Last night, Thursday, the 2nd of September, just before sleeping, I was reminded again of much that has happened over the past 365 days. One year ago today, on the 3rd of September LAST year, I was in a terrible bicycle crash (of which I have no clear memory) that resulted in a traumatic brain injury and plunged me into a coma of about 80 days. I awoke by Thanksgiving, last November, and the spirit of that day of holy thanksgiving has shaped my spiritual, physical, and mental road back toward health, recovery, wellness and life. Last night, I wondered - as I have often done these past months - why I survived the crash, why I have been so often blessed, and what purposes God might see in me going forward. I had often before guessed to try to make sense of it all, but last night, the answer became clearer still.

I have so often been reminded by others - my loving wife, my children, my brothers and sisters, and so many more - what compassion and kindness, and generosity and loving care might look like and feel like. I have received these blessings from so many care-givers, from my family, and from so many friends near and far. This world is so grand, but it is small enough - and important enough - to find love and compassion and kindness or to be a channel for these blessings everywhere you might be, everywhere you might look. This seems to be a lesson that God wanted to make sure I was learning.

I finally left hospital care and rehab in December, 2020, and have continued recovery and strengthening and balancing every day since. And I continue to receive, by the grace of God, lessons in compassion, generosity, kindness, and love - every day, right through this year of healing and grace that I have been given since the accident. 

The lessons of compassion and love have become a part of every day for me. Every day, I give thanks for all those who offer thoughts and prayers and more to ensure my recovery. I have been visited and cared for by so many that have reached out to me or actually come from afar to be with me, and I have been blessed by all so many cards, well wishes, and prayerful messages I have received.

Praise God. Many thanks and prayers to so many.

Thom