Till I Get There

Hello World,

Did you miss me? I’m sorry I’ve been gone for a while, but now the show goes on. It’s time to put these words down and say something that hasn’t already been said. My life has been moving along smoothly with no steps back and just steps forward. Well I guess that is kind of strange to say considering I can’t take steps, but you understand what I’m trying to say.

During that first year after my accident I thought that my disability was the end for me, but I’ve since realized that the end is where I begin. It has been an exciting wild ride that has brought me more happiness than ever before. Take away everything physical in my life but it does not matter because I still have my mind. I said goodbye to waterskiing a long time ago.

I like my new perspective on life a lot better than before where I solely focus on the power of the mind now. The little things in life are so much more enjoyable. Just surround me with some good people or a good friend and I’ll be content. I enjoy good conversation so much better now. I have found the power of humor in our lives. There is so much humor in the story that got me up to this point so I love to laugh and make fun of how I got here. If you think you’re Jesus once he will give you another chance. Think it twice and he will paralyze you. I think the third time you will die. I’m very careful that will not happen a third time but if I do survive I do not want another book coming out titled ‘Well… I Guess I’m Still Not Jesus’. That would just be embarrassing.

As for the book, the process is moving along smoothly. We hired a great editor who will start in mid November and will be finished mid January or February. I have someone doing the illustration for the cover and so far what he has done looks incredible.

It was strange that recently I found an MP3 player that has a voice recorder on it where I was talking to it a few weeks before my accident. I was talking about my plans for the future and those plans included writing a book and sharing my story with the world through public speaking. Little did I know is that the story was far from over. I was about to experience my biggest nightmare. But that nightmare transformed into a dream come true.

Listening to myself I sounded like a completely different person. The tone of my voice sounded different. I sounded like there was a lot of stress in my life. It was as if I knew what lied ahead. I also found about 10 freestyle raps that I did on my way home from Columbus one day where I had to be high out of my mind. They were hilarious to listen to and I really wasn’t a bad rapper but I definitely did not like what I was rapping about. It’s crazy to hear myself from almost 3 years ago and to look at myself now. I like the new me much better.

I have done a lot of different speaking engagements this month. I wrote a new speech and every time I give it I drastically improve. I spoke at the Ohio Disability Summit for two one hour-long sessions. They were so impressed with my story and message that next year I may be the keynote speaker. I can’t explain how great of a feeling it is to get up in front of a crowd and share with them intimate details of your life that some people would forever keep to themselves. I love being open and honest about my situation and the feedback has been proving that it works. I was able to see my evaluations for the first session of around 75 people. I was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 and was given comments and of all those people I received all fives and only two fours. Reading through the comments was a very rewarding experience.

I have so much to be thankful for in my life. I have always known that but now I do not take it for granted. Thank you for taking the time to read this today! A turn that I thought was for the worst was actually for the best. I love this new direction that I am going in. Here’s a song that I was listening to today that very accurately describes the way that I’m living right now:

“I’m going to keep it cool and I am going to do me. It is what it is and it’s how it’s going to be till I get there. Until I get there. Yeah, I got flaws, I know I’m not perfect, but all the ups and downs will soon be worth it when I get there. When I get there.”

– ‘Till I Get There’ by Lupe Fiasco