If you are going through Hell, DON'T STOP!

...just when I was about to consider yet another loss, I looked up and read this sign.  All I could do is laugh.  It's really self explanatory.  As I have grown older and matured, I accept the fact that there will be challenges along my path.  Everyone has them.  One of the things that seems to separate those who succeed from those who don't is simply their ability to move forward despite what seem to be negative circumstances.  The masses seem to have created an entire movement around complaining.   I have listened to people who I am convinced to have made complaining their life's calling.  Few people want answers....why would they?  The moment they solve a problem, they must find another one to replace it.  Negativity, much like almost anything else is addictive.  We could all stand to be mindful of the people, places and things we surround ourselves with.  There are few things more ridiculous that watching someone complain about another person's complaint!  Yet, it happens everyday.  It's time to go about the business of fulfilling our roles in life so that we can leave something positive behind.  The sad part though is that traffic always slows down for the accident and seldom for the flowers planted on the side of the road.

Dreams mean work,

Lou Riley

Posted via email from thisislouriley

A Walk Through The Valley of Death's Shadow

It's been three months since the accident and this is the first time I decided to write about it.  Somedays it seems like yesterday, on others, its hard to believe anything like that ever happened to me.  One second I'm riding in the passenger seat and the next thing I know, the car hydroplanes out of control and makes a direct charge towards a mountain.  I hear people say that in the midst of near death moments, things happen quickly.  There was no time for fear, no time to scream or shout.  All I could do is sit there as I said to myself, "this car is about to hit something!"  After what reminded me of being on a rollercoaster with all the moving and shaking, I realized that the accident was over.   (Did I mention I wasn't wearing a seat belt?) I did a quick mental scan of my body and realized I was okay.  (It might also help to share with you that the entire time the car was flipping over, I felt like a small child being cradled in its parent's arms.  I felt safe and I knew that somehow I would be just fine.)  I then realized the car I was in was upside down.  My only thought was to get out.

Passenger window?  Too small.

Front windshield?  No way!

Backwindow?  Possible, but not enough room after I gave it one try to force myself out of the vehicle.  I relaxed for a minute then took a quick assessment of the situation.  In the back of my mind were images of cars going up in flames.  There was no way in hell that was going to happen to me.  There was one way out and that was the too small back window.  I got on my back and used the front seat to brace my legs and push.  Part of my body had gotten out of the car.  A couple of concerned citizens who saw the accident were trying to help pull my out, but with no success.  The headrest on the rear car seat made it difficult to push my way out of the vehicle.  So I pushed anyway.  Literally breaking my ribs in doing so.  All I knew at that point is that I was getting out of this car.  I strained and I pushed through the pain until my upper half was out and I could continue pushing my way out of the car.  I got up off of the ground to turn and look at the accident.  That picture in this post is exactly what I saw.  I walked away from the accident with some broken ribs and a few cuts on my right arm.  Most importantly though.....I walked away.

Posted via email from The Acai Soda Site

A Walk Through The Valley of Death's Shadow

It's been three months since the accident and this is the first time I decided to write about it.  Somedays it seems like yesterday, on others, its hard to believe anything like that ever happened to me.  One second I'm riding in the passenger seat and the next thing I know, the car hydroplanes out of control and makes a direct charge towards a mountain.  I hear people say that in the midst of near death moments, things happen quickly.  There was no time for fear, no time to scream or shout.  All I could do is sit there as I said to myself, "this car is about to hit something!"  After what reminded me of being on a rollercoaster with all the moving and shaking, I realized that the accident was over.   (Did I mention I wasn't wearing a seat belt?) I did a quick mental scan of my body and realized I was okay.  (It might also help to share with you that the entire time the car was flipping over, I felt like a small child being cradled in its parent's arms.  I felt safe and I knew that somehow I would be just fine.)  I then realized the car I was in was upside down.  My only thought was to get out.

Passenger window?  Too small.

Front windshield?  No way!

Backwindow?  Possible, but not enough room after I gave it one try to force myself out of the vehicle.  I relaxed for a minute then took a quick assessment of the situation.  In the back of my mind were images of cars going up in flames.  There was no way in hell that was going to happen to me.  There was one way out and that was the too small back window.  I got on my back and used the front seat to brace my legs and push.  Part of my body had gotten out of the car.  A couple of concerned citizens who saw the accident were trying to help pull my out, but with no success.  The headrest on the rear car seat made it difficult to push my way out of the vehicle.  So I pushed anyway.  Literally breaking my ribs in doing so.  All I knew at that point is that I was getting out of this car.  I strained and I pushed through the pain until my upper half was out and I could continue pushing my way out of the car.  I got up off of the ground to turn and look at the accident.  That picture in this post is exactly what I saw.  I walked away from the accident with some broken ribs and a few cuts on my right arm.  Most importantly though.....I walked away.

Posted via email from The Acai Soda Site