By Wes Annac, Openhearted Rebellion

I’m writing this with a broken pinky. I mean, I’m not using the pinky to write, but you get the idea. It is in a splint, and as you can imagine, writing is significantly harder.

In fact, everything has gotten harder. Daily functions I never thought twice about, like putting on a shirt, are now an ordeal. I’ve had to adapt to this unforeseen situation and boy, has it been an adjustment.

How did it happen, you ask? Well, I thought it would be a good idea to play volleyball with no experience and zero expectation for injury. Turns out I shouldn’t join a volleyball team any time soon.

This injury has reminded me of two things: you never know what will happen from one day to the next, and you should never take anything for granted. Nothing in this life is assured; your life itself could end in the blink of an eye. (Your life on this earth, at least. I personally believe consciousness goes on, but that is a discussion for another time.)

We should appreciate even the littlest things, because they are all blessings in disguise. We never know when we might be without the people or things we assume will always be here. I never thought I’d go a full month without use of my left pinky, and I certainly never knew how much I rely on it.

Big and small, I’m grateful for all I have. I’m so incredibly lucky to have a home, a vehicle, and a nice computer to type this on. I’m grateful for this blog and the small community that gathers here. I’m so glad I can read and write; plenty of people have never learned these skills and perhaps never will. Even with my workouts significantly impacted by this injury, I’m grateful I can get in the gym and move at all.

I was a little depressed the day after I got hurt. Now, I have nothing but appreciation for this life with all its ups and downs. It is truly a wild ride, and whether it will be good or not so good, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Whoever and wherever you are, thank you for being here with me.