Purposeful Growth

For years we accepted that growing older meant losing mental capability. Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease became the dreaded partner of longer lives. We now know that losing mental acuity is not a certainty and not a crap-shoot. There are things we can do–simple things–that show promise at sustaining our mental abilities as we age.

For more information see my article on the topic at Suite 101. My contract prevents publishing that article here, so follow the above link to read the full details.

There’s no such thing as a bad day. Every day that you awake is a good day. Consider the alternative.

A twenty-eight year old married woman and mother recently had a brain aneurysm. After several days of severe headaches she sought medical help and was diagnosed with an aneurysm. Surgery quickly followed but was unsuccessful; the surgeons were unable to stabilize her brain artery with an inserted coil.

She was in pain and very sad at the thought of her two year old becoming motherless. She didn’t know what to do and told her mother she was turning it over to God. Her first miracle was that her mother told her that what God wanted was for her to “get off her sorry butt and do something about it.”

Energized, she made phone calls and found a medical team in another state that specialized in her condition. The second miracle was that she was able to contact the head neurosurgeon on that team and he agreed to treat her–immediately.

Minor miracles three and four were that her sister lives in the ciy where her surgery was scheduled so her family would have a convenient and supportive place to stay, and she also had sufficient frequent flyer miles to obtain tickets for the young woman and her family.

Within days, the surgical team corrected her aneurysm, a condition that most people don’t survive–another miracle. She was able to fully recover with no faculties diminished. In weeks, she was back to work, but a different woman.

“There’s no such thing as a bad day,” she now says. All her days are good days because she is alive.

This is a true story.

Does it take a near death situation to get our attention? Those who skirt death live differently after their experience. They treasure each moment of life and appreciate what we may call the little things, but what they surely recognize are not little at all.

Each day is a gift. Each breath a blessing. Each moment an adventure. Each experience a marvel. Must I cheat death to appreciate life?

Related Articles:

The Present Moment is Life’s Present

Source of Joy

Being Happy

Four Keys to Happiness