I was put back together again-literally. After a major accident, resulting in a traumatic brain injury, I experienced what could be called another passage through childhood learning how to walk, talk, dress myself, tie my shoes, brush my teeth, bathe, write and even spell again. I would mix up people, places and yes, things; naturally sometimes I still do.

A little over three years later the changes are astounding. Although I still suffer from various after affects, I am leaps ahead of where they predicted I would be. It’s a testament to the care I received, the encouragement and support of my friends and family, and my determination to get better. I’m not going to say I was a peach through good chunks of time as I recovered, but people stuck in there with me and I stuck in there with myself. My recovery was not an individual task. Clearly, I have much to be thankful for and about.

During that period my life as I knew it stopped abruptly. However, in a unique twist, I relearned something else besides the basics. All my interactions were “gasp” face-to-face. There was no internet, text, IM, Facebook, tweet, chat or skype for this girl.  Even in my damaged state I realized the detachment we have towards each other and the breakdown that causes in our society. With huge advancements in technology we seem to be stunted when it comes to humanity. Empathy anyone?

All hope isn’t lost. It’s just muted. I had perfect strangers cheer me on as I took my first real steps in physical therapy after months in a wheelchair. To say there’s no substitute for that type of interaction would be a vast understatement. You can’t feel or really convey that emotion in a text or Facebook post.

Now, as we drown in the hysteria that has become the holidays, I ask you to pause. It’s not a challenge, per se, but a request. Just pause. We are a complicated, compounded mess of contradictions cruising around many days on autopilot. Pause and find the simplicity and in turn perhaps the humanity. You’ll be glad you did.