It Hurts

It hurt. Not falling from the heaven, not side-tackling a player to save a goal, not even burning my fingers while cutting pizza at work. People are oblivious to the importance of each and every moment that they often tend to take them for granted. One moment could have an impact that lasts forever. A single moment of terror may even have a greater influence than one-thousand moments of happiness. Imprinted in the back of my mind as a part of me, there is no forgetting my one moment.

It hurt: a sudden jolt forward without any sign of warning, stopped with a slam. My entire body swung forward, twisting each and every vertebrae with a final crash of my head into the dashboard. I used to assume that if a car accident did not involve a massive explosion, then it must not be serious. I mean, who could become severely injured from an accident where the car comes out with a simple dent? That would seem to be the equivalent to a bruise for people. The universal statement “you live and you learn” had never proven to be so true. A vehicle slamming into the rear of my own was not enough to spit flames in all sorts of directions, but enough to grant me spinal damage causing life-long back pain and a severe concussion.

It hurt. Together the duo was nearly unbearable. I dreaded sitting in hour-long classes every day in desks that may as well have been rocks. Every move made triggered an ache or pain that would fade slowly only with time and patience. The concussion was an equal, if not greater, struggle. My memory was at a loss and it was tremendously difficult to learn new material. Still, I was faced with a workload greater than my capabilities which was contrasted with my need to feel successful. Every day was an uphill battle. I had to give more effort than I ever had to with school work. I had to fully commit myself and my mind to my studies.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    It took time. A long summer passed and I was ready to make up for the hardships of the previous year. I slowly began realizing that something was different: I was unable to learn the same as I could before. My memory was obstructed and my ability to comprehend pieces of literature was faulty. I would sit in class and stare blankly at my work. The frustration grew and my teachers were not very understanding of the situation. With little knowledge about concussions, I knew that they were not to blame. It did not take long to discover that I could not fight through the newfound barrier but, instead, needed to build a bridge over it.  In order to overcome this obstacle I knew that I had to be stronger than I ever have been. Few people realize the difficulty in battling with your mind; it is already programmed one way even if you want it another. Change takes time and perseverance.

 I transformed. Putting my all into change for success shaped me into the person that I am today. I learned the importance to stay strong; that weakness can always be beaten. Unable to play sports due to my physical condition, I still stayed involved by managing my teams. I received extra help from teachers when necessary to make certain that my grades would not drop and that I understood the material. Overall, my life changed in one moment. The results of my moment drove me to grow true strength that will carry on with me for years to come. Most beneficial of all, I learned an incredible life lesson that took experience to truly understand: never give up. I have transformed into a better version of myself thanks to the impact of my moment. My back may prevent me from ever becoming a soccer star, but obtaining strength within myself has been the greatest goal I could ever accomplish.