“What would you do if you couldn’t blog anymore?”

A question I’ve been forced to reflect on.

This wasn’t how I intended my tenth year of blogging to begin.

Ever since starting Perfect Manifesto, one of the reoccurring themes in my writing has been the importance of gratitude.

Without health, family, and the sheer basics we take for granted each day, whether it’s the roof over our heads, the food on our plates, or the utilities that seamlessly make their way into our homes without understanding the complicated process behind it that makes it all possible, we wouldn’t have the mental energy to pursue personal interests because we’d be consumed with survival.

That is why no matter how many setbacks and challenges get thrown in your face, you can conquer pretty much all of it, with gratitude.

Showing gratitude puts everything in perspective, it reminds you of the things you take for granted, along with realising what you have achieved.

Good health is routed in the core foundation of doing everything you can each day – my physical strength and mental resilience has taken me this far.

To have a family around you who love you regardless of your flaws, the people you can be the realest around when the mask slips from the perception you choose to give to the rest of the world.

There have been days I’ve not believed in myself, and they’ve been my biggest champion encouraging me to continue the fight.

And now here I am recovering from a tough couple of weeks, protected by all those things I’ve always reminded myself to be grateful for.

“What would you do if you couldn’t blog anymore?”

If a question I started to ask myself when I found out I had a retina detachment in my right eye. A touch dramatic I acknowledge as I still have sight in the good eye, but it did make me consider the possibilities of losing the gift of sight – like I say the things you take for granted because they just work, so you don’t give it much thought.

I’ve now had surgery to repair the detachment, and after a week away use my good eye to write a little something.

As someone who isn’t used to sitting still and doing nothing, I’m frustrated and eager to be productive, but know the rest will aid my recovery, and I tell myself I’ll be back and better than ever.

But for now in my boredom, I’m kept company by gratitude:

• Grateful I live in an age with medical advancements that this is a temporary inconvenience than a permeant change.
• A country with the healthcare expertise to detect and treat the detachment.
• Everyone whose supporting me to get back to health from my parents enduring the hectic city centre rush hour drives for appointments, to my wife ensure I’m getting my various bottles of eye drops four times a day.

Overall I’m grateful for the willpower, to not let setbacks defeat me –

I have so much more I want to write, things I want to say, differences to make.

I will be back stronger than ever, better than before.

Gratitude will get me there.

I wish you all the very best in your success.

James @Perfect Manifesto

(PS. Sorry for any typos on this one… I have a good excuse.)