As I sit down to write my first post, I ponder what to blog about. This is a pivotal point in my blog-life, as a poor first blog spells inevitable unpopularity. So to get things started I shuffle through my Third Eye Blind playlist and get focused. A moment passes and my eyes wander up to the television to reveal none other than Bear Grylls pulling a 30lb catfish out of the water with his bare fist. Inspiration hits!
I should disclose that Bear Grylls is, without a doubt, my personal hero. This summer I had the chance to read his book “The Kid Who Climbed Everest” while flying across the great Pacific en route to Australia. Few people know that Bear basically shattered his spine during a British Air Force night jump back in 1996. His shoot failed to open, ending as you would expect such an incident to end. After opting out of surgery for 3 crushed vertebrae, he took the long, strenuous road to recovery. 2 years later he climbed the treacherous Mt. Everest becoming the youngest Briton to ever reach the summit. After being less than an inch away from paralysis, Bear was able to achieve a feat only a handful of people will ever dream of.
Back in the good ole days of high school football I also suffered a spinal injury that cut my “promising” career short. Well, maybe being 5’10” and 170lbs isn’t the best build for a legitimate downfield receiver, but you get the picture. Sometimes I still feel a sting down my right leg when I’ve been really active or really inactive, especially over the past 4 or 5 months. I’ve been praying that things will improve as I work on strengthening my core and keeping my hamstrings stretched out. Tonight I did half an hour of cardio and some abdominal exercises. Exciting news - tonight I reached a new aeon of flexibility. Now my toes can touch the ground above my head when lying flat on my back - ultimate hamstring flexibility. I know that God will take care of me, so I’m very optimistic about my future.
I glance back up to see Mr. Grylls dangling from the ramshackle roof of a flood damaged house in Louisiana. Inspiration.
