How I Crossed The Stream
Like many other online people, I was intrigued when Matt Chevy put out a Tweet last fall asking for 5 people to participate in a “top secret” project he was working on. Cautiously I responded to say I might be interested if he gave me more details. I love collaborating with people online, but I like to make sure the project is solid and in-line with my writing style.
That was when I learned that the project was VERY cool and actually had NOTHING to do with writing. Instead, it was a series of videos that Matt was inviting people to record for The Epiphany Moment. He described it to me as a moment in my adult life (I’m still in my 20′s til May, I can claim I’m a young adult, right?!) when something just “clicked” and I made a major life decision.
Knowing what many of my peers would write about careers and living situations and education and first loves, I racked my brain to think of something that would be original and worthwhile to contribute. A moment that would hopefully inspire and make people see life in a bit of a different light. But what did I have to offer…I had taken many of the conventional and safe roads, nothing daring and outgoing…nothing good enough for the people who would read this.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that of course I had a story to tell. When I was barely 21 years old I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which is a chronic disease which causes widespread pain and tenderness throughout your entire body. Sometimes I’m barely able to get out of bed in the morning, let alone go through my day. Other times I have to ditch plans with friends and lay in a field feeling stupid and foolish.
Here’s the quick (less than 3 minutes) video I recorded about the decision I made:
Epiphany Moment – Elisa Doucette from Matt Cheuvront on Vimeo.
You can view the rest of the videos in this project here, they are all amazing in their own special way.
Listening To: I Have A Dream – Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia Soundtrack)
Your story is obviously very different Elisa – but extremely powerful. Thank you so much for having the courage to share it with the world. I’ve had several people reach out to me personally and say that your story really was an inspiration to them. So thank you..seriously.
Matt – Thanks for including me. I wish I knew some of the people, I haven’t heard a peep from anyone other than Jenny & David. But I AM really glad that regardless of who they are they got something out of it. Somehow, weird as it sounds, it makes it a little more tolerable to deal with knowing that other people can get something from it.
Elisa, I really liked your epiphany moment. It was touching, honest and very real. I really respect you because I know a lot of people with fibromyalgia and it definitely isn’t comfortable or easy. I loved what you had to say and although I do not have fibromyalgia, I took away a great lesson from what you had to say.
PS. Good to have you back
(even though I loved loved loved All You Need).
Grace Boyle´s last blog ..Comparing the Eras: Where People Wrote Letters and When They Did Not
Grace – Yeah, it’s beyond comfortable or easy, it’s in fact kinda painful and exhausting. But pity parties don’t really get you to doing what you want in life. Guess that explains a bit why I’m not always “down” for doing stuff.
glad to have participated such a project with so many amazing individuals, yourself included
Lindsey´s last blog ..Just Saying NO to Children: Part II: We Are Not Alone
Lindsey – It was definitely a great project with lots of great participants. Glad to “share billing”
This was/is very touching. I’ve never heard of fibromyalgia (did my research though). I admire how strong of a person you are; getting things done no matter what and from my research, it is definitely not comfortable at all. Thank you for teaching me something new. I am so glad that you’re back!! You have no idea. Even though I usually don’t comment, but I always stop by. (this is something I am changing. I’m commenting more now.
)
Thank you again. A great lesson I’ve learned today.
Cheila Esquilin´s last blog ..It’s Time to Live
Cheila – Yay, glad to have you here and voicing thoughts and stuff on the blog! It’s funny, I sometimes see myself as a strong person. But then I think of how I’ve never traveled the world, or started my own business, or done any of the things that other people seem to “think” is the important and measure as successful. Some days, success for me is making it off the couch.
It’s when we stop measuring against everyone else and measure only against ourselves that we really start becoming strong in our own right.
Wow, Elisa. I didn’t think it was possible to have even more respect for you than I did before. I stand corrected. Your ephiphany moment was so moving and really gave me an appreciation for what you had/are overcoming (who knew?). Inspiring. You’ve got moxie, girl. Thank you so much for sharing…I had no idea of what this disease was like for people. Thanks to your personal account, I have a much better understanding.
Lael – Aw, thanks! It’s definitely something I’ll share with people but not really talk about. Mostly because then people start thinking of you differently, associating you with your illness/disability rather than just yourself. And I, of course, am not one who likes to be defined. Described but never defined.
I respect the hell out of you, so the reciprocity of that warms my little heart.
Elisa – I loved this video, and I commend you for sharing it! I’m with Lael – I didn’t think it was possible to have more respect for you either, but I do! The fact that you have to deal with this (among the many other aspects of your busy life) absolutely amazes me. You handle it with such grace – and it really puts things in perspective for me when I think I’m having a bad day. Hugs and I can’t wait to see you sooooon! (Okay, well six weeks is soon to me)
Jenny Blake´s last blog ..Career Development for Gen Y: A Two-Way Street (Video)
Jenny – Haha, you should have been on my TweetDeck Wednesday morning when I had an entire Tweet typed that said “Well, now that I’ve shared with the world my illness I feel I have open license to say “I’m having a flare-up today and it SUCKS!!” The grace must have kicked in cause I end decisioned that it would be silly to Tweet that.
It’s funny (at least to me) how the whole thing is perceived by others. I just go through my days, some are good some are not good some downright suck. But I’m alive and the sun is rising and setting and there’s much bigger things in the grand scheme. And no, I’m not so prolific that I’m thinking of others dying and starving children in Kenya (though those are bigger issues…) Instead I’m thinking selfishly of myself and I realized long ago that I’ll make it through and another day will come.
And all those days bring me closer and closer to AN IRL SLUMBER PARTY IN SAN FRANCISCO IN APRIL!!!!!!!