Making the Best of It

I recently watched a new movie based on a true story about a young man who unexpectedly became a quadriplegic due to an accident.

Similarities and differences

Even though I have spinal muscular atrophy, there were many similarities with myself and the the main character in the movie. After his accident he became a wheelchair user, fully dependent on others, emotional struggles etc., but the difference between my story and his was he had something taken away from him.

This is the only life I've known

Being that I have never walked a day in my life I can say this is the only way I know to function and live. Do I sometimes wish things could be different? Sure. But this is the only life I’ve known. I could not relate to his struggle of losing his ability to walk and having his life and his family’s life completely turned upside down.

As I watched more of the movie I began to think on the deeper similarities we all can connect with in the movie. We ALL go through hard things!

So many things are out of our control

So many things in life are out of our control. When my younger brother Austin, a fellow SMAer passed away at the age of 25 it felt like the whole world was crumbling. None of it was in our control.

The struggles we can face while living with SMA are often out of our control. The obvious physical limitations, the financial hardships, the continual doctor appointments, insurance issues and much more.

Even if those things are out of our control how we respond to hard situations in life will often dictate who we become.

We can control how we respond

Our outlook and attitude are always in our control.

I often times have people asking the question, “Megan how are you so happy? How are you so positive? How are you tackling so much in life with such joy? Isn’t your life hard?!”

YES! It is hard! But everyone goes through hard things!

I believe the answer is truly that i am trying to make the best of my life. Trying to work through the hard situation and trying to find new ways to do hard things. I could let life go by without working hard towards what I really want or I could take them head-on with a smile on my face. THAT choice is mine.

The choice is mine

There was a wonderful quote at the end of the movie where he says

“In terms of the path I got put on. I think I made the best of it.”

We all have the choice to make the best of it.

Connect in the Forum: What Do You Do To Stay Positive?