Making the Most of Life

Making The Most Of Things-Last time, I mentioned some situations that I
can't change so I simply have to accept as they are what they are. But I
have also learned to to make the most of them. The operative word is learned
as it sure didn't happen overnight.

One main area that I would like to change but can't is in the area of my
physical health. Only God can and will change it in His time. In the
meantime, I have had to learn to make the most of being paralyzed and unable
to talk. One good thing that has come out of it is that I have had to learn
to depend on other people for all the things that I can't do on my own. And
that is just about everything. I have always been a pretty independent
person so one of the ways I am making the most of being paralyzed is by
accepting help from other people and not, or trying not, to feel like I am a
nuisance. I often think that life would be so much easier for me if I could
only speak like other people. However, it is what it is. I  make the most of
not speaking by using the speech board or my computer. Aside from a few
friends who are able to use the speech board quickly, I use it mostly with
the nurses. It is especially valuable when I need something, though there
are also plenty times we use the speech board to have a conversation. I use
my computer for a lot of my communication. I use e-mail to communicate with
all sorts of people. At times, I get visitors who don't use the speech board
so I talk with them on my computer.

Time has always been an issue with me. There are a lot of hours in each day for
me to fill up. It is what it is so I try to make the best of it. I spend quite a
bit of time reading the Bible. Never a bad thing to do. Any kind of writing takes a long time so I pass many long hours writing these blogs, e-mails and an occasional letter. In Long-term Care , the primary way of passing time is by watching tv. I confess that I probably watch too much of it as well but I do limit myself to evenings and usually use discernment about what I watch. When I am in bed and can't use my computer, it is a bit harder to make the most of all my time. During the afternoons, while resting in bed, I listen to Christian music which helps to pass time for me as well as it keeps my focus on God. Even at night when I can't sleep, I can make the most of the time by praying, quoting scriptures to myself, etc. I don't always do it, though.

Lack of people to spend time with me can be frustrating. Still, I understand that people have to work and have other commitments so I make the most of it by enjoying visitors when they come but, when they don't keeping as busy as I can.

One of the things that I can't change is not being to do things that other people do. To make the most of it, I have learned to thoroughly enjoy the things that I can do. It may be be as simple as going for ice cream or going for a walk. No matter if what I can do seems pretty minor to other people, they are still pretty exciting to me.

So, even though there are some situations in my life right now I can only describe as "it is what it is", I have learned to make the most of these situations. A good part of the time, anyway. It would be a lie to say that I have it totally mastered.