Seven years ago today was the day I suffered a paralyzing spinal cord injury.
As you know, I had started a streak of celebrating with food .. that has not held up.
Year 1 was chicken fried steak and eggs,
year 2 was a fancy milkshake,
year 3 was fresh spring rolls,
year 4, 5, 6 .. I’m sure I did something, but I didn’t write about it and subsequently forgot.
This year I have nothing planned on this day, but I did smoke tri-tip with my cousins last weekend and that’s going to count.
Today is a big day of reflection for me. I’ve been reading my annual anniversary updates and looking back through pictures of all my exploits.
For some reason this picture from the day before my injury sticks in my head:
It represents my normal routine back then, working from a favorite coffee shop in the city. It also represents finding joy in everyday things like this coffee cup.
I believe that taking a minute – before getting on with work – to recognize and relish in such a small moment is a key component to the attitude and underlying character that allowed me to quickly get back to living after paralysis.
It’s a choice to take a minute. A choice we all are capable of making.
(And this is the whole thesis to this writing and most writing I do.)
Which brings us to today.
We’re 7 years into this wheelchair journey.
I’m 45 years into life as of last week.
We’re 31 days from the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona.
The biggest thing that has been coming up in the last year is what I call ‘Cynicism Creep’.
Reading my past entries, there’s a LOT of positive. A lot of excitement and a lot of high vibration. But last year I missed writing an annual update. I wrote about the circumstances in last week’s blog.
Add to that the pandemic, the state of conflict both in our country and around the world, and – this particular week – the HEAT wave here in the west. The tone of our world gives plenty of reason to get cynical.
So where does that leave us?
Here’s where it leaves me: Focus on what we can control. Create beauty, create smiles where we can.
What if we all were more attentive to our Cynicism Creep? Could we change the course of things big and small in our world? I think so.
Some experts also think so:
Kona, this blog, and pictures of my coffee cup are my efforts.
What are yours?
So about the wine
I tried to NOT ask for support this year. But I’ve found most days are battle to decide which gets more attention: training/rest/recovery or work. Working for myself, I only get paid for the time I work. Travel, physical therapy, tires, tubes, little incidental things – they have been adding up.
So one last time for my personal journey.
Any contribution is welcome, if you’re willing and able! It means a ton financially – and I kid you not – emotionally it means just as much, if not more. Links are below.
And if you’re down with great wine, at $200 we’ll ship you a bottle of Housley’s Century Oak Winery 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon with a custom #teambalucas label (shown above).
Details below. Links here:
works too (better actually) »Use this link to send me your mailing address – click here.
$5,000 of $5,000
Details:
Shipping: If you are in Southern California and we’ll most likely see each other soon, you can subtract $20 in shipping costs if you choose.
Timing: we may still wait until favorable wine shipping weather (read: not so hot). But expect it before Halloween.
If you don’t want wine or want to contribute less: that’s perfectly fine too. Just send me a message/email/text if you don’t want the wine.
How the wine came to be: read about my connection to the Housley Family.