July 2nd, the day after Canada Day, a day that we celebrate our uniqueness as Canadians and a country, a day full of hot dogs,
fireworks, and red and white. I am proud to be Canadian, and I love the fact that I'm a part of this amazing multi-cultural tapestry we call a nation. However, July 2nd also holds another association for me. It too symbolizes the birth of something new, but nothing as glamorous as a country; more of a wake-up call.

Canada was a country founded on hardship, and unfortunately hardship and I have
become intimate bedfellows. Recently I just celebrated my 12 year anniversary; in fact it was July 2nd. Wedding anniversary? Being
drug/alcohol free? No, nothing that fortunistic . I just recently celebrated my 12th year as a wheelchair bound quadriplegic. In ayman's terms, I broke my neck at the age of 15 in a work related accident, more precisely a fall which left me paralyzed with a
damaged spinal cord. So it wasn't a very happy occasion to celebrate, but here's why it was.

I spent my 12th anniversary without a grand celebration, just a quiet night playing cards with two really close friends who had no real clear indication of the significance of July 2nd to me. And there is no reason they should have anyways; this is my day and my reminder how quickly life can change. Though instead of being angry and resentful, I just sat back and took stock of the last 12 years that seemed to blink by in a second. Sitting there, chatting with my friends, and just enjoying the moment brought upon the realization of how I was able to make it through all these trials and tribulations that life has thrown at me without losing my sanity, my ability to laugh, or even worse, slitting my own wrist thinking that the afterlife would bring me some sort of relief. The reason I've made it this far is because of moments where I've chosen to accept life and enjoy it for all its worth. Moments like chilling with my good friends, spending time with my family, dressing up with my buds as Santa and walking around downtown in the middle of winter handing out candy canes to complete trangers while trying to make it to a cougar bar before we all succumbed to frost bite.

These are the moments that get me through the hours of agonizing therapy with my therapist who loves to see me wince in pain (though he swears it is therapeutic, and to his credit, has not left a bruise yet ). Those moments are the ones that give me the ability to smile and say hi to those people gawking at me like some sort of man/automobile hybrid wheeling around the city. Those are the moments that help me smile when I wake up in a bed soaked in urine because my leg bag fell off. Those are the moments that allow me to deal with the fact that I need to rely on attendants/family to help with the most personal of personal care. And those are the moments that help me see through the darkest days and help me laugh at the obstacles thrown in my path. Materialism and pursuit of the almighty dollar may get you so far, but you'll never achieve true happiness and self-respect until you can learn to appreciate life for what it is. You only get one spin at the wheel of life, and take it from me, you never know what curve life could throw at you tomorrow. So why not enjoy what life offers you today? Because in the end, a car is just a car, a $1000 suit is just a suit, and a job is just a job. However, a happy memory could save your life… why not start creating some moments that ARE worth more than a thousand words?

Matt Sagan

Michael McGauley, B.A., DTM, is a motivational speaker, seminar leader and personal coach. He is the President and founder of The Dream Builders Inc., a company that delivers workshops and seminars across North America with the mission to help companies and individuals in their quest for excellence. For additional articles or to book Michael for your next event, visit email mike@thedreambuildersinc.com, or call 1-866-878-8289 LIFE IS DIFFICULT; IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN'T ENJOY THE RIDE! Attitude is key to handling any challenge in life. I encouorage you to read the following article written by my client and friend, whose attitude has helped him endure and overcome some insurmountable challenges. Michael McGauley