Three things happened and three lessons were learned this week
1.My “boxer’s break” is fully healed.
One of the unfortunate problems of my progressive brain disease is that sometimes, without good reason, I fall.
I fell back on May 8th and broke my 5th metacarpal bone in my right hand, commonly known as a “boxer’s break.” (The 5th metacarpal is a little bone under the right pinky knuckle). And 10 weeks later, I’m happy to announce the break has fully healed.
As the doctor traced my x-ray with his pen, he explained, even though the bone is healed–due to my age and the location of the break– he said that I will, “…most likely entertain to arthritis.”
Entertain arthritis? As if arthritis is the crazy aunt from Ohio who decided to stop by for a few weeks and hang out with her pretentious cat in my guest bedroom.
Lesson: The potential of future suffering is not a reason to suffer now. If anything, future suffering is all the more reason to be present now.
I may fall again. Future suffering and Aunt Arthritis from Ohio may visit. But right now–as I write this sentence–hopelessness and despondency and anger serve no purpose. In fact, they do nothing. They are empty calories of living.
Worrying about what might happen is needless suffering and the easiest distraction from the present.
2.Chase made a difficult choice that was, in my humble opinion, the right choice.
This week, my 13-year-old son, was forced to make a choice. And though the decision was not one that would realign the stars, however in his constellation, it was a choice that momentarily rearranged his teenage solar system.
Lesson: There’s a truth that we all must embrace: everyone has the power of choice.
Accepting this truth is a critical part of our growth and development. No matter the size of the choice, each choice shapes your experiences and brings you to where you are in your life.
And since you’re responsible for your own life, you can actively and intentionally make choices for yourself or simply let others make choices for you (which is still a choice).
So, the choice is yours.
Just remember: Your life is the product of your choices.
3.Write On Fight On turns 8 years old this week.
I recently read an article that stated:
-Presently, there are over 600 million active blogs.
-There are about 70 million new blog posts a month on WordPress (the blogging platform of Write On Fight On).
-According to WordPress, each month more than 409 million people view over 20 billion WordPress blog pages.
-The average lifespan of a blog is 18 months.
Lesson: No matter what, always do things that satisfy your soul.
Don’t worry about everyone else.
Don’t worry about popular definitions of “success.”
Don’t worry about statistics.
If you have the audacity, vulnerability, and courage to tell your story –people will not only listen, they will respond with gratitude and sincerity. They will recognize the beauty of their story in the reflective verses of your own.
Big thanks to everyone who has ever read this blog and shared my words with others. I hope that I’ve been just as a good companion on people’s journeys as they have been on mine.
Even if our journeys require us to entertain Aunt Arthritis and her damn cat.
Be well,
Jay
Greetings to everyone who found me on the University of Pennsylvania’s Ataxia Clinic’s website! Thanks for stopping by. I have ataxia and though I’m not a doctor, I hope my words comfort, encourage, empower, and serve as good company on your journey.
New Book Alert…
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July Book Promos for You:
Are looking for inspiration? Are you searching for a better version of yourself?
This month I joined literary forces with some best-selling authors in two awesome book promotions. Click the link below:
Buy Here!
Recent letters you may enjoy:
25 Things to Remember When Life Get Hard: Part 2
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Jay Armstrong is a speaker and an award-winning author. Despite being diagnosed with a rare neurological disease, that impairs his movement, balance, eyesight, and speech–Jay presses on. The leader of the Philadelphia Ataxia Support Group, he hopes to help you find joy, peace, and meaning in life.
For Jay, a good day consists of 5 things:
1. Reading
2. Writing
3. Exercising
4. Hearing his three children laugh
5. Hugging his wife
(Bonus points for a dinner with his parents or a drink with his friends)
Jay hasn’t had a bad day in quite a long time.
You can also visit Jay at jayarmstrongwrites.com
