August the fourteenth will always be a day of trepidation for me - marking the day that changed my life forever. A day of loss and fear. A day that propelled me into unknown territory. It's a day that makes me apprehensive, and stirs emotions I wish it would not.
But these things I've learned:
Nothing is guaranteed in this life. Not your home, your job, your family, or health. And definitely not your hearing. Nothing. Life deals blessings and blows. It knocks you down and builds you up. You make do. Life goes on.
Life is hard. No one ever said living would be easy. So don't expect it to be. You will be continually disappointed if you think your life should be perfect.
It's not your fault. Sometimes things just happen to you. You didn't earn it or deserve it. It's not the consequence of your actions, either good or bad. It's not because you were careless or ignorant or unfortunate. There is no answer to why. It just... is. And the sooner you realize that, the easier it is to accept.
As big as you think your problems are, there's always someone who has it worse. Trust me on this one. One only has to watch the evening news to see that. Don't think you are alone in your suffering. Everyone has a story to tell. We all carry personal burdens. Being deaf may seem pretty challenging and overwhelming. But so can a number of other ailments and conditions. Sometimes you may find yourself saying, "At least I'm not that guy."
You can let your problems define you, or you can define them. Nothing ever gets accomplished when you are absorbed in excessive self-pity. Cry, grieve, and even wallow for a time. Then dust yourself off and move on. There will be days when you are overtaken with emotion again, but time heals, and you know that you still have a lot of life to live. So you do.
More good things happen than bad. Go ahead. Count your blessings. Some people may have to look harder and deeper to find their blessings. But I'm pretty certain that if you are honest with yourself, the good is more than the bad.
Carpe diem. 
Love this post. And you probably won't get many of these, but "Happy Anniversary". For we celebrate who you ARE.
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