Mind of my Stroked Brain

It's a phrase I have come across many times from everyone. "I changed my mind". I have used it many times too... But what do we mean by it? I am sure there are many exceptions to this, but most often it probably means we have chosen to do something a bit more comfortable than the other option. A bit safer than the other option. A bit more familiar than the other option. A bit more confident than the other option. etc., etc. We don't do it very consciously too. I think our minds have that 'safety bias' built in for our protection and safety. But do we need that protection anymore...?  When I had my stroke, I was very unlucky with where it occurred but very lucky with what it did. I mean, yes, it rendered the body very useless but left the mind in very good condition (so I think obviously. I don't know if others will concur 😂) Over the last few years, the left side of the body has been making progress - while it has been painfully slow in absolute terms, it

Is there something called a wrong choice? Almost all of us have 20/20 vision in hindsight. Most things feel it could have been done differently in hindsight. Right and wrong are relative. We can be arguing till the cows come home what is right and wrong. Disagreements will invariably be a case of "what is right for me is wrong for somebody else". The lens of morals and ethics and such matters are imposed by society and always changing. What is acceptable today would have been unthinkable in another generation! Then there are situations where one causes harm to someone else - or themselves. It is undoubtedly incorrect . However, from their perspective, that is the next best thing to do for them. If they can think more and consider more things, very likely they will choose different. But, in that instance, considering what they can consider - can someone make a wrong choice? Not by the lens from anybody else, from their own perspective, can they make a wrong choice? Can anyone

I feel this is a chicken and egg problem we are all facing. A spiral or getting everything getting harder and harder because of choice. Older generations didn't have much, they surely wanted more choices but they had a limited few. At the same time, the limited boundaries of choices I feel held them in a more favourable range of satisfaction/ contentment/ acceptance/ etc. As we have progressed in generations, technologies and developments have afforded us more choices in everything. At the same time I feel it has led to dissatisfaction/ non-acceptance/ discontentment/ etc. It is as if peace of mind is inversely proportional to the amount of choices anyone has...

Somebody recently remarked on the tolerance I have shown with regard to my journey. On occasions, I have also been told I have been very strong, very brave , so on - through dealing with all circumstances after the stroke. I have reflected and pondered on it many times. I don't think I thought myself weak or fearful etc. but I also hadn't associated myself with brave, strong, etc. I have honestly wondered how and where the drive is coming from. After a lot of thinking, I have narrowed it down to 3 things mainly. 1. The affection, care, patience and help of my wife, kids, close friends and family.  I know, it sounds like the customary mention of a recipient of an Oscar's acceptance speech - but I can't highlight how important it is to have understanding, support and most importantly, patience from folks around you when going through something like this. Most times when I have been difficult and stubborn to anybody in the normal scheme of things, I have done it knowingly

My nurse's phone saga continues... Few days back, I shared about my nurse wanting to buy a phone. Well, the same day my other nurse's phone well and truly died. It was an old phone, repaired many times earlier and visible battle wounds. No hopes of resuscitation I guess. She has been like a fish out of water for past 2 days. This morning, she asked me which phone to buy.  I have not felt the burden of responsibility come down so heavily in a while. I wouldn't feel so much pressure if I was selecting for myself. I asked the price range and did the research. I felt very relieved when she told me her brother picked a make/ model and that would be it. It was not the same I had arrived at. So I just gave it as a suggestion for the same range and left it at that.. So many times we give opinion/advise to others. I would categorise into three categories. 1. Where out of our concern for some situation, we dish it out. Its mostly unsolicited. When we give it, we kinda know, it will m