Three lessons about living I learned from a random assault

It was only 7:00 pm, but already dark. Ice crystals twinkled in the reflection of the lights lining a street of stately brownstones. I’d walked down this street many times. I didn’t see or hear anything; actually, I didn’t even feel anything when a stranger came up behind me and beat me with a hammer. It was a random act of violence.

The date was January 16, 2016.

Thirteen years ago, the unimaginable happened. One moment, I was planning what to have for dinner, and in the next moment I was sure that I was going to die. It happened in the blink of an eye. The ensuing years have been laden with challenges, achievements and hard earned lessons. I offer these lessons in hopes that you can find value for your own life from my experience.

Random: Happens

It’s hard to fathom that something horrific, that harms and violates, that is unpredictable and indefensible, just happens. Narratives can be spun to attempt to make sense, give a logic to the random, and thereby offer the possibility of preventing something similar from happening. It’s the neighborhood, not enough street lights, the attacker is mentally ill, a loss of social values, a culture of violence. Blame offers another rationale. It’s the victim’s fault. Soon after I was assaulted, I began to wonder what I…