I probably don’t have to tell you that being grateful is a good thing. It’s good for your health, both physical and mental; it’s good for your self esteem; it’s good for those around you. Here’s an article from psychology today that shares 7 benefits of being grateful.
It‘s easy to be grateful when life is great or thankful when nice things happen to us. But what about when life is not so great. When you experience a set back? Or sudden illness? What if you experience a sudden stroke and debilitating physical challenges and/or severe communication challenges? Being thankful then, can take a lot of work.
When I had the stroke and could’t talk, I was indeed thankful to be alive. I was a thankful that I had family and medical professionals to help me. (Although if you ask my daughter she might say I didn’t act thankful. I insisted on trying to do everything I could. And I think I thought it was funny to “flip them the bird”. well, how else could I get their attention. I couldn’t utter a sound.)
Looking back at the beginning of my stroke/aphasia journey, I think I was only focused on me. Frustrated that I couldn’t do everything I wanted, embarrassed that I was not earning money, upset that I couldn‘t do the things I thought I was good at (my job), self conscious of the way I spoke….. me, me, me!
It was sometime during mental health counseling that I was truly able to remember what I had, my blessings and my gifts. I was still working on getting better - getting my voice back, honing my ability to express myself in writing, etc -but I could now think about other things, other people and the world around me. I think it was then that I could truly be grateful. I now start every morning thanking God for this new day.
So today for Thankful Thursday. I will just leave at that. Thank you, God, for this truly wonderful day. Another day to live well with aphasia.
Until next time….
Hi Cheryl,
I understand how it feels to spend an extended period of time in a hospital, on your back, yet still be thankful that the medical system and people are there to help you heal. Fortunately my recovery only took 6 months and I am thankful every day that I am healthier now than when I was admitted to the hospital.
It is good to have a goal, even if it is to be as heathy and able as possible.
Blog on!