A little blog I wrote on another site ...
Seriously, Stop Complaining.
I think I complain too much. I’m always complaining about stupid things like gas prices, or that I’m too tired, there’s nothing to eat in the refrigerator, the weather sucks, the grass grows too fast and I have to cut it twice a week, homework always sucked, my job sucks, whatever.
3 years ago I was a healthy 28-year old “normal� guy. A freak accident led to the discovery of a large, life threatening brain tumor. All of the sudden, after a day on an operating table, I was in a hospital, unable to speak, walk or even eat without some help. I feared that I wouldn’t survive or ever get back to be the person I once was and that my wife and family would be stuck with some vegetable that they didn’t sign up for. I sat in the hospital bed one day, unable to move and promised myself that If I ever got out of there, I’d prioritize my life and stop sweating the small stuff. All I wanted was my old life back. You know, the one I always complained about.
As I started rehab, my outlook changed. I didn’t complain, I did everything necessary, and more. I got out of the hospital and back to everyday life. As the daily grind started again, so did my complaining. It’s not like I’m always complaining about everything, it’s just that in retrospect, I realize the things I do complain about are stupid.
Last year I had to have another brain surgery. Suddenly, snapped back into that harsh reality, I remembered and realized how fragile life is. At this time my wife was pregnant and all I wanted was to survive another surgery and meet my daughter. Again, nothing else mattered to me except getting back to my family and being there when my daughter was born. Gas prices, food in the fridge, my boss; none of these things ever crossed my mind, because, well, they weren’t important.
I survived another brain surgery, rehabbed more, and was there when my daughter entered the world. That’s all I had wanted. I certainly had nothing to complain about.
Of course the day-to-day complaining returned. How can you not complain when gas is $3.29/gallon? There is always going to be something to complain about, but take the time to realize that there’s a lot more good than there is bad out there.
Recently, I returned for a follow up visit with my Dr. who confirmed that the much smaller, but still significant tumor in my brain is alive and needs to be dealt with. I thought this crap was over, but here we go again. Thank goodness I don’t have to have another brain surgery, but I will be going in for Gamma Knife Radiation. The word “radiation� is just plain scary, especially when it’s on your brain. I’m not worried about the actual treatment this time, I mean, I’ve survived two brain surgeries, this **** shouldn’t even phase me anymore, but I am worried about the long term effects. All I want is to have a long life with my family; nothing else matters.
I’ve had a lot to complain about over the last few years, but when you can’t get out of bed because your legs don’t work, complaining about the weather seems pretty stupid. When you’re in a waiting room for hours wondering if your loved one will survive, standing in line at Target is nothing to complain about. You realize that without your health, you don’t even know how much gas costs. While the things I complain about often change, the one constant wish I have is to be healthy and with my family. It’s easy for me to see what’s important in my life and I wish it didn’t take life threatening health issues every other year to help me realize it. Keep things in perspective, stop *****ing, and enjoy the important things.
