Undergraduate / Occupational Therapy Personal Statement on Importance of Adapting. Need Suggestions. [3]

What is success? What is failure? Where is the line drawn?

History implies success is financial prosperity, impeccable health, and a prominent status. If that's the case, when financial trouble occur, health declines, or status is altered, are they then considered a failure? No. What if we ignored the term failure all together and instead viewed the situation as a challenge, an opportunity to conquer.

When observing in an Inpatient Rehabilitation clinic, an elderly man, who recently suffered a stroke, proclaimed "It must be difficult to believe that at one point I was an athlete." In his particular case he had weakness in his lower extremities which significantly impaired his balance leaving him temporarily reliant on a wheelchair. With genuine sincerity his therapist immediately replied "Life happens." At that instant, the purpose for an Occupational Therapist made perfect sense. Life may happen at any moment, whether it may be a stroke, learning disability, or any sort of trauma, but that doesn't leave us void of responsibility. We must adapt to whatever is thrown our way. That way when the world screams failure, we can reply back that we are a fighter, a conquerer. Even more so, through therapy and advancements in the medical field their are a multitude of options to assist in performing everyday activities independently.

Every single day, whatever life throws at us, we have a choice. To give in and settle, or to fight. It's all a matter of perspective.