<p class="ql-block">Last year, a car accident came out of left field, knocking me off my feet. Now, as the one - year anniversary creeps up on me, I'm adrift, feeling like a blank canvas with no idea what brushstrokes I'm supposed to make. Everyone's been telling me to "call it a day" and ease into retirement, as if I'm an old racehorse ready for the glue factory. But deep down, I know that's not me.</p><p class="ql-block"> </p><p class="ql-block">I'm stuck in a Catch - 22, torn between the easy road and the unknown. On one hand, the idea of coasting through life sounds tempting, but on the other, I can't shake the feeling that I'm meant for more. It's like I'm standing at a crossroads, and every signpost looks the same. As Maya Angelou said, "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have." But how can I unleash that creativity when I don't even know where to start?</p><p class="ql-block"> </p><p class="ql-block">I keep thinking about the saying, "When one door closes, another opens." Well, right now, all I see are closed doors and locked windows. I'm in a funk, and it's taking everything in me not to throw in the towel. But I know that giving up isn't an option. I've got to find a way to turn this lemony situation into lemonade, to rise from the ashes like a phoenix and create a new chapter in my life. It won't be easy, but nothing worth having ever is.</p>