4 minutes and 4 seconds

How many of you are good at putting on a smiling face and a positive attitude to mask what may be truly going on with yourself? 🙋🏻‍♀️ I do.

Masking the pain behind a humor filled personality is often easier than just saying “I’m not ok”. Society has taught us to show up and don’t wear your emotions on your sleeve. I remember in my early 30’s, a vice president told me “in order to succeed, you can’t wear your emotions on your sleeve.” I remember thinking, I will never be successful. But what is the true definition of successful.

I’ve always been a hard worker. Dad beat that into me when I was growing up. I didn’t appreciate it then, but I did in my adult life. Being a hard worker is what has gotten me the luxuries and lifestyle I was blessed to have. Notice I said “was”. I recall a few years ago, sitting down with my besties and us all laughing and giggling about how liberating it feels to not give a shit what people thought of us anymore. It’s like we had been waiting for that our whole life! I was finally me, and it was good enough. Then … my accident happened. I’m not me anymore. I’m not good enough anymore. I know I’m not who I used to be. I’m back to caring what people think of me, putting on the “everything is great” smile and…surviving.

The last few days have been hard. I am being tested and I’m tired of being tested. God has my plan, not satan, but that doesn’t take away from my daily struggles that no one sees except for David.

So I’m choosing to post this video. I didn’t watch it, I just asked David to record it. It’s me, struggling, 4:04 seconds it takes me to get out of my chair and into my bed. What you don’t see is that my back is completely stiff and in pain, my heart is aching because I need to say goodbye to the only thing that gives me purpose, Khara, the doubt in soul about how am I going to keep surviving.

I’m choosing to say today that I am not ok…but there is always tomorrow.

Comments

4 responses to “4 minutes and 4 seconds”

  1. carriegrismer Avatar
    carriegrismer

    I love you so very much.

    Like

  2. Deb Hilger Avatar
    Deb Hilger

    There are no words to say how sorry I am that you have to go through all these terribly hard and painful things just to live your life. I will never understand the plan” that God has for this Earth and why there is so much suffering. But I want to say how proud I am that you are doing such an incredibly amazing job, tackling each day and striving to stay mobile and conquering all the daily hardship. You have my total respect girl. I pray you feel respect for yourself as well. And who cares what anyone thinks… go back to feeling that again! Because you are still you – a fighter and a hard worker, and that grit is obvious to anyone who is around you. I hope you can find a way to celebrate your successes and how far that grit has taken you since the accident. I admire you Shelley. You are stronger than anyone I know I pray you can find some level of peace 💙

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  3. Sharon Wallace Crist Avatar
    Sharon Wallace Crist

    Always in my prayers!! 🙏🏼🙏🏼❤️

    Like

  4. Dawn Gross Avatar
    Dawn Gross

    That makes my heart hurt watching you struggle to perform a task most of us take for granted.

    Like

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