Was it Spectacular? 

At the age of 18, Anne B. Thomas left the comforts of home to travel abroad. She was experiencing new things and meeting new people. 

Her life changed when she decided to take a chance and join a group of strangers on an 8-hour road trip. The vehicle she would be traveling in was an English ambulance that her companions had converted into a “van.” At some point during the trip, Anne decided to lie down on the bench to get some sleep. When she woke up, faced with the worst pain she had ever experienced, she realized that there had been a terrible accident and she was severely injured. 

Starting A New Life 

After a grueling journey home to the United States, where she had to remain in a flat position lying down, she faced the reality that she was paralyzed from the chest down. 

Immediately, Anne and her family made the situation lighter with humor, and her journey to fight for her body began.

Faced with many months of rehabilitation and learning how to navigate life using a wheelchair, Anne conquered it all with admirable strength.

Was she angry? Sure. Did she let it consume her? Absolutely not.

Initially given a timeline of six months to a year in rehabilitation, Anne destroyed that estimation by leaving rehab in a mere three months. During her rehabilitation, she learned to care for herself and drive again.

Her plans for the future included enrolling in college and finding a sustainable career.

She always refused to accept her wheelchair as a singular defining characteristic. And not working was never an option. 

Law School And Married Life 

After graduating from the University Of New Mexico, Anne was accepted to law school. Her college years included adventures, new friends and love interests, and the occasional sh** story. She experienced the bad with the good and learned to let things go instead of holding onto them and becoming miserable. 

Her first job out of law school was a position with ARCO as a landman. This would eventually lead to other prestigious jobs in Washington D.C. and New Mexico. 

During her early days with ARCO in Colorado, she met Tim, who she would go on to marry and stay married to for 15 years. They had a very loving relationship until Tim became a total douche bag. 

But I’m not one to gossip.

Final Thoughts 

Anne would eventually leave her career in law to become a writer. She has sparked so much inspiration in me. 

One of the best lessons that Anne points out is that if you’re looking for pity or people who are staring at you, you will find it. But if you are looking for love and compassion, you will find that instead.

Life is not all doom and gloom, even when faced with adversity or tragedy. We each have a choice to determine how we experience the world.

Thank you for reading; I hope this added value and inspiration to your life!

“Was It Spectacular?”

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.