A year ago today I was fighting for life, and even now I’m still fighting through recovery. Two very different times and situations, but both are so very difficult and tiring in many ways. I’ve learned quite a bit about life at such a young age throughout this continuing journey. It’s so short, it can change overnight, or even in the blink of an eye. Those few overused statements are very, very true. Hold onto your friends, your family, hug, kiss, and tell how much you love them too many times a day, because life can be turned upside-down in a matter of seconds. One mistake, one misjudgment, one accident can change it all. That doesn’t mean to live in a bubble for that’s just impossible. It merely means to live in the moment. Perhaps the most important lesson of all: IT GOES ON. Whether you’re ready or not, life goes on. As it became closer and closer to being a year since the wreck, I became closer and closer to doing things as “normal” as I used too. In doing so I seem to be asked one question quite regularly; “Does it feel like it has been a year yet?” The answer to that question changed, and still changes on a day-to-day basis. Some days it’s, “No, it feels like it has been 10 years.” Other days my reply could be, “No, it feels like yesterday I was on my way to Atlanta for rehab.” Which answer is the most common? I have yet to figure that one out for myself. I’ve been mad, I’ve been sad, frustrated, lonely, upset, confused, but while my emotions varied on a very vast scale, one thing has stayed concrete. YOU. Through the ups, the downs, the all arounds, you guys have always been there. Not just for me, but for US. My family couldn’t have made it without your helping hands. I couldn’t have LIVED without your prayers. I just read some Scripture the other day saying, “Keep on asking and you will be given what you ask for,”(Matthew 7:7). Well, guess what? You were given what you asked for! I know all of you have heard and read this speech a million times from the Ward family, but a million times isn’t even enough to tell you just how blessed I have been and how blessed my family has been to have the amount of support you’ve given us. By “you” I mean from the mid-south to those in Japan. All of you will forever have an ‘I owe you’ from us that can never be used up. None of you will ever understand just how much help you were, nor will you ever understand just how appreciated you are. Because of your prayers I finished my Sophomore year on time and received full credit. Thus far I can’t complain about anything. Things are different, that’s for sure, but I’ve learned so much. I want to share a story that keeps coming to my mind. My Freshman year we had to take an “Alive at 25” class about rules and safety on the roads. I distinctly remember hearing statistics for fatalities, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, etc. I sat back thinking, nehh that happens to other people not Marissa. Looking back now, I realize just how young and stupid I was to think that I could never be a statistic, even when I wasn’t the one driving, because it just can’t happen to me. How immature was that?! I will forever stress just how cruel and ugly the road can be, and how critical it is to be careful. SO TO ALL MY LITTLE BUDDIES AT THE RACE TRACK, PLEASE listen to those old people you call Mom and Dad. They turn out to be right about a few things. Plus you don’t actually know everything about this world yet :P. Now I feel like I have so much to say to all of you, but I just don’t know how or what to say. All that keeps coming to my mind is Thank You, but again I know I’ve used that so many times. You guys just don’t get what you, and your actions, thoughts, and prayers mean to me. I’m just speechless, and yall know it’s not normal for a Ward to be speechless. So, I guess now I’ll sum it up with the only thing I can think to tell you… Thank you. Your prayers saved my life, and BECAUSE OF YOU A MIRACLE HAPPENED. May God bless all of you!
Posted on: Mon, 01 Jul 2013 22:38:07 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015