Dear Blog friends,
Please bear with me today. I fully intended to do my Sunday Smiles blog about our recent trip to Utah and all of the smiles we found there… but I am going to put that off until another blog post.
My heart is full today.
Today John and I are celebrating an anniversary. Maybe celebrating is not the right word to use…. maybe remembering would be a better word…because this is not an anniversary we chose to have. In fact, I didn’t think I would even acknowledge the date, but I am. In fact I have had many hours of reflection about it during this past week, which I want to share with you.
As most of you know, it was a year ago today that John and I were in a terrible accident in Nephi, Utah, on our way to visit family. It really hit home to me last Monday as we drove through Nephi in a snow storm right passed our accident spot.
We were both badly injured. I spent 6 weeks in the hospital, 3 of which were in ICU/PCU units and then 5 months in bed. It has been a hard year… but it has also been a year of blessings.
I feel in some ways like I am a new person. I feel like I see things in a new light.
I would like to share with you 10 lessons that I’ve learned or had reaffirmed to me through this experience. Each of these lessons make me smile so I guess that this post is my “Sunday Ten” instead of my “Sunday Six”.
I have always known this but now I know it more than ever. My first night in ICU, before they put the epidural in the next morning, every breath was torture. Morphine did little to curb the pain. I thought I was going to die and I didn’t want to be alone. I felt someone squeezing my hand. I supposed it was a nurse but when I opened my eyes no one was there. Then I realized it was my mother holding my hand. I could not see her but I felt her holding my hand throughout the night. I was not in a drug induced hallucination. I was alert and aware of my surroundings. This experience was real and it was a great comfort to me. Life is eternal and our departed loved ones are much closer to us than we realize.
I was told in a Priesthood blessing that many were praying for me from both sides of the veil. I felt the evidence of those prayers. They were a tangible source of strength. They literally held me together and supported me. Thanks to those of you who were praying for us.
3. Cards and calls are better than medicine.
The nurses were amazed at all of the cards I got…. and so was I.
Some of you sent multiple cards and letters.
I can’t begin to tell you how much they meant to me…. and they still do. I hope that I will be that much of a support to others when they need it.
4. We are stronger than we think we are.
There were times that I felt I could not go on.
But, with good medical care and prayers I made it. We are a lot stronger than we think we are.
5. You might as well smile through the hard times.
Crying only gave me a headache and stopped up my nose. Even on the worst days I found things to smile about. Smiling helped me get through them a lot better than crying did.
6. Brightening someone else’s day makes you feel better.
My mom taught me this saying “A crying eye can not see” That is true.
When I stopped feeling sorry for myself and opened my eyes, I saw that I had care-givers that were having problems and sorrows of their own. I noticed that this sweet lady that cleaned my room each day looked sad. When I asked her about it, I learned her son had recently committed suicide. During my 6 weeks in the hospital I found several care-givers that were carrying really heavy burdens. I made it a goal to try to brighten their days…. and in doing so it brightened my days too.
7. Family and friends make all the difference.
No words can express how much family and friends helped in my recovery. I don’t think I could have done it without them.
So many went the extra mile many extra miles to help me and cheer me up. I will forever be grateful. I valued my family and friends before the accident, but after all of this loving service, seeing how fragile life is and realizing we never know when we might be taken from one another, I treasure them even more.
8. Accept help graciously
I found that it is easier to give help than to receive it…. but…
my heart is deeply touched by all the loving service we were given.
When help is needed and others are willing to come to your aid, accept it graciously and with a thankful heart.
9. There is a difference between "being”and “doing”.
I was pretty much flat down in bed for 5 months. I got to feeling quite worthless. I have always evaluated my worth by the work and service I could give. Being down in bed and not able to do much was depressing to me. Then good friends helped me to realize that we are of value just because “we are”. We love and value a new born baby… not for what she does for us…. but just because she exists. God loves and values us just because we exist. Life is precious and we need to thank God for each day of it even if we can not do all of the things we want to do. We need to be thankful just “to be”.
God has been beside John and me on every step of this journey. I have felt His spirit lifting me up every day. Sometimes I feel discouraged that the healing has not been faster and more complete. Sometimes I feel frustrated at all the things I can no longer do…. and….. pain is a PAIN!! From the beginning the doctors told me it would take a year to recover and my ribs to mend. I had it in my mind that I would be “all better” by now. I am somewhat disappointed that I am not, but I am thankful for all the progress John and I have made.
I recently heard someone say that having faith is not just believing in God and that He hears and answers prayers….. real faith is trusting in Him and His timetable, not yours. I know that my life is in His hands. I need to be thankful for each day and confident that His timetable will always be for my best good.
I am thankful that God has helped me learn these 10 lessons. They make my heart smile.
Thank you for letting me share them with you today.
Have a great week. Many hugs, Grammy L
