Everyone has those days. Those endless Mondays that seem like everything is going wrong, no matter how hard you work you can't seem to get ahead, and the stress feels like it will never end. Whenever I feel discouraged or cranky, I stop and think about some of the amazing people I've met who have inspired me. I call it wellness for your soul. Donald House is a gentleman I have had the great pleasure to meet through a previous project that I worked on. Donald is the President of H.I.R.O.S, Head Injury Recovery Outreach Society. When he was younger, Donald was happily married with two daughters, four years apart in age. He was in the military, and although originally a Maritimer (that would be Eastern Canada for you non-Canadians!) he was stationed out West. While there, Donald sustained a traumatic brain injury (TBI) that left him in a coma for 26 days. Although I am uncertain as to the exact circumstances surrounding the accident itself (I have not wanted to press him for more information than he is willing to share) were I to venture a guess, I would say it was a car accident. When he awoke, he had no recollection of what had happened. Physical recovery was not the only thing that Donald would face, however. Fifteen days after awakening from his coma, he learned that his wife had not survived the accident, and that she had been laid to rest while he was still in a coma. Also, due to his TBI, he was deemed by the court to be unable to care for his daughters and lost custody of them, as well. They were aged seven and three at the time. When people lose their sight, they talk about how other senses are heightened, such as hearing, as an example. When people lose, or never had, the use of their legs, their upper bodies become stronger to compensate. With Donald, when faced with immeasurable loss, the sense that heightened and became stronger for him was his heart. Donald believes he was left on this earth to reach out and help people. He returned to the Maritimes and started H.I.R.O.S as a way to help others deal with the challenges he faced after his TBI. He created a website that he hosted on his home computer, handed out brochures he personally printed at a local print shop, and organized meetings so people could get together and share stories.  When I asked Donald’s permission to talk about his story, assuring him that I would leave his name out for privacy, he quickly said “No, please include my name. I was left here for a purpose and I want people to know.” As I'm sitting here writing this, after I've had one of those Monday kind of days, I'm smiling to myself and grateful that I can call this person a friend. Thank you again Donald for reminding me of what's important, not to let things get to me, focus on the positives, and be thankful for what I have.

Source Url: http://gobelmont.ca/wellness-for-your-soul/