With my college graduation on the horizon, I find myself searching for the inspiration to continue my journey. Even though I’m weary of what awaits me after graduation it’s the daily aches, pains, and other reminders of my illness that keep me hesitant about my future.
Some days I wake and feel defeated before I even start to fight. I focus so much on the pain in my joints, the swelling in hands or the amount of medicines I take to keep me from having a serious flare-up that I forget the most important aspect of those actions, which is simply that I am alive. I can feel the pain of stiff and inflamed joints because blood is steadily pumping through my veins. Whenever I lose sight of that fact there are two jazz songs that renew my hope every time. Ronny Jordan’s “The Morning After” reminds us that there is hope in the birth of the sun. Singer, Dana Glover joins forces with saxophonist, Dave Koz, to make “Start All Over Again” a motivational anthem for the disheartened. Both of these songs reinforce to me that I have the power to heal myself. Every morning is the beginning to a new page in my life. I have the power to write what comes next in the history of me. Pain is temporary. It will all pass. It is up to me to determine how long I let those emotions run unbridled in my soul.
For me, it’s my illness that I struggle with. For others, it may be love. Sometimes friendships end; relationships don’t work out. Heartbreak is fleeting. People experience many different problems, many disappointments in life. That’s just it though, life happens. Even more so, life goes on. Once you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom, look up. There is always a tomorrow.
But as long as you’re still breathing, as long as you’re heart’s beating, you can start all over.
