A Note of Gratitude on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a time when we gather and give thanks for all of the many blessings we receive. I've never been more grateful than I am this year. But, unfortunately, my 14-year-old daughter suffered a traumatic brain injury last December while innocently tubing down the front lawn. She fractured her skull, had a brain bleed, a severe concussion and, eight staples in the back of her head. She spent six long and painful days in ICU before coming home on Christmas Eve to recover.
On October 3rd, my 17-year-old son and a friend were on their way to work when they were involved in a serious hit-and-run accident. His car was hit from the passenger side and dragged across two lanes of a major highway. The airbags deployed, the seatbelts and steering wheel immediately locked. His friend suffered bruised ribs. In addition, my son had a transverse process fracture in his neck.
Both my daughter and my son were beyond blessed to have walked away from these accidents relatively unscathed. But, we, as a family, are changed. For me, each time one of them walks into a room, I can almost (and sometimes I do) burst into tears of gratitude. I'm more patient with them now, softer and sweeter. I can feel my love and gratitude for their existence in my little galaxy, and I feel it all the time now.
Before the accident, I was a stealth mom chasing them around barking demands like, do your homework, brush your teeth, clean your room, and for the love of God, will someone please walk the dog. Don't get me wrong; I still do those things. It's just different now.
In honor of the first anniversary of her accident, I'm excited to announce that Isabella has decided to join me live on Counter Conversations! She will talk to us about her accident, what her recovery was like, her very first lesson in inner-strength, what it means to be resilient, and what she learned about herself, even at the tender age of fourteen.
I am incredibly proud and excited to be pulling up a chair for this episode of Counter Conversation. Isabella and I hope you will join us.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Remember...Be Brave - Be Audacious - Be you.
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