21: Impossible vs. Possible.

Almost a year ago, I ran a race.  I didn’t train, yet I knew I could run. My upper body strength was non-existent and twenty-one obstacles seemed rather impossible.  My friend reminded me, “we will look back on this day and remind ourselves if completing the Spartan race is possible than _______________________ is possible.”  I crossed the finish line and truthfully you couldn’t wipe that smile off my face.

Post my accident, I had twenty-one physiotherapy appointments to complete. My summer plans of swimming, hiking, and wakeboarding were quickly replaced by hours of physiotherapy and daily exercises. It seemed impossible that the pain of whiplash would disappear from my shoulders and neck. Then I broke my ankle. Suddenly, pain seemed secondary. I realized I could dwell on the impossibility or see the possibility in getting better.  So, what was possible?

I went slip and sliding with an aircast.
I played volleyball with an aircast.
I went tubing down the river with an aircast.
I played ultimate frisbee with an aircast.
I even went biking with an air cast.

At the time, I was told lines such as “your crazy” or “stop being stupid” or “you’ll make it worse.” I can acknowledge the validity to those words, yet what those statements lacked was the hope of possibility. I did such things because I was determined to make it possible!

It’s a miracle that I am alive post hitting 2000 pounds of flesh and fur, so wouldn’t I see the possibility in life?  I discovered that often discouragement is oddly woven with hope. That impossibility is often possible. 

How?

A phase I’ve often stated, “use your words.” Recently, I’ve considered that maybe I need to say, “use your words to grant POSSIBILITY.”  I’ve taken a new job as an adolescent psychiatric nurse.  As I admit children to the unit, I am often amazed at the harsh words spoken over them that has caused such discord and resulted in harmful behavior and even suicidal attempts. I admitted a boy the other day, as he asked, “why the cast?” I chose to use it as an illustration of why we all need to accept help and healing. For example, mine might be physical, yet mental health is just as significant in the healing process.  His response startled me, “people often tell you that you can’t in life, but they don’t know what you can…” Such wisdom from an eleven year old, since he, like countless others, has been told all his life “you can’t do this, you can’t do that, you can’t….” Those phrases have granted disappointment. Instead, what if someone told him, “you can or it’s possible!” A phase of possibility highlights that you can get better, you can accept help, and you can use your words appropriately.

The pivotal factor between hope and disappointment and between what seems impossible and what is possible has been changing my thought patterns. It requires that I remove three little letters, n-o-t, and simply state, “I can.”  Furthermore, be bold and blunt by stating, “__________is possible.”

This Sunday, I will run a race. I am highly underprepared. I will be running twenty-one kilometers with a recent broken ankle. Furthermore, I will be against impossible and extremely muddy obstacles, which will require intense shoulder strength. Then I am reminded that the Spartan race was possible, so Tough Mudder is also possible. I look forward to crossing the finish line with my teammates and smiling from ear to ear because it was possible! 

Charlene

P.S. I’ll probably even do a victory dance, as I celebrate possibility!