There was a posting yesterday about someones friends having been beat by someone. This is truly terrible and should never happen, but unfortunately the world is not always the warm fuzzy navel I like to think it is. This got me to thinking about my own life and the traumas I have overcome to be where I am today. This coupled with the OCC FANtasy bike show that I just watched about a gentleman who is paralyzed brought me to tears with gratitude for my own life and the simple abilities I possess.

I too was brutally beaten in the year 2005. I was out searching for art supplies in the early hours of the morning in the back alleys of my home city. I am an artist and am really into creating "outsider art" as it is formally called. This means that most of the art I create is made of recycled materials. Old tabletops make great canvases, as do old doors, shutters, windows, skateboards, cardoors, whetever I can find. I also create on blank canvases as a traditional fine artist does, but the aspect of taking something that has been discarded and turning it into a work of art is sacred to me as we live in such a "disposable" society.

So here I am in the early morning hours or August 2005 driving up and down alleys looking for blank canvases. I do not remember what happened to me,and the doctors say that I most likely never will if I haven't by now, but I was jsut reflecting on how lucky I am to be alive, able to WALK and TALK, and to have beautiful Harley Davidson motorcycle taht I can ride anytime I choose. This episode of OCC made me realize that most people who have had some sort of incident as I have are injured much worse than myself, and I should consider myself lucky to have legs that carry me to a 2 wheeled vehicle that I am able to ride on my own.

It is really disturbing that I will never know what happened to me. People ask and I just kinda look at them and tell them I have no idea. All I know is that I suffered 3 very serious blows to my brain as they called my injury a traumatic brain injury. Scotergrrl knows all the details, but I just can't remember all that stuff right now. I am grateful to be alive and to have a second chance at life. My goal is to become a household name with my art, and to obviously support myself from the profits of it. I was reminded of this today when I saw this gentleman on the OCC show who had been paralyzed from his chest down and refuses to let that affect him more than it should. I have been stuck in self pity and feel like I have finaly seen the light and have realized that whatever I want to do is possible. It is so easy to lose sight of that in day to day existence. why am I writing al of this here? I don't really know. I jsut thought I would share with my fellows. This is in no way a post seeking sympathy, for I have had enough of that, merely a statement of my gratitude to be functional and alive. Have a nice day all...

 

Folks take too much for granted these days . . . . I saw the same episode of the OCC, sure makes you appreciate what you have. I agree wth you totally and the next time I go for a rip on the streetglide ill be even more thankful for what I have in life.

 

Very glad your OK

 

thank god you,re alive.i know a man who is paralyzed from waist down.every time i see him it hurts.he has such a will to live.he was hurt in a construction
accident.he recently had his leg amputated due to constant pain.it makes me wonder..would i be able to handle that like him.plus he has a wife and kids.
it,s so sad.

 

Annubiss,it is always good to reflect on that side of life once in a while.I was alsohospitalized for a few days because of a driver that crossed the yellow line,and forced me off the road out into an 8 foot dropoff.Totalled the bike,and it took me over 3 months just to be able to get around.I was also lucky, and still crave to be on my beautiful Harley Davidson motorcycles.

 

An attitude, of gratitude, will get you thru just about anyting life throws at ya.
You are blessed experience it.

LG

 

You my friend, havejust discovered true balance in life. Be gratefull, have humility and never forget where you came from.

 

Tell me about it Anubiss..I about got jacked a few years ago coming out of a bar. Three drunken punks started talking junk as I was leaving - one bastard comes over to my window to apologize for his friends and damn if he doesn't throw a punch at me though the driver side window. I hit him back hard and was able to pull out without a major confrontation -what's interesting though is I have a CCW and were I not a cautious law abiding citizen I just as easily could have pulled my S&W .38 sitting just inches away - fortunately I wouldn't do that unless it was a life or death situation but it kinda makes one wonder where some people are coming from to play the odds like they do?

 

Glad you're okay. You're here for a reason. I'm sure you will make a positive difference in other's lives.

 

You are here so I can help you and you can help me. What a deal. Got to love it. Ride on.