent far too long lamenting other setbacks in life that now pale into relative insignificance.
But what I am staring to appreciate more these days is not the 'heroism' of the individual, rather our phenomenal ability as a species to adjust to almost anything. Given enough time. Medicine now affords us more time to physically adjust, and our bodies adapt to sensory, circulatory, even fundamental skeletal changes. But we also have in us the ability to get used to profoundly different circumstances, to adapt psychologically.
Yes, I still spend a part of every day wishing I hadn't fallen from a tree and broken my back, and I'm sure that I always will. But when I look back to 2005, I find it staggering to remember how I felt then and how much time I now manage to spend feeling some kind of happiness and fulfillment.
No, it's not all the time, and certain things (oh, hi Spike) really do get me down. But on balance, I finish most days ahead on points.
I am truly grateful to all my family and friends for getting me this far, but I'd also like to thank all of my predecessors going back into that huge, Darwinian ball of possibilities that led us to this point. And to acknowledge the contribution of all of those people and animals that have gone before
"If it happened to me I wouldn't be able to deal with it the way you have."
And, I'm sure I would have had similar thoughts had it happened to someone I know. The thing is, you never know how you will cope until you have to. I spent far too long lamenting other setbacks in life that now pale into relative insignificance.
But what I am staring to appreciate more these days is not the 'heroism' of the individual, rather our phenomenal ability as a species to adjust to almost anything. Given enough time. Medicine now affords us more time to physically adjust, and our bodies adapt to sensory, circulatory, even fundamental skeletal changes. But we also have in us the ability to get used to profoundly different circumstances, to adapt psychologically.
Yes, I still spend a part of every day wishing I hadn't fallen from a tree and broken my back, and I'm sure that I always will. But when I look back to 2005, I find it staggering to remember how I felt then and how much time I now manage to spend feeling some kind of happiness and fulfillment.
No, it's not all the time, and certain things (oh, hi Spike) really do get me down. But on balance, I finish most days ahead on points.
I am truly grateful to all my family and friends for getting me this far, but I'd also like to thank all of my predecessors going back into that huge, Darwinian ball of possibilities that led us to this point. And to acknowledge the contribution of all of those people and animals that have gone before
Leave a comment