Today, I Will Complain…

Because staying positive is exhausting

When my sons were children they wanted to complain about my disability all the time. Children show us how we have a natural tendency to complain. It takes effort and maturity to focus on what is positive. Over 20 years it has gotten exhausting, but I refuse to become someone who complains all the time.

I was determined to not be a complainer and stay positive. I also wanted to show my sons that it is possible to remain positive in the face of awful circumstances.

When they complained about how slowly I walk, I would remind them that I am lucky to be able to walk at all. Whatever their complaint, I could always find an upside. They would often complain about my positive attitude. It was difficult for my family to appreciate the simple fact that I was alive if I was handicapped. It was easier to focus on my limitations and what it meant for our lives as a family. I could usually boil complaints away with simple reminders to be grateful that I was alive or doing anything at all even if there were challenges.

From the Brain Aneurysm Foundation:

Ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about 40% of cases. Of those who survive, about 66% suffer some permanent neurological deficit. Approximately 15% of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid…