✨KITTING AROUND✨
BLOG 380–WHY CARE?

This Video will give you more insight into me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr8QFnD1yGc
This Blog is Best Read on a Laptop, Rather than Your Phone.
By KIT SUMMERS — World-Class Juggler to World-Class Comeback

To Learn More about Kit, Go Here >> https://kitsummers.com/about-kit/

Once upon a life, I made gravity nervous—
Headlining at Ballys, tossing clubs with a grin.
Seven of them. A world record—
Because physics loves a good insult. 😄
Then came the truck—the coma.
     
Thirty-seven silent days offstage.
And here I am now—not juggling clubs.
But throwing purpose, grit, and joy.
Balancing healing, catching courage.
Tossing hope sky-high. 🤹‍♂️


The mission grew bigger than applause.
Now I lift humans. I write to stay connected.
I write because it’s how I breathe.
If these words help you, too?
That’s magic catching air. 🎉
     
What’s next on Kit’s journey through life?
Back to juggling? Back to life?
Stay with Kit and find out.
Life can get better.
Life will get better. ✨

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It might make things easier if I added a table of contents. That way, you could jump directly to the sections that interest you most—like having a remote control for the circus inside my brain. I’m still figuring out how to add page numbers properly.
     
Somewhere inside this machine, tiny digital gremlins seem to be hiding the instructions from me. But don’t worry—I’m tracking them down and expect to have everything organized by the next blog post. At least now you can see the order of things. Progress, my friends, sometimes moves forward wearing clown shoes… but it still moves forward. 🎪✨

PART 1) THE BEGINNINGS — PAGE 1
PART 2) THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK — PAGE
PART 3) BLOG 378 — BREAK THE SCRIPT — PAGE
PART 4) QUOTES — PAGE
PART 5) YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK — NEXT TO LAST PAGE
PART 6) NEXT WEEK’S BLOG — LAST PAGE
PART 7) FINAL THOUGHTS — LAST PAGE
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Every week, I try to create the very best blog I can—something that makes you laugh a little harder, think a little deeper, and step back into life carrying more hope than you had before. A spark of joy. A little
wisdom. A reminder that life is still full of possibilities. ✨
     
Because I don’t simply arrange words on a page—I try to breathe life into them.

• The drops and catches over the years? 
• Can you feel it in the writing?
• The miles traveled?
• The hard lessons?
• The laughter?
• I hope so. 🎭

And if you ever miss a blog notification—or simply feel like wandering through a colorful museum of past adventures—visit kitsummers.com and dive into the blog section. Every post is sitting there like a tiny lit match waiting to brighten somebody’s day. ✨

And if the notifications ever become one juggling ball too many, just let me know and I’ll happily remove you from the list. No guilt. No drama. Just a graceful catch and release. Though I will miss you in the audience. 🎯🎪
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PART 1) THE BEGINNINGS
DON’T LIVE IN THE FUTURE OR THE PAST —
MAKE THE MOST OF THE MOMENT YOU’RE HOLDING RIGHT NOW!

The last blog, #379, arrived a little early because I was in the middle of moving to a new home. That extra time between blogs has given me a few more days to reflect, think, and write for you. I live here now >> https://www.legacypreservetampa.com/
     
Truth be told, one of my greatest joys right now is sitting down and putting these words together. Writing allows me to share ideas, tell stories, and stay connected with people like you. Thank you for taking the time to read what I created. These thoughts bring you a smile, a new perspective, or a little spark of inspiration along the way.
   
At 5 a.m., while much of the world was still rubbing sleep from its eyes, another brand-new juggler was born. 🎪 On staff here at NeuroRestorative (NR), Joanna learned quickly and seemed genuinely surprised by her own abilities. Watching that spark appear in someone’s face never gets old. It made her happy, and somehow that happiness bounced right back into me like a well-thrown ball returning to the hand.
   
By now, I have taught at least 50 people at NR how to juggle, and that feels wonderful. Think about that for a moment — 50 people who once believed, “I could never do that,” suddenly discovering they could. Juggling is sneaky that way. It teaches far more than tossing objects through the air. It teaches patience, courage, laughter, and the simple truth that dropping the ball is part of learning, not proof of failure. 😄
 
Now everything is packed, even at this early hour, and I am ready for the next chapter. Later today, Jasmine and April will arrive, and together we will make the two-hour drive to my new home. I can feel the wheels of change already turning. And I plan to change right along with them.
     
One thing is certain: I need to get myself back into better shape — stronger, healthier, more alive. This move is not just about a new place to live; it is about building a stronger future. A better Kit is stepping forward now, one choice, one step, and maybe one juggling club at a time. ✨
       
Another one has been welcomed into the wonderful world of flying objects, quick reflexes, and triumphant smiles! 🎪✨

This morning, the new Head of Nursing, Lisa Kloc, became my newest juggling student. Within minutes, she was keeping three objects dancing through the air and discovering what so many others have learned before her: juggling is equal parts skill, persistence, and fun. Watching someone catch that first taste of success never gets old. Another juggler joins the ranks! 🤹‍♂️🌟
LISA LEARNED!
Lisa is still fairly new here herself. Because my departure arrived so quickly, we never really had the opportunity to get to know each other very well before now. Life has funny timing sometimes. Just as one chapter is closing, along comes a small, unexpected moment that makes the ending feel a little brighter.
     
There we were, tossing scarves and learning the rhythm that every juggler eventually discovers — not perfection, but recovery. Juggling is not about never dropping; it is about learning to catch, adjust, laugh, and continue.

Lisa picked it up quickly, and before long, there was that familiar spark in the air: the joy people feel when they realize they can do something they first believed was impossible. I have taught so many people here to juggle during my stay. Patients, staff members, visitors — one by one, the little circle kept growing. Every person who learns seems to carry away more than a trick.
    I WILL MISS PEOPLE AT NEARORESTORIVE
They leave with a smile, a little confidence, and a reminder that the brain can still learn, adapt, and surprise us at any age. Teaching juggling has helped me as much as anyone else. Each lesson gave me purpose, connection, and another reason to keep tossing my own dreams back into the air.
============================
PART 2) THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK
Kit’s Daily Delights — Inspiration, Freshly Served
         
>>>>>May 28
And now, as I prepare to leave this place behind and step into my next great adventure, it feels wonderfully fitting that one more person joined the juggling club before I rolled out the door. One last set of smiles, one more new skill learned, and one more reminder that wherever I go, I leave a few flying balls—and a little joy—behind. 🎪✨
   
There is something beautiful about that to me. In a place filled with challenges, routines, frustrations, and long days, a few flying objects spinning through the air managed to create smiles, laughter, and little sparks of belief.
    ONE MORE
One more person discovered they could do something they once believed was impossible. One more person learned that dropping is not failure—it is simply part of the process. Every dropped ball is a lesson, every catch a victory, and every attempt a reminder that growth lives just beyond the edge of what we think we can do.
     
In that moment, juggling became more than a skill. It became a lesson in life itself: you do not succeed by never dropping. You succeed by picking it up, trying again, and finding your rhythm. The secret is not perfection—it is persistence. Keep reaching, keep learning, and sooner or later, what once seemed impossible becomes part of who you are. 🎪✨
      IMPOSIBLE?
That may sound small to some people, but it is not small at all. Sometimes the greatest thing we leave behind is not money, fame, or even accomplishments. Sometimes it is confidence planted inside another human being. Sometimes it is joy. Sometimes it is simply helping someone feel alive again for a few moments.
   
So as I pack my things and head toward whatever comes next, I leave knowing a few more balls and scarves are flying through the air because I was here. And honestly? That makes me smile all the way down to my juggling soul. 😄

KIT, JASMINE, WILLOW, APRIL, PENELOPE

All my things were packed, and there I sat, waiting for my daughters, Jasmine and April, to arrive. A knock came at the door, and when I opened it, my heart instantly filled with joy. There they were—but not just the two of them. The whole little family had shown up! It was a family reunion!
    KATH (WILLOW), TOO!
Jasmine and April stood there smiling, my beautiful granddaughter Penelope was with them, and, to my complete surprise, my sister Kath—who has always gone by her middle name, Willow—was standing there too.
   
What a wonderful surprise. In that moment, the boxes, the move, and all the stress of change faded into the background. All I could see were the people I love. Throughout my life, my sister, Willow, has done so much to enrich and support me.
   
Life has taken me on some wild journeys, through triumphs and tragedies, across thousands of miles and countless adventures. Yet moments like this remind me what truly matters. Family. The people who show up. The people who care. The people who stand beside you as one chapter closes and another begins.
   
>>>>>May 29
This morning, a nurse stopped by with the usual handful of medications for me to take. I’ve never been much of a fan of medication. I understand that many of these pills serve an important purpose, but I still find it strange to start the day by swallowing what feels like a small chemistry set. Given the choice, I’d much rather rely on fresh air, exercise, good food, and a positive attitude. Still, I’m grateful for the medical advances that help keep people healthy and moving forward, so down the hatch they went. 💊😄
      DRUGS?
I understand that as the years add up, some medicines may become necessary, but I would still like to sit down with the doctor here and see if we can reduce the number I take. If there is a healthy way to simplify things, I am all for it. I know that your diet is also a big factor in your health as you age.
    FAMILY!
As I looked around at the smiling faces of my family, gratitude washed over me. Surrounded by my daughters, Jasmine and April, my granddaughter Penelope, and my sister Willow, I was reminded of something important: wherever life takes me, I never travel alone. Love was standing right there in that doorway, making the beginning of this new adventure even more meaningful. ❤️✨
  TALKIN’ TACOS
Later, we enjoyed a special dinner at https://talkintacos.net/. The restaurant has locations across Florida, Georgia, Washington, D.C., New York, North Carolina, and Texas, and it is growing quickly. The menu blends Mexican and Cuban flavors, and I ordered the chicken tacos. They were, without question, the best chicken tacos I have ever eaten. If they handed out Olympic medals for tacos, they would be standing on the podium.
 
That afternoon, we headed to Lettuce Lake Conservation Park, and what a wonderful destination it turned out to be. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, peaceful waterways, and the sights and sounds of nature, it was the perfect place to spend an afternoon. Everyone seemed to enjoy exploring the park, taking in the fresh air, and simply appreciating the beauty around them. It was one of those outings that leaves you smiling long after it’s over—a truly delightful experience for all. 🌳☀️🦅

There were hugs, smiles, and plenty of catching up. It felt wonderful to spend time together in person rather than over the phone or through messages. Jasmine, April, and Willow are staying nearby at an Airbnb, and I am deeply grateful they came all this way to help me settle into my new home.
      MY NEW HOME
That new home is Legacy Preserve Tampa >>
https://www.legacypreservetampa.com/,
 
And so far, I am very impressed. I slept well my first night, always a good sign. They provide all meals and will even deliver them directly to my room. This morning’s breakfast included a bowl of fresh fruit, sausage, and waffles. Not a bad way to begin a new chapter.
   
One thing I have noticed is that many of the residents here are simply waiting for the end of the story. That makes me a little sad. I do not see myself fitting into that mindset. I plan to keep learning, growing, writing, exercising, juggling, laughing, and living — until at least age 100. My goal remains the same: to live well past 100. Many people accept aging as a slow surrender. I prefer to think of it as another challenge to juggle.
    WITH FAMILY
Yesterday, the girls and my sister checked into a local Airbnb,
which sparked two questions in my curious little brain:
Why is it called Airbnb?
And why is Lettuce Lake Park called Lettuce Lake Park?
I needed answers.
     
The Airbnb story is clever. Back in 2007, the founders, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, were struggling to pay rent in San Francisco. When a large conference filled all the local hotels, they set up a few air mattresses on the living room floor and offered breakfast to guests. They created a website called AirBedandBreakfast.com. As the business grew beyond air mattresses and expanded into homes and apartments, they shortened the name to the much catchier Airbnb.
     
And what about Lettuce Lake Park? No giant salads grow there. The park gets its name from water lettuce, lilies, and other floating plants that once covered large portions of the wetlands and the Hillsborough River. The leaves resemble lettuce heads floating on the water, giving the park its unique name.
     
Before heading to the park, we picked up enough food to feed a small army. We discovered a wonderful local place called Fersh Flame–https://www.facebook.com/Fershflame2025/– and loaded up for our picnic adventure. Between the beautiful park, the delicious food, and the company of people I love, it turned into one of those days that remind you how rich life can be.

• A new chapter.
• A new home.
• Great food.
• Laughter.
• Family.
• Love.
• What a wonderful day. 
• What a wonderful life. 

>>>>May 30
A surprise greeted me this morning in Legacy. At 8:15, there was a knock on the door, and breakfast arrived right at my apartment. That was thoughtful, but I let her know that in the future, I would rather mosey on down to the cafeteria myself. A little walk, a little movement, and a chance to see people along the way sounds much better to me than staying tucked away indoors.
    THEY HELP A LOT HERE
A little later, two friendly staff members stopped by to see if I had any laundry that needed washing. I told them I had just cleaned my clothes, so everything was in good shape. They explained that they come around every few days to help residents stay up to date. I appreciated the service, though I couldn’t help but smile.  There is not much around here that gets me particularly dirty. Then again, I hope I am not  carrying around any mysterious human odor that I have become too polite to notice! 😄

   HERE IS KIT AND HIS WONDERFUL GRANDAUGHTER, PENELOPE

Not long after that, another helpful person arrived to teach me how to use the television system. Fortunately, Jasmine had already worked her magic and set everything up before she left. Still, I learned something useful: I only need to use one of the two remote-control devices sitting beside the TV. That is good news.
     
The fewer buttons I have to remember, the better. Technology and I occasionally have a friendly disagreement about who is in charge. I like things that are simple, straightforward, and easy to use. Give me one button that works, and I am a happy camper. Give me five remotes, three menus, and a password I created yesterday, and suddenly I find myself in a wrestling match with modern civilization.
     
There was a time when I could keep, what seemed like, dozens of juggling clubs flying through the air at once, but somehow a television remote with forty-seven buttons can still leave me scratching my head. Technology keeps adding new features, while I keep asking, “Yes, but does it really need to do all that?”
   
Fortunately, I have learned that patience helps. If I push enough buttons, ask enough questions, and occasionally recruit a younger person (Jasmine and April) for technical support, most gadgets eventually surrender and cooperate. Until then, technology and I continue our ongoing negotiation, each of us convinced we know best. 😄📺🔧
      A FULL MORNING
So far, my first full morning here has been filled with friendly faces, helping hands, and little discoveries around every corner. Every new place has its own rhythm, its own personality, and its own way of doing things. Little by little, I am learning the steps to this new dance and finding my place in the music of it all.
     
A surprise arrived at lunchtime when I headed downstairs for my first real meal. The dining room is surprisingly elegant—more like a nice restaurant than what I expected. Real silverware, cloth napkins, comfortable chairs, and a welcoming atmosphere make the experience feel special.
      TIME FOR LUNCH
Today I ordered a toasted ham and cheese sandwich, and it was quite tasty. Lately, my appetite has not been what it once was, so I was pleased to enjoy the meal. I suspect that as I become more active, my hunger may return.
 
There is a weight room here, and I need to start putting it to good use. Exercise has always helped me feel stronger, both physically and mentally. At the moment, I have not seen many others using it, so that I may have the place entirely to myself.
    TEN-FOOT CEILINGS
Another thing I noticed is that the ceilings here must be at least ten feet high. The moment I looked up, I could not help but smile. Years ago, when I was at the top of my juggling game, this would have felt like a dream practice hall. High ceilings meant freedom—freedom to send clubs spinning toward the sky, to experiment with bigger tricks, and to push the limits of what seemed possible.
     
Of course, those days are behind me now. Time has a way of changing all of us. The body may not respond quite as quickly, and the clubs may not fly quite as high, but the spirit that loved the challenge is still very much alive. I will be tossing a few things around in here soon enough, partly for exercise and partly because juggling has always felt like an old friend dropping by for a visit.
      THE OLD DAYS
It will never be quite like the old days, and that is perfectly all right. Life was never meant to stand still or be replayed like an old movie. The past gave us wonderful memories, valuable lessons, and moments worth cherishing.
   
I can look back with gratitude at the adventures, accomplishments, and people who helped shape my journey. Those memories will always have a special place in my heart, but they were never meant to become a place where I permanently live.
   
After all, life is not found in yesterday—it is found in what we choose to do with today.
   
The real adventure is learning how to embrace the present. Instead of trying to recreate what once was, we can discover new ways to find joy, purpose, and excitement right where we are.
     
The stage may look different, the props may have changed, and the pace may be slower, but there is still plenty of life left to live, laughter left to share, and new memories waiting to be made. Every day offers another opportunity to grow, to connect, and to find happiness in ways we may never have imagined before. ❤️
And sometimes those new joys are not entirely new at all.
  They are familiar passions returning in different forms.
   
I may not be the fellow launching seven clubs toward the ceiling anymore, but I can still enjoy the rhythm of a good throw, the satisfaction of a clean catch, and the smile that comes from keeping a few objects dancing in the air. Besides, as long as something is flying, a little piece of the old juggler is still up there with it. 🎪😊
   
Of course, life is about more than grand adventures and flying juggling clubs. Often, it is the simple, everyday moments—a friendly smile, a comfortable chair, a familiar routine, or a pleasant conversation—that slowly transform a new place into something that feels like home. Those small comforts may not make headlines, but they often bring the greatest sense of peace and belonging. ❤️
   
Meals are included with living here, and there are daily specials along with regular menu choices. That is a nice touch. The staff seems eager to help, and everyone I have met so far has been friendly and welcoming. Each day, this new chapter feels a little less unfamiliar and a little more like a place where I can settle in, make new friends, and continue enjoying the journey ahead.
      BEING HERE MAKES ME FEEL OLD
I am still getting to know the residents here. Many make their way through the halls with canes, walkers, and slower steps than I remember from my younger days. Seeing that is a gentle reminder that I am no spring chicken myself. Yet in my mind, I am still the fellow tossing juggling clubs high into the air, chasing new adventures, and looking forward to whatever comes next.
     
Age may leave its fingerprints on us, but it need not steal our curiosity, our sense of humor, or our desire to keep growing. The years may change how fast we move, but they do not have to change how fully we live. I have already met many friendly people, and with each conversation, I learn a little more about the unique stories that brought them here.
      ROCKY (WHERE’S BULLWINKLE?)
There is an excellent TV setup in my apartment as well. At the moment, I am watching Rocky, a movie I first saw many years ago. Watching it again reminds me why it became such a classic. It is not really a story about boxing—it is a story about determination, heart, and refusing to quit when life knocks you down. Those are lessons that seem just as valuable today as they were the first time I watched them.
   
Thinking about my past brings me back to the year I spent at NeuroRestorative.com. It was a chapter of my life filled with challenges, lessons, and more than a few frustrations. When I look back on that time, I often remember the limitations placed upon me and the constant effort it took to fight for the freedom and opportunities I wanted.
    NEURO
To be fair, there were staff members who genuinely cared about me and did their best to help. I met some kind people there, and I am grateful for their efforts. Yet despite their good intentions, I often felt that I was not receiving the level of support I truly needed to move forward. Too often, I found myself pushing against restrictions rather than being encouraged to spread my wings.
     
Perhaps that is one reason I appreciate where I am today. Difficult experiences have a way of teaching us what we value most. That year reminded me how important freedom, independence, and purpose are to me. It strengthened my determination to keep growing, keep improving, and keep reaching for the life I want to live.
   
During my time there, I want to make a positive difference in the lives of others living with brain injuries. Whenever I saw an opportunity to help, I shared ideas, offered suggestions, and spoke up when I believed something could be improved.
     
I may not have been able to change everything, but I always tried to leave things a little better than I found them. I learned that even small improvements can make a meaningful difference in someone’s daily life.
      HAVE I CHANGED YOU?
A kind word, a helpful suggestion, or a simple act of encouragement may seem minor in the moment, but those little things often add up to something much larger. If I helped make one person’s day easier, brighter, or more hopeful, then my efforts would be worthwhile.
   
If even one person received better care, found more encouragement, or discovered new possibilities because of something I said or did, then my time there was worthwhile. Knowing that I may have helped someone move forward gives me a sense of purpose and satisfaction.
   
One of the greatest gifts we can leave behind is making another person’s journey a little easier. We may never fully know the impact we have on others, but I like to believe that some of the kindness, support, and hope I shared will continue long after I am gone. ❤️
     
Whether those efforts changed policies, improved daily life, or simply brought a smile to someone’s face, I hope they helped. If even one person received better care, found a little more hope, or discovered a new possibility because of something I said or did, then my time there was worthwhile.
      JOY!
I also found joy in teaching others to juggle. More than fifty people learned while I was at NR, and with every new juggler came a reminder that people are capable of more than they often believe. Perhaps that was my greatest contribution—not just teaching a skill, but helping people see their own potential.
   
Dinner tonight was pasta with a rich meat sauce, and I have to admit, it was quite tasty. As I sat in the dining room enjoying my meal, I looked around and noticed something impossible to miss—walkers, wheelchairs, and slow, careful steps everywhere. Most everyone used something.
     
For a moment, I felt like a young boy surrounded by people much older than myself. Even though I know I am no youngster anymore, part of me still sees the fellow who was tossing juggling clubs high into the air, riding unicycles, and chasing the next adventure. Because of that, there are moments when I wonder if I truly belong here.
      A YOUNG PUP
While I was eating, I overheard one resident say to another, “She’s been here for more than a year.” The other woman sounded surprised. So was I. A year? I cannot imagine spending that much time in one place like this. My mind immediately drifted to all the things I still want to do, all the places I want to go, and all the adventures I hope are still waiting for me. Back to New Zealand? Wanna go?
         
Then again, perhaps everyone here once felt the same way. Maybe they, too, had dreams, plans, and busy lives before finding themselves in this chapter. It is a reminder that life can change in ways we never expect.
     
Still, I am determined not to spend my days simply watching life pass by. There are books to write, clubs to juggle, muscles to strengthen, people to meet, and smiles to share. Whatever chapter this may be, I have no intention of making it the final story. ❤️✨
     
>>>>>May 31
Breakfast was my leftover tacos, and they were absolutely delicious. I could have wandered down to the dining room for the official breakfast, but sometimes priorities matter. The cafeteria would still be there tomorrow; those tacos were calling my name today. I am happy to report that the tacos won. 🌮😄
      TACO TIME
Just returned from lunch. They offer a menu with daily specials along with a selection of regular favorites. Today, I chose the hamburger. It arrived as a simple burger on a bun, and I had to ask for tomato, lettuce, ketchup, and mustard separately. They happily brought them over, but overall, it was not exactly a memorable meal. Let’s say I have had burgers that inspired standing ovations, and this one barely earned polite applause. 🍔
    AN OLD FOLKS HOME?
One thing I have noticed since arriving is that most residents use walkers, canes, wheelchairs, or other assistive devices to get around. Many appear older than I am, and at times it feels like I have wandered into a chapter of life I never imagined would become part of my own story. An assisted living community was never on my list of destinations. Am I living in an old-folks home?
     
Yet here I am. Life does not always ask for our approval before turning the page. I can spend my time wishing things were different, or I can make the best of where I am and what I have. If life has taught me anything, it is that happiness is rarely found by looking backward. It is found by taking the circumstances in front of us and finding ways to grow, contribute, laugh, and keep moving forward. That is exactly what I intend to do.

WRITING THIS BLOG FOR YOU
Writing this blog is something I genuinely enjoy. It gives me a chance to think, learn, share ideas, and encourage others along the way. I enjoy the challenge of finding just the right word—the one that paints the clearest picture, sparks a new thought, or touches a heart. Words matter. They have the power to teach, inspire, comfort, and motivate. That is why I take time with them, and I suspect you do the same.
 
In your own life, seek out the things you genuinely love to do—not because someone expects it of you, not because it pays well, and not because it earns applause from others, but because it brings a smile to your heart.
    CURIOSITY
Pay attention to the activities that ignite your curiosity, energize your spirit, and make time seem to disappear. Those moments are rarely accidents—they are often life’s gentle signposts, pointing you toward a richer, more meaningful, and deeply fulfilling path. 🌟
     
When you build your life around what truly brings you joy, something remarkable happens. You wake up with more enthusiasm, face challenges with greater determination, and find deeper satisfaction in each day.
   
Success may still come, but it arrives as a welcome companion rather than the destination itself. Follow what lights you up inside, and you may discover that the happiest life is not the one that impresses others—it is the one that feels right to you. 🌟
      BUILD
Then build more of your life around those things. Create a life that you would choose for yourself rather than one that happens to you. If you can find a way to help other people while doing what you enjoy, that is even better. Purpose and happiness often travel together.
     
So, what is your thing? Painting? Juggling? Gardening? Writing? Teaching? Volunteering? Learning? Whatever it is, could you make time for it? Life becomes richer when you spend more time doing what lights you up inside. And one more question: Have you started your blog yet? 😊
      WHAT’S YOUR CHOICE?
I’m saying this: You must love what you do in life. Not every day will be easy, and not every moment will bring a smile. I’ve experienced soaring highs and crushing lows, moments of great joy and seasons of deep struggle. Through it all, I have tried to stay true to myself and choose the path that felt right for me.
     
Life is too precious to spend your days chasing someone else’s dreams. Discover what sparks your curiosity, fuels your spirit, and gives your life meaning. Find the things that make you excited to get out of bed each morning and eager to embrace the day ahead. Follow those passions with courage and determination. When you build your life around what truly matters to you, success becomes more than an achievement—it becomes a life well lived.
 
There will be obstacles, detours, and a few potholes big enough to swallow a unicycle, but when you love what you do, the journey becomes worthwhile. Do what is right for you, and let your life reflect your own passions, values, and dreams. ❤️✨
      CHASE YOUR DREAMS
There was a Bingo game going on downstairs. One person called out the numbers while seven residents followed along, hoping for that lucky combination. The room was filled with quiet concentration, occasional laughter, and the excitement of hearing the next number called. Not for me, though.
   
Today I had a visitor. Chris from maintenance stopped by to install a shelf in my closet, and he made quick work of it. The shelf was up in no time. Of course, once the job was done, I spotted another potential student. Before long, Chris was getting a lesson in the fine art of keeping three objects moving through the air at once—otherwise known as juggling. 🎪
      CHRIS CAN JUGGLE!
Chris picked it up surprisingly fast. Within minutes, he was making catches, building confidence, and discovering that juggling is not nearly as impossible as it first appears. His smile grew with every successful throw and catch. I always enjoy watching that moment when someone realizes they can do something they never thought they could. Chris left with a new shelf installed and a brand-new skill to show off. I’d call that a productive visit! 😄
   
I can’t see myself ever becoming a Bingo player, but I am glad it is available for those who enjoy it. Not every activity is meant for every person, and that is perfectly fine. What matters is that people have opportunities to gather, have fun, and share a little companionship. If Bingo brings a few smiles, sparks a few conversations, and gives people something to look forward to, then it is doing exactly what it is supposed to do. 😊
     
>>>>>June 1
Very quiet, very comfortable—my second night here, and I slept wonderfully. Something is refreshing about settling into a new place, especially when it feels peaceful and welcoming. After all the packing, moving, and changes of the past few days, a good night’s sleep felt like a gift.
      FRESH AND NEW
Everything around me is new and fresh, and I find myself enjoying that. New surroundings have a way of waking up our curiosity. Each hallway, each face, and each routine is another small discovery waiting to happen. Instead of looking backward, I am finding myself looking ahead, wondering what opportunities, friendships, and adventures this next chapter might bring.
     
Change can feel uncomfortable at times, but it can also be the doorway to something wonderful. I am choosing to focus on the possibilities rather than the uncertainties. My room is comfortable, the atmosphere is peaceful, and little by little, this new place is beginning to feel like home. Considering that this is only my second night here, that is a very encouraging start. 🌟
     
This morning, I headed downstairs for breakfast. I originally went down to take care of something else, but since I was already there, I decided to stay for the meal. Several people were seated and waiting, and it took at least 30 minutes for the food to arrive.
      KIT DANCING?
As I looked around the room, many people seemed lost in their own thoughts, quietly staring at the table or off into the distance. Soft music played in the background, and I had the sudden urge to jump up and dance.
   
Unfortunately, I suspect I would have been performing a one-person show, as no one else seemed eager to join my breakfast ballroom adventure. The music was playing, my feet were ready, but the audience appeared content to remain seated. 💃🕺
   
By lunchtime, any thoughts of dancing had been happily replaced by thoughts of food. The meal featured tender lobster ravioli and perfectly crispy fried chicken, a combination that was every bit as delicious as it sounds. It was one of those meals that makes you slow down, savor each bite, and appreciate the simple pleasure of good food shared on a pleasant day. 🍽️😊
      LOBSTER–YUMMY GOOD
Both were excellent, but the true star of the show was the carrot cake that followed. It may have been one of the finest pieces of carrot cake ever to make the journey through my esophagus. I am happy to report that the dining experience here has been far better than I expected.

YES, THAT’S KIT! 👆👆👆👆👆
   
So far, this new chapter is off to a promising start. The surroundings are pleasant, the people are kind, and the meals are excellent. There is still much to learn and many faces to get to know, but each day brings a few more reasons to smile.
   
For now, I am settling in, keeping an open mind,
and looking forward to discovering what adventures
await around the next corner. 😊✨
Now I have all afternoon to do what? Care to join me?
     
After all, I’ve been working hard. Moving into a new place, meeting new people, learning new routines, and figuring out where everything is takes more energy than most people realize. Even adventurers need a pit stop now and then.
NAP TIME?
So here I am, stretched out for a few quiet moments, enjoying the comfort of a soft bed and the luxury of doing absolutely nothing. No juggling clubs flying through the air. No speeches to give. No mountains to climb. No salsa to make. Just a peaceful pause.
     
Resting turned out not to be a waste of time at all. I’ve come to realize that sometimes the most productive thing you can do is recharge your batteries. Even race cars spend time in the pit before roaring back onto the track.
   
We often feel guilty for slowing down, but rest isn’t the opposite of progress—it’s part of the process. A well-timed pause can provide the energy, focus, and strength needed to move forward faster and farther than before. 🏁✨
   
Don’t worry—I won’t be here long. There are stories to write, people to meet, and adventures still waiting around the corner. But for these few minutes, I am giving myself permission to relax, smile, and enjoy the quiet simply. Just remember… if anyone asks, you didn’t see me here. 😉
     
>>>>>June 2
Down to the cafeteria for breakfast this morning. The bagel and banana hit the spot, and I enjoyed the simple start to the day. Seating was limited, so I was pleased when Deloris rolled over and joined me.  What a nice surprise.
      BREAKFAST
Deloris will be turning 100 years old soon, which is quite remarkable. We spent some time talking and sharing stories, and I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation. Sometimes the best part of a meal isn’t the food—it’s the company. I am very glad Deloris chose to sit with me.  😀
LUNCH
At the lunch table to my left sat an older gentleman wearing both suspenders and a belt. That combination has always made me smile. It seems like a fellow who is taking absolutely no chances with gravity. Apparently, one system to hold up his pants wasn’t enough—he brought in a backup plan, too. I suppose when you’ve lived long enough, you learn that redundancy can be a beautiful thing! 😄
     
I am still getting used to living here. It feels strange having someone come in once a week to clean my humble abode, much like they did at NR. As you know, I take pride in keeping my place in excellent condition, so there is rarely much for them to do. Still, I appreciate the help and am slowly settling into this new chapter of life. 🌟
   
At 3:00, they held a Happy Hour. At first, it seemed more like a Mildly Content Half-Hour. But after my third glass of sangria, the happiness level improved dramatically. Whether the room changed or I did remains a mystery.  And, here’s to you — clink 👈🍷😄
   
The entertainment was a singer performing classics made famous by Joey Matus and Frank Sinatra—music from an era many of the residents know and love. He had a strong voice and did an excellent job, and the crowd clearly enjoyed the performance.
    SINATRA

It was amusing to watch. Some people looked as if they wanted to sing along, others seemed tempted to dance, but most simply sat and listened, tapping a foot or swaying gently in their chairs. It may not have turned into a wild celebration, but for an hour or so, the music brought smiles, memories, and a little extra life to the afternoon. 🎶✨
     
It reminded me of the days when I traveled around giving motivational talks to groups—Kiwanis clubs, community organizations, and even nursing homes. Back then, I would stand at the front of the room, encouraging people to embrace life’s challenges. Now, in one of life’s little plot twists, I find myself living in a place much like those very homes. YIKES! Life certainly has a sense of humor. 😄
      DINNER
I wanted to return to my room to work on this for you, so here I am. Dinner was a delicate pasta dish that tasted excellent. Most of the tables were full, but I found an empty one and gravitated toward it. You might ask, why don’t you meet people? I am there to eat, not to converse.
     
I bought a new keyboard on Amazon. I plug directly into the USB port on my laptop.  So now I can see the laptop keyboard right in front of me, which is on a shelf. I keep the screen at eye level. I’ve had to learn a new way to type. Hard at first, but already getting easier.
   
The time is only 6:30, and I’m already thinking about lying down for a while. Then again, when your day begins at 3:00 a.m., it feels as though you’ve been awake long enough to fit two days into one.
 
There is something strange about being up while most of the world is still asleep. By the time many people are rolling out of bed, pouring their first cup of coffee, and deciding what to do with their day, I’ve already been awake for hours. I’ve watched the darkness give way to dawn, listened to the quiet sounds of the building, and had plenty of time to think about life.
   
Of course, those extra hours aren’t always a blessing. Sometimes they make the day feel as if it has been stretched like a rubber band. By late afternoon, my energy starts waving a little white flag, and the idea of a comfortable bed begins sounding more appealing than almost anything else.
   
Still, I’ve learned not to fight it too much. Our bodies have their own schedules, and mine seems determined to give me a head start on each day. If that means sneaking in a short nap now and then, I suppose there are worse problems to have. After all, even race cars make occasional pit stops before heading back onto the track.
   
So, if you happen to catch me dozing off in a chair this evening, don’t assume I’m getting lazy. Just remember: I’ve already been hard at work living this day since 3:00 this morning. By comparison, everyone else is simply running a little behind. 😄🌅  😄
   
So here I am, caught between staying awake and surrendering to the pillow. What to do, what to do? If I lie down, I might drift off and wake up wondering what year it is. If I stay up, I may spend the evening perfecting my impression of a sleepy owl.
   
Perhaps the answer is somewhere in the middle—a comfortable chair, a good book, a little writing, or simply watching the world go by. After all, no rule says every moment must be productive. Some moments are meant for resting, recharging, and preparing for tomorrow’s adventures.
     
Still, if you see me snoring in a recliner before sunset, please remember: the day technically started at 3:00 a.m. for me. I’ve already put in a full shift! 🌟😴
 
>>>>>June 3
Breakfast was the usual: a bagel with cream cheese. Perfectly acceptable, though not exactly the kind of meal that would inspire a food critic to leap from their chair, wave a napkin in the air, and declare it a culinary masterpiece. 🥯😄
     
Lunch—now we’re talking! The blackened shrimp served over rice was excellent. Flavorful, satisfying, and cooked just right. I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meals here. Each one feels a little more like dining at a nice restaurant than eating in a cafeteria, and that has been a very welcome surprise.
   
I’m beginning to find friends here, which makes this new chapter feel a little more like home each day. At lunch, I sat with Lynn Ash, who everyone calls “Lash.” We had a great conversation and quickly found plenty to talk about. It is always nice to meet someone who has lived an interesting life and is willing to share a few stories.
   
Lash worked with gorillas at Busch Gardens near Tampa, which immediately caught my attention. Not many people can say they spent their days working around some of the most powerful and intelligent animals on the planet (hmm, where do humans fit in?) I enjoyed hearing about his experiences and the unique challenges of caring for such remarkable creatures. I suspect he has enough stories to fill a book.
 
He has been living here at Legacy for a couple of years now and has nothing but positive things to say about the place. That was encouraging to hear from someone who knows it well. As a newcomer, I am still learning the ropes, finding my way around, and figuring out where I fit in. Hearing his enthusiasm gave me confidence that this could be a very good home for me.
   
One of the nicest surprises about moving here has been discovering the people. Every person has a story, a lifetime of adventures, successes, struggles, and lessons learned. The more I talk with residents, the more I realize fascinating lives surround me. Today’s lunch wasn’t just about the food—it was about making a new connection. And in a new place, friendships can be just as nourishing as the meal itself. C  😊
>>>>>June 4
I had a difficult night’s sleep. I turned in early, around 9:00 p.m., mostly because my internal alarm clock seems permanently set to 3:00 a.m. Lately, that has become my normal routine. But on this particular night, sleep had other plans for me.
   
Just when I thought I was settling in for a long, peaceful rest, the night decided to throw a few surprises my way. Instead of drifting comfortably until morning, I found myself awake and restless, wondering if sleep had quietly packed its bags and moved somewhere else.
   
At about 10:30, I suddenly woke up feeling like I had been transported to the surface of the sun. The room was unbelievably hot—probably not quite 90 degrees, but it certainly felt that way. I thought I had set the thermostat correctly before going to bed, yet there I was, lying in a sauna and wondering what to do next.
      EMERGENCY!
Just above my bed hangs an emergency pull cord. It felt a little strange using it for something other than a major crisis, but sleep deprivation can feel like an emergency of its own. I tugged at the cord, and within a few minutes, a staff member arrived to investigate.
   
She quickly adjusted the temperature, and before long, the room was comfortable again. The cool air returned, my eyelids grew heavy, and sleep wrapped itself around me once more. Thankfully, the second attempt at bedtime went much better than the first. 😴
     
One thing they definitely do well here is the food. This morning I enjoyed two banana muffins and a large bowl of fresh fruit—both delicious and surprisingly healthy. The fruit was fresh, the muffins were moist, and it made for a wonderful start to the day.
      THE FOOD
What adds to the experience is the setting. Every meal is served in a restaurant-style dining room rather than a typical cafeteria. The atmosphere is pleasant, comfortable, and inviting, making me feel more like a guest dining out than someone simply eating a meal.
     
There was even a waitress who sang while she worked, and she was terrific. Her voice filled the room with warmth and energy, bringing smiles to faces all around. It’s one of those small but meaningful touches that make this place feel less like a facility and more like a home—a place where people genuinely care about creating a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere. 🍌🍓😊
Dinner was quite good. The main course was tortellini covered in a flavorful pasta sauce, rich and satisfying without being too heavy. To top it off, there was a bowl filled with assorted treats and a generous scoop of cookies-and-cream ice cream. It was the perfect sweet finish to an already delicious meal. By the time I set down my spoon, both my appetite and my sweet tooth were happily convinced that dinner had been a success. 🍨😋
   
>>>>>June 5
A quiet breakfast with the group.
This has become a common routine for many here.
I see the same people doing the same things.
   
Not much is going on today.
I do like it here.
Until next week–DO GREAT THINGS~
===============================
BLOG 380–WHY CARE?
Why care? I have asked myself that question many times, especially after life knocked me down hard. I have stood before cheering crowds juggling clubs high in the air, and I have also lain in a coma, fighting to learn how to walk and speak again.
     
Life has tested me more than once. There were moments when surrender would have been the easier choice, when the weight of it all seemed almost too much to carry. Yet each time life knocked me down, I found a way to rise again—sometimes stronger, sometimes wiser, but always moving forward. The scars may tell the story of the battles, but getting back up is what tells the story of who I am. 💪✨
    WISER
Caring is the ultimate anchor of the human experience. It is the simple, radical choice to look beyond oneself and acknowledge the dignity, struggles, and potential of others. Caring bridges the gap between isolation and community, turning empathy into the very heartbeat of connection.
     
I learned the answer from juggling. Every juggler knows the secret: juggling is really controlled by falling. The objects are always dropping; we simply learn to catch them before they hit the ground. Life works the same way. Dreams fall apart. Plans fail. Hearts break. We all drop things along the way. I dropped clubs, dreams, and pieces of myself. Yet every drop carried the same lesson: pick it up and throw it again.
 
People spend too much time worrying about what others think. The real question is not, “What will people think of me?” The real question is, “Will I fully live while I still have the chance?” Someday, the final curtain will come for all of us. Until then, I choose to laugh, dream, help where I can, and keep tossing the clubs into the sky with a
smile on my face.
      YOU–JUGGLING?
Over the years, I have taught hundreds of people to juggle, and I still love watching the moment when someone catches 3 scarves or balls for the first time. At first, they believe they cannot do it. Then comes the magic: drop, laugh, try again. Suddenly, joy lights up their faces. Moments like that remind me why I care.
   
Life is not about juggling perfectly. It is about picking things back up after they fall. Every morning, life quietly hands us three invisible balls: hope, purpose, and love. Will we drop them? Of course. We all do. But the beauty of life is found in rising again, smiling again, and beginning again.
That is courage. That is living.
     
Caring stems from our evolutionary need for tribal acceptance and societal conditioning. While it drives compassion, connection, and societal support, over-caring about everything can lead to emotional exhaustion, decision paralysis, and burnout. Go ahead, toss those balls.

SO DO NOT SIT BY THE WINDOW
STARING AT THE CLOCK?–STAND UP AND LIVE!
LIVE FOR NOW!   NOT YESTERDAY!    NOT TOMORROW!   NOW IS THE TIME!

===========================
PART 4) 🔥 A FEW SPARKS TO SLIP INTO YOUR POCKET
    ✨ THE MAGIC OF QUOTES ✨
Inspirational quotes are like mental spark plugs. 💥 They jolt the mind awake, shrink giant problems down to size, and give your spirit a running start. One powerful sentence can flip your thinking upside down—turning “I can’t” into “Why not give it a shot?” The right words at the right moment can become a tiny flashlight in a dark hallway. 🔦

But here’s where the real magic happens: repetition turns inspiration into identity. The more you repeat a truth, the more your mind begins to believe it… and eventually, your life begins to reflect it. A quote hanging on a wall is a decoration. A quote lived out through your actions? That becomes a transformation. 

Simple truth:
A quote on a page is nice…
A quote you live by?
That’s power. ✨
     
“Regardless of what challenge you are facing right now, know that it has not come to stay. It has come to pass. During these times, do what you can with what you have, and ask for help if needed. Most importantly, never surrender. Put things in perspective. Take care of yourself. Find ways to replenish your energy, strengthen your faith, and fortify yourself from the inside out.”
– Les Brown
     
“You must learn to change with the changes.”
– Kit Summers
     
“There are only four kinds of people in the world:
Those who have been caregivers.
Those who are currently caregivers.
Those who will be caregivers,
and those who will need a caregiver.”
– Rosalyn Carter
     
“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
– Lao Tzu
     
“They may forget what you said,
but they will never forget how you made them feel.
– Carl W. Buechner
     
Some days there won’t be a song in your heart. Sing anyway.”
–Emory Austin
   
“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems.
But it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.”
–Herm Albright
     
“God gave burdens, but he also gave me shoulders.”
–Yiddish Proverb
     
“If you can’t change your fate, change your attitude.”
–Amy Tan
     
“An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered.”
–G. K. Chesterton
     
“What happens to a person is less significant.
than what happens within him.”
–Louis L. Mann
===============
PART 6) NEXT WEEK>>BLOG 381–
How to Get Better (but what is  better?)
=============== 

🌟 PART 7) FINAL THOUGHTS 🌟
Because the best is always still ahead.
So juggle joy like it’s the air you breathe.
The horizon holds more than you can yet imagine.
Your present moment is not the finish line—it’s your starting block.
Chase sunsets as if they’re secret treasures waiting just for you.
Laugh so loudly that tomorrow leans in to listen.
Write me today—kitsummers@gmail.com
Live as though you’ve only just begun—
BECAUSE YOU TRULY HAVE!
🌟

✨KITTING AROUND✨
BLOG 379–​Don’t Just Count
The Days Until Your End

This Video will give you more insight into me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr8QFnD1yGc
This Blog is Best Read on a Laptop, Rather than Your Phone.
By KIT SUMMERS — World-Class Juggler to World-Class Comeback

To Learn More about Kit, Go Here >> https://kitsummers.com/about-kit/

Once upon a life, I made gravity nervous—
Headlining at Ballys, tossing clubs with a grin.
Seven of them. A world record—
Because physics loves a good insult. 😄
Then came the truck—the coma.
     
Thirty-seven silent days offstage.
And here I am now—not juggling clubs.
But throwing purpose, grit, and joy.
Balancing healing, catching courage.
Tossing hope sky-high. 🤹‍♂️


The mission grew bigger than applause.
Now I lift humans. I write to stay connected.
I write because it’s how I breathe.
If these words help you, too?
That’s magic catching air. 🎉
     
What’s next on Kit’s journey through life?
Back to juggling? Back to life?
Stay with Kit and find out.
Life can get better.
Life will get better. ✨

=============================

It might make things easier if I added a table of contents. That way, you could jump directly to the sections that interest you most—like having a remote control for the circus inside my brain. I’m still figuring out how to add page numbers properly.
     
Somewhere inside this machine, tiny digital gremlins seem to be hiding the instructions from me. But don’t worry—I’m tracking them down and expect to have everything organized by the next blog post. At least now you can see the order of things. Progress, my friends, sometimes moves forward wearing clown shoes… but it still moves forward. 🎪✨ 

PART 1) THE BEGINNINGS — PAGE 1
PART 2) THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK — PAGE
PART 3) BLOG 378 — BREAK THE SCRIPT — PAGE
PART 4) QUOTES — PAGE
PART 5) YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK — NEXT TO LAST PAGE
PART 6) NEXT WEEK’S BLOG — LAST PAGE
PART 7) FINAL THOUGHTS — LAST PAGE
=============================
Every week, I try to create the very best blog I can—something that makes you laugh a little harder, think a little deeper, and step back into life carrying more hope than you had before. A spark of joy. A little
wisdom. A reminder that life is still full of possibilities. ✨
     
Because I don’t simply arrange words on a page—I try to breathe life into them.
The drops and catches over the years?
Can you feel it in the writing?
The miles traveled?
The hard lessons?
The laughter?
I hope so. 🎭
     
And if you ever miss a blog notification—or simply feel like wandering through a colorful museum of past adventures—visit kitsummers.com and dive into the blog section. Every post is sitting there like a tiny lit match waiting to brighten somebody’s day. ✨

And if the notifications ever become one juggling ball too many, just let me know and I’ll happily remove you from the list. No guilt. No drama. Just a graceful catch and release. Though I will miss you in the audience. 🎯🎪
================ =================
PART 1) THE BEGINNINGS
DON’T LIVE IN THE FUTURE OR THE PAST —
MAKE THE MOST OF THE MOMENT YOU’RE HOLDING RIGHT NOW!

The key to a good life is to learn to “change with the changes.”
If you do this, you are ready for anything.
Are you living in misery, or merely visiting it?
YOU are the one to make your own life better.
   
With all these words pouring out of me, I was starting to think I might have a future as an author. Then reality tapped me on the shoulder and said, “Kit… you already are one!” 🎪📚 I smiled and then started typing again.
   
But am I merely an author… or an offer? I may come at a bargain price; together, we could create something extraordinary in this world. Great things happen when the right people join hands, and I believe there is incredible magic waiting to be built. ✨
    SLEEP
Sleep still seems to be keeping its distance from me. I found myself awake just before midnight, eyes open while the rest of the world was supposed to be drifting off into dreamland. I had that familiar feeling of being awake while everyone else seemed to have boarded the train to Sleepville without me. So instead of fighting it, I simply sat with the moment and listened.
   
As you know, this is a hospital, so the night never truly sleeps. The hallways have their own strange rhythm—soft footsteps passing by, doors opening and closing, distant voices floating through the quiet, and little machines carrying on their endless conversations of beeps and buzzes.
   
Even while most of the world is tucked beneath blankets, this place continues its own midnight dance, moving to a rhythm that never quite stops. 🌙✨
 
Staff move up and down the hallways at all hours, checking on things, opening doors, and tending to the needs that never seem to rest. While much of the world is curled up beneath blankets and dreams, this place, and I, continue our quiet midnight dance. Look at that, someone sweeping the hallways at this late (or early) hour.
    THE WALK
Life sometimes makes you wonder if we are all walking through a dream wearing shoes. Days appear, disappear, and quietly drift behind us like clouds floating across a summer sky. One moment you are a child running barefoot through grass with the whole world stretched endlessly ahead, and the next moment you look in the mirror and wonder how the years have taught you to sprint so quickly.
     
Faces come and go, seasons change costumes, and entire chapters of life seem to slip by as though someone turned pages while we were not looking. You blink, and somehow yesterday is already waving from a distance.
   
But if life is a dream, it is not one we are meant to sleep through. Perhaps we are here to become vivid dreamers with our eyes wide open—to laugh loudly, love deeply, chase impossible ideas, and dance a little even when no music is playing.
   
And here is something worth remembering: do not just count the days until your end… make the days count while you are here. 🌟 Too many people slowly drift through life waiting for tomorrow, waiting for permission, waiting for “someday” to arrive. Meanwhile, life is happening right now, in this breath, this smile, this sunrise, this conversation, this chance to begin again.
    WHY?
The purpose is not to ask whether life is real, but to ask whether we are truly awake inside it. Too often, we move through our days like travelers half-asleep, following routines and checking boxes while the deeper music of life quietly plays in the background. We become so busy moving that we forget to notice where we are standing.
   
We drift through so many moments on autopilot—rushing, worrying, and endlessly chasing tomorrow—while today stands nearby waving its arms and shouting, “Hey, I’m happening right now!” Life has a funny way of tapping us on the shoulder while we stare in the opposite direction, searching for something bigger.
   
Life’s greatest mystery is not whether we are dreaming, but whether we are paying enough attention to notice the wonder already surrounding us. Tiny miracles sneak into our days all the time: a warm smile from a stranger, laughter arriving at exactly the right moment, sunlight slipping through a window, or hope quietly showing up after we thought it had packed its bags and left.
   
Because if this is a dream, then what a magnificent one it is: sunsets splashed across the sky as if a painter got carried away, unexpected friendships arriving like surprise gifts, second chances opening doors we thought were locked forever, and hearts that somehow keep finding reasons to hope.
      DREAM
So dream boldly, my friend—but do it with your feet planted firmly on the ground and your soul stretching joyfully toward the stars. Keep your eyes lifted toward what could be, but let your hands stay busy with what can be done today and your juggling. Great dreams are not built from wishing alone; they are built from small steps, steady effort, and the courage to keep moving even when the road twists and dips unexpectedly.
   
Reach for impossible things. Chase ideas that make your heart beat a little faster, and your spirit sit up in excitement. After all, every towering tree was once a tiny seed, and every great adventure began with someone willing to take the first uncertain step.
     
Dream with wonder, laugh along the way, and never be afraid to aim high. The stars have always loved those brave enough to look up while still having the wisdom to keep their feet on the path beneath them. ✨✨ =============================
   
PART 2) THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK
Kit’s Daily Delights — Inspiration, Freshly Served ✨

Every week, I sit down to map the days ahead—and every time, it begins the same way: a blank canvas. No guarantees. No script. Just a possibility waiting for color.
   
It still amazes me—that quiet moment before life takes shape. A few choices. A few conversations. A few unexpected turns. Suddenly, the empty canvas becomes a story. And here’s the beautiful truth: you’ve been handed that same canvas, too. Right now. Today. This moment.
   
You do not need permission to begin. You do not need perfect timing, perfect confidence, or a trumpet parade marching behind you. 🎺😄 Sometimes all it takes is one brave brushstroke—one kind act, one new idea, one small step forward.
     
So start now. Create the life YOU want while lifting others along the way. That’s where the real magic lives—one colorful day at a time. ✨ 🎨✨
       
>>>>>May 23
4:33 a.m., and Bob across the way has begun his daily awakening ritual — calling out nonsensical words into the quiet darkness. His mind seems to drift through places the rest of us cannot see, traveling roads known only to him.
     
Looking at him, it is easy to assume his world has grown smaller, that the horizon ahead has narrowed, and that little remains except the slow turning of time toward life’s final chapter. It would be easy to believe that his greatest moments are behind him and that the days ahead are merely pages waiting to be turned until the book quietly closes. Many people might look at him and see limitation, decline, or an ending slowly approaching. But I do not believe that for a second.
 
I believe there is still life inside him—still unseen laughter waiting to rise, still warmth left in the sun on his face, still memories to create, still kindness to give and receive. I believe there are still songs to hear, moments of peace to feel, and unexpected sparks of joy hiding in ordinary days. A life does not lose its value simply because it changes shape. Even when the road becomes slower, there can still be beauty around the next bend. Even now, there are still reasons to wake up, breathe deeply, smile, and keep stepping forward.
   
Even now, even here, there is still life moving within him. There are still warm rays of sunlight waiting to touch his face, smiles waiting to be exchanged, small joys waiting to be discovered, and quiet moments capable of stirring the heart. There are still reasons — many of them invisible to the casual eye — to keep stepping forward. Because as long as we are breathing, as long as there is another sunrise waiting beyond the night, there is still life left to live. ✨
   
The afternoon did not seem to have much waiting for me, and somewhere along the way, the quiet gently claimed the day. I stretched out on the bed, surrendered to the stillness, and managed to steal a little shut-eye for a while. Sometimes rest sneaks in like an uninvited guest, tiptoeing through the door and saying, “You look like you could use a few borrowed dreams.” 😄
     
Sometimes life does not burst onto the scene with fireworks blazing and marching bands playing. Sometimes it arrives quietly, carrying no grand announcement at all. It simply slips beside you, pulls up a chair, places a gentle hand on your shoulder, and whispers, “Take a breather. You do not have to race every moment.”
   
Not every gift in life arrives wrapped in excitement. Some arrive as stillness, as peace, as a deep breath you did not realize you needed. Sometimes the most beautiful moments are not the loud ones—they are the soft pauses that remind us we are allowed to be simply. ✨
     
Even a small nap can feel like pressing the reset button on the mind—a tiny pit stop before rolling back onto the highway of the day. 😄 I rarely drift off for a midday snooze, so this one felt like a little gift from life itself, a quiet pause that somehow left everything feeling lighter and better.
     
>>>>> May 24
Being Sunday, I expect another slow-moving day ahead. My clock beside the bed had stopped working, so when I opened my eyes, I had absolutely no idea what time it was. I decided to get up anyway and begin the day—or what I thought was the day.
     
As I walked over to my computer, I discovered the time was just before midnight. Surprise! I had accidentally tried to start tomorrow before today had even packed up and gone home. I was a little ahead of schedule for life itself. So, at this delightfully strange hour, a very early good morning to you. 😄
   
I could already tell sleep wasn’t planning a return visit, so I decided to stay up and take care of a few things that needed my attention. With that unexpected beginning, I’ll simply say this: good morning to you, no matter what the clock says.
     
What better way is there to spend this unexpected pocket of time than working on the blog? If sleep has apparently packed its suitcase and gone wandering for the evening, I may put these awake hours to good use.
     
Words and ideas have a funny habit of showing up when the rest of the world gets quiet. The night lowers its volume, distractions tiptoe away, and thoughts suddenly come walking onto the stage carrying little suitcases full of stories.|
     
And yes, I suppose I can blame you for keeping me awake at this strange hour—although I am still not entirely sure whether this qualifies as an early hour or a late hour. Somewhere between yesterday and tomorrow, while sensible people are off negotiating with pillows, here I am tapping away at the keyboard with you. Maybe this is not insomnia at all. Maybe it is simply my blog whispering, “Hey Kit… wake up. We have one more adventure to write.” ✨
       
Being someone who never quite made peace with coffee’s taste, I find myself sitting here with my tea instead, keeping me company through these quiet moments. While coffee has recruited half the world into its little club of devoted followers, tea and I formed our own small friendship long ago.
     
There is something comforting about holding a warm cup in your hands—the gentle rising steam, the quiet ritual of each sip, and the feeling that even in still moments, you are sharing the time with an old and dependable companion. Tonight, my tea sits faithfully beside me, doing its humble little job of adding a touch of warmth to the hours. 🍵✨
 
Up so early, and I already have this much written. The world outside still seems to be rubbing sleep from its eyes, while my fingers have already been hard at work marching across the keyboard. Most people are still tucked beneath blankets, dreaming their dreams, while I am over here building mine one sentence at a time.
     
There is something almost magical about these quiet hours—the interruptions are few, the mind feels free to wander, and thoughts seem to show up wearing brighter colors. If this pace keeps up, I may need to put a tiny “Caution: Words under construction” sign outside my door. ✨
     
Now it is 1:30, and sleep is trying to find a grip on me.
I’ll meander off to bed and see what happens. 
I’ll be right back in a few hours.
I’ll let you know.

My mind suddenly clicked back on around 5:30 this morning because my bladder apparently decided it had an emergency meeting scheduled. 😄 Once I was awake, that was it. The switch had been flipped. So here I am again, planted right in front of my laptop, greeting the early hours before much of the world has even rubbed the sleep out of its eyes.
   
I have always heard people say how important good sleep is—and I know they are right. Sleep is meant to recharge, restore, and prepare us for the adventures of another day. It is the quiet workshop where the body repairs itself, and the mind tidies up the scattered pieces of yesterday, getting us ready to step into tomorrow with fresh energy.
   
But there is one small problem: sleep seems to operate like a stubborn cat. It arrives when it wants to, leaves when it wants to, and absolutely refuses to come just because you call. You cannot wrestle it to the ground and demand, “Get back in bed right now!”
     
So rather than declare war on wakefulness, I may make friends with these unexpected early moments. The quiet has its own kind of magic. These wandering hours are giving me extra time to think, to write, and to send a few more words out into the world before the sun clocks in for its shift. ✨
     
>>>>>May 25
Being Memorial Day, it’s like a Sunday here. No therapy sessions will take place. As I awaken each day here, my mind immediately begins asking questions. Since arriving, I have discovered something difficult: I do not enjoy living this way. There are too many restrictions and limitations placed upon even the simplest parts of life.
     
For much of the week—and every weekend—I am told I must remain in my room. Sometimes it feels as though the walls quietly decide where my days begin and where they end. Days can begin to feel smaller when choices begin to disappear.
A SOLO VENTURE
Yet my heart keeps reaching for something very simple: to step outside, feel the fresh air against my face, run a little, and send my juggling clubs spinning into the sky. Those things may seem small, but small freedoms can become enormous when they are taken away.
 
It is difficult when your spirit longs to move, stretch, create, and feel fully alive while the world around you keeps asking you to sit still. A bird was not made to spend its life staring at the sky through a window; it was made to spread its wings and fly. 🎪✨
   
I waited until 9 am, then went down to ask about breakfast.
I was told it would be cereal, and I said, “No, thank you.”
Along with often being late, the meals I get are not the best.
   
This place is extra quiet.
I have never experienced it like this.
I can’t wait to get on a bike again, a unicycle, and drive a car.
I’m missing out so much, and I have never been “controlled” this much before.
I’m to the point of saying, “I hate it here!”
   
Just returned from my cleaning duties. Again, this is not something I was told to do. No one handed me a job description or gave me a broom and a badge that said “Captain Clean-Up.” I simply do it because I believe in leaving things better than we found them; I was a Boy Scout, after all.
BUTT, BUTT, BUT?
Today I noticed something interesting. There were far fewer cigarette butts outside than usual. Since many of the staff were away and most people were not around, it made me stop and wonder. Could many of those butts actually be coming from staff members? I do not know the answer, and I am not pointing fingers (well, maybe my little one.) I am simply observing and asking the question. Help me figure this one out. 🤔
WHO IS LEAVING ALL THE BUTTS?            
I was once not here, and one day I will not be here again. So I should not expect mountains of cigarette butts and piles of trash to keep appearing forever. Yet it does make me wonder—who cleans this place when I am not around? Who notices the little things scattered across the ground that so many people walk past without seeing?
THE CLEANUP CREW
I was never assigned this job: no badge, no title, no instructions handed down from above. I simply saw something that needed to be done and bent down to do it. Funny how a small act can begin to feel like planting seeds.
   
You clear away a little mess today and hope tomorrow grows a little cleaner. Maybe the real question is not, “Who cleans this place when I am gone?” Maybe the question is, “Will others begin to see what I saw?” Now, what do you see around your area that you could clean, remove, or set right? It’s up to you, it’s up to us, to make things nice!🌱✨
LUNCH?
At about lunchtime, the place had grown strangely quiet. I looked down the hallways and around every corner within sight, and it felt as if everyone had simply vanished. Then a nurse came by with a patient in tow and mentioned they were having a barbecue outside. Suddenly, the mystery was solved — everyone had migrated toward burgers, sunshine, and the promise of a little fresh air. 😄
   
Well, you know me—I was not about to miss a chance to get outdoors. Out I went. There were about 30 people with brain injuries and staff about evenly, gathered together beneath the shifting sky. A nice sunshine popped through now-and-then.
MAKES ME WONDER, AGAIN, WHY AM I HERE?
Four of the people sat in wheelchairs and needed to be hand-fed. Looking around, I noticed only two of the group were women. Brain injuries seem to strike more men than women, and I suppose I count myself among that brotherhood. Yes, it’s a man’s club.
     
Interestingly, there seemed to be almost an equal number of caregivers and those receiving care—a quiet reminder of how much human effort, patience, and compassion it takes to help people heal, rebuild, and move forward. In many ways, recovery is never a solo act. It is a team effort, built one encouraging word, one helping hand, and one hopeful day at a time.
    RECOVERY
The day itself seemed undecided—sunshine one moment, clouds drifting in the next. But when the sun did break through, it felt wonderful against my skin. There was barely a breeze, and despite everything, there was a gentle happiness floating through the air.
     
Burgers and hot dogs were on the menu, but I decided to let them march past without me. I simply did not feel like eating animal meat that day. Besides, there were no fresh tomatoes, crisp lettuce, or sweet onions standing by to make the offer more tempting. So instead, I happily settled for the watermelon and baked beans—simple food for a simple, sunny afternoon. 🍉✨
      I FOUND LUNCH!
Yes, I happily settled for baked beans and watermelon. Funny how life keeps teaching us that a meal does not need to be grand to be good. Sometimes, a paper plate in the sunshine, a spoonful of beans, and a slice of cold watermelon are more than enough to satisfy the moment.
   
And perhaps that is true far beyond food. We spend so much of life chasing “more” that we forget the quiet beauty of enough. Enough laughter. Enough peace. Enough Juggling?  Enough sunshine slipping through the clouds. Sometimes enough is not a disappointment at all—it is a small, gentle kind of abundance. 🍉✨ 🍉☀️
      BACK IN MY ROOM
2:30 in the afternoon, and Bob has found his voice again. A steady stream of sounds drifts from his room and spills into the quiet hallways. At first, it makes you think he must be hurting, as though he is reaching for something that cannot quite be found or saying something no words can fully express. Yet there is a helpless feeling in the air, a sense that no one—and perhaps nothing—can quite reach his troubled mind.
    BOB
Someone stays with him around the clock, always nearby, always watching, always trying to help. I feel sorry for the “babysitters” who must be by his side. Yet there are moments when it seems the injury reaches into places no one else can touch. His struggle feels deep, hidden in the unseen corners of the mind, where words and understanding sometimes lose their way, as he has.
     
Strange to be here all day, with so little happening and so much stillness hanging in the air. Time moves differently in places like this. Minutes sometimes seem to stretch themselves out like rubber bands, moving slowly and quietly, almost as if the clock itself has decided to take a nap.
    WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
But I am not doing anything. Between a few YouTube videos and moments of wandering thoughts, I find myself here with you, writing these words. Funny how life works sometimes. Even on days that appear empty, something is still being created.
   
Thoughts become sentences, sentences become ideas, and ideas have a funny habit of growing legs and walking into someone else’s heart. The quiet days may not be wasted after all. Maybe they are simply the days when seeds are being planted beneath the surface, preparing for something beautiful yet to come.
 
🌱✨ >>>>>May 26
Up by 3 am, my usual wake-up time.
I’m excited about my move to >>
https://www.legacypreservetampa.com/
This will take place on Thursday.
     
Because of the move and all the uncertainty surrounding what may happen before then, I’m sending this blog out a little early. As you can see, time and I are doing a bit of a juggling act right now—but I’ll catch up with it soon enough. 😄
   
I hope the words I place here add something good to your life, even if only a smile, a new thought, or a little spark of encouragement. We always have a choice in how we walk through our days. We can search for reasons to live in misery, or we can search for reasons to find joy.
      JOY
Joy is not pretending life is perfect; it is choosing to see the sunlight even when clouds drift overhead. It is finding reasons to smile in the middle of ordinary days and discovering little sparks of happiness hiding in places we might otherwise overlook. Sometimes joy is not loud at all—it simply sits beside us and gently reminds us that beauty still exists.
   
It is learning to laugh through the bumps in the road and keeping your heart open when life tries to close the curtains. Storms may visit, and challenges may knock on our doors, but joy has a quiet strength all its own. It whispers, “Keep going… There is still something wonderful ahead.”
     
As for me, I choose JOY, laughter, and happiness—not once in a while, but again and again. ✨ So come along with me on this grand adventure called life. Let us travel with smiles on our faces, gratitude in our hearts, and a little sparkle in our step, because the road may twist and turn, but I have a feeling the journey shines brighter when we choose to walk it together. 😄
      10-11:00  SPEECH
From 10:00 to 11 we had group speech therapy. Six of us were there with Lilly. There was a new guy, whose brain injury was recent. Subjects that Lilly spoke about were cognition, attention, executive functioning, and safety. Same group, same words, same yawns.
    11-12:00  EXERCISE?
Then there was “Exercise Group,” but I quietly excused myself and stepped away. These activities are created with good intentions to help people move forward, heal, and reconnect. For many, they may provide encouragement and progress. But I have learned that not every path fits every traveler the same way.
    1-2:00  OT
OT and I sat down at a table where I was handed a mental puzzle to solve. The worksheet was covered with a grid of numbers—15 rows up and 10 across—and the challenge was to hunt for hidden 5-digit ZIP codes within it. I had to search in every direction imaginable: up, down, forward, backward, diagonally, and even upside-down, scanning for the correct sequence of numbers hidden in the maze.
       
After about a minute, though, my interest quietly packed its bags and headed for the exit. My mind simply was not connecting with it. It was not that the task was impossible; I just found myself not caring enough to continue chasing numbers around a sheet of paper.
     
She seemed to notice exactly what was happening and could see I was not engaged, so the activity came to a natural stop. Sometimes the mind eagerly wants to climb mountains, and sometimes it just looks at the mountain and says, “No thanks—I think I’ll sit this one out.” 😄

2-3:00 JUGGLING
Only a few people came out to juggle.
It was a time-waster, but I saw some progress.
Only no progress in me.
     
      NOT FOR ME
The group therapies often do very little for me personally. I find that I gain more from movement with purpose — from juggling, running, writing, learning, creating, and challenging myself in ways that wake up both my mind and spirit. Sitting through activities that do not seem to reach me can sometimes feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The pieces simply do not line up.
   
So I often find myself quietly backing away, not because I have given up or because I do not want to improve, but because I am still searching for the things that truly light the fire inside me. We are all different. What helps one person rise may leave another standing still. The trick in life is not merely participating in something because it is offered—it is discovering what makes your own heart say, “Yes, this helps me grow.”
      GROUP THERAPY?
The group therapies often do very little for me personally. I find that I gain more from movement with purpose, from juggling, running, writing, learning, creating, and challenging myself in ways that wake up both my mind and spirit. Sitting through activities that do not reach me sometimes feels like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. The pieces simply do not line up.
   
So I often find myself quietly backing away, not because I have given up or because I do not want to improve, but because I am still searching for the things that truly light the fire inside me. We are all different. What helps one person rise may leave another standing still. The trick in life is not merely participating in something because it is offered—it is discovering what makes your own heart say, “Yes, this helps me grow.”
     
>>>>>May 27
Today, it is off to https://cleantheworld.org/ to do our small part in making the world a little better. Sometimes changing lives begins with something simple — showing up, lending a hand, and caring enough to help .🌎✨
    HELPING OUT
How about you? Do you volunteer and help where you can? Even the smallest act of kindness can send ripples farther than you may ever imagine. A cleaner park, a helping hand, a few encouraging words—little things often grow into big things in someone else’s story. 🌱✨
   
Right now, I’m waiting in the front for the group to arrive. We will have lunch after our Clean the World mission. One of the therapists said to be careful with my eating. She asked — like I don’t know how to eat right?
     
She brought up the stricture problem I had in the past, which is all cleared up. Nice that she cares about me, but that’s a little much. I’ve noticed that we are treated like patients here —like children. I don’t like that. Maryann needs to learn this.
 
Today, we were basically filling boxes with hand soap at Clean the World. Many people were placing the soap in one bar at a time, but my brain started juggling ideas, as usual. 😄 I figured out a way to carry eight at once—four in each hand—and suddenly the boxes were filling much faster.
   
It was a simple task, but even simple work deserves excellence. I have always believed that whatever you do, do it with heart, creativity, and a little flair. I always aim for excellence in what I do. Is that something you do, too?
    FOUR AND TWO
There were two therapists there with four of us brain-injured folks. The others enjoyed the work, and that was wonderful to see. I tried helping where I could while keeping my own hands moving quickly. Some appreciated the help; others wanted to do it completely on their own. That is part of life too—learning when to step forward and when to step back.
   
Afterward, we headed to Portillo’s for lunch. Somewhere along the way, I learned it was the speech therapist who had recommended limiting what I eat. As you probably know by now, I have never been fond of being controlled. I KNOW WHAT I CAN EAT AND WHAT I CAN’T!
   
I understand they are trying to help, but it has been difficult for me at times. Near the end of the meal, another therapist had onion rings left over, and I asked if I could have one. The answer was “no” because of the restrictions they are placing on me now. I will admit—it bothered me.
   
Another control issue. As we were getting into the van to leave, I was told that I could not drink my iced tea on the drive. It was a cup with a lid and a straw. I did not see how I could have spilled. But I was told this was a rule for the van, no food or drink allowed. My ice was melted by the time we arrived.
    GOOD NEWS?
The good news? Tomorrow I leave this place behind and begin a new chapter. I will miss many of the people here. I got more help than I wrote about. I’m glad NeuroRestorative was a part of my life. I hope my writings have added to the place, as well. 🎪
   
Freedom matters to me.
Movement matters to me.
Being treated like an adult matters to me.
I am ready to get back outside, feel the sunshine, ride a bike again, toss clubs into the sky, get behind the wheel of a car, and live life with a little more wind in my face and less control wrapped around my spirit.
     
Because I had Clean the World this morning, nothing was scheduled for me this afternoon, so I found some quiet time to recharge. I will share more of the next few days of this adventure in a future blog post. Stay tuned—this story is still juggling its way forward. 😄
   
3:13 — I just returned from the therapy room downstairs. All of the therapists were there, yet no therapy seemed to be taking place. Perhaps they were handling paperwork or working behind the scenes on other responsibilities, but from where I stood, the room felt strangely still and inactive.
   
It did not leave a very encouraging impression of NeuroRestorative. When people come to a place like this, they hope to see movement, energy, progress, and lives being actively helped forward. A quiet room full of professionals, with little visible action, can make the whole place feel as though it has lost some of its spark.
===============================
PART 3–BLOG 379–​Don’t Just Count the Days Until Your End
   
Yes, death is coming for all of us—that train has been running on schedule since the beginning of time and has never once missed a stop. But before that final station arrives, you still have mountains to climb, stories to write, people to love, lessons to learn, and lives to touch.
      THIS IS YOUR LIFE!
You still have sunsets waiting for your eyes to discover them, laughter waiting to burst from your lungs, dreams waiting for the courage only you can give them, and seeds waiting for your hands to plant them into the soil of tomorrow. SO MUCH is still ahead of you! 🌅✨

SO DO NOT SIT BY THE WINDOW
STARING AT THE CLOCK?–STAND UP AND LIVE! 

START NOW!
Life is not measured by how many pages remain in the calendar. It is measured by how much life you pour into the moments you are given. Until the final curtain falls, there is still a stage beneath your feet, lights above your head, and a reason for you to step into the spotlight.
      MAKE YOUR MOMENTS
Life is not a waiting room for death. It is a stage, a playground, a juggling gym, a garden, an adventure waiting for your footprints. Laugh loudly. Dance where you stand. Chase ideas that excite you. Plant seeds. Love people fiercely.
    DEATH?
Too many of us spend our lives counting days until something happens: until Friday, until retirement, until we move, until circumstances improve, until problems disappear. The train in life keeps chugging along; jump on board!
    NOW!
We stare toward the horizon, waiting for life to begin. 
And life is standing right beside us, waving both arms and shouting,
“Hey! I’m happening right now!”
NO WORRIES!
And then come the worries.
We all carry them.
Fears about what “might” happen.
Concerns about what might not happen.
Dread about things we cannot see.
Uncertainty about things we cannot control.
    NO CONTROL
There seems to be an endless buffet of worries spread out before us each day, inviting us to pile our plates high with stress and anxiety. But tell me something: has worrying ever solved tomorrow’s problems by stealing today’s peace?   No.
      WORRY?
Worry is sneaky. It quietly slips in and steals moments that belong to you. It takes today and trades it for imaginary troubles that may never even arrive. For example, I could worry that my little girl is growing up and may leave home in a year. I could spend every day staring at the clock, feeling sad because time is moving forward.
      YOUR CHOICE!
Or I could choose something better.
I could choose laughter over fear.
I could make moments count.
Welcome memories over sadness.
Find love over worry.
    LOVE
Because really, I could list worries all day long, and so could you. We all have them. Quiet thoughts sit in the back corners of our minds, tugging on our shoulders and whispering what if? What if this happens? What if it doesn’t? Left unchecked, those little worries can slowly grow louder, taking up far more space in our lives than they ever deserved.
    ROCKING CHAIR?
But worrying itself accomplishes almost nothing. It’s like sitting in a rocking chair—it gives you something to do, but it doesn’t take you anywhere.
I love the quote: “Don’t count the days… make the days count.”
What a beautiful reminder.
    YOUR PASSION!
Do your best. Pour your heart into what you do. Give your effort, your passion, your love, and your energy. Lay it all on the line. And once you have done that, let go of what you cannot control.
Sometimes I fall into the trap of thinking, “I am capable. I should be able to carry everything on my own.” But strength isn’t found in carrying every burden yourself.
    THE WEIGHT
Real strength is knowing when to put some of the weight down. Real strength is asking for help. So don’t spend your life drowning in worry and stress. Do your best and trust the rest. Don’t wait to be happy until some future day arrives. Be happy now. Make this day count. This hour. This moment.
      REMEMBER THE SUN
Because you still have sunsets waiting to paint your eyes with wonder, laughter waiting to fill your lungs, dreams waiting for the courage only you can give them, and seeds waiting for your hands to plant them into the soil of tomorrow. 🌅✨
            SMILE!
And life—beautiful, messy, unpredictable life—
It’s still playing your song. 
So dance. 💫     
And whatever you do…
Don’t forget to SMILE. 😄
      LIVE FOR NOW!   NOT YESTERDAY!    NOT TOMORROW!   NOW IS THE TIME!
===========================
PART 4) 🔥 A FEW SPARKS TO SLIP INTO YOUR POCKET
    ✨ THE MAGIC OF QUOTES ✨
Inspirational quotes are like mental spark plugs. 💥 They jolt the mind awake, shrink giant problems down to size, and give your spirit a running start. One powerful sentence can flip your thinking upside down—turning “I can’t” into “Why not give it a shot?” The right words at the right moment can become a tiny flashlight in a dark hallway. 🔦

But here’s where the real magic happens: repetition turns inspiration into identity. The more you repeat a truth, the more your mind begins to believe it… and eventually, your life begins to reflect it. A quote hanging on a wall is a decoration. A quote lived out through your actions? That becomes a transformation. 

Simple truth:
A quote on a page is nice…
A quote you live by?
That’s power. ✨
=====
“Don’t count the days,
make the days count.” — Muhammad Ali
     
“How many people can you help today?
Your legacy is waiting for you to catch up.” — Kit Summers.
     
“In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.
It’s the life in your years.” — Abraham Lincoln.
     
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift of God,
which is why we call it the present.” — Bil Keane.
   
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind on the present moment.” — Buddha
     
“It is not how long but how well.
” You live, that is the main thing.” — Seneca.
   
“Live every day as if it were your last,
and yet have your plans and preparations
as if you were to live a hundred years.” — A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
   
Make each day your masterpiece.” — John Wooden.
     
“We do not remember days. 
We remember moments.” – Cesare Pavese.
   
“Lost time is never found again.” – Benjamin Franklin.
   
“Live every day as if it were your last,
for one day you will certainly be right.” – Harry Houdini
============================
PART 5) YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK >>
LIVE FOR NOW! NOT TOMORROW. NOT NEXT WEEK. NOW IS YOUR TIME!
You are not too young to think about the end.
What will happen?
Who will be there?
What story will your life tell when the final page is written?
   
But do not become so focused on the destination that you forget the journey. You have mountains left to climb, people left to love, dreams left to chase, and gifts left to give. Time is limited for every one of us—that is exactly what makes life precious.
   
So ask yourself: What do I want to accomplish before my curtain falls? Begin now. Not tomorrow. Not “someday.” Right now. Because the clock keeps moving whether we dance with it or simply watch it pass, live boldly, start today, and make sure your life becomes a story worth telling.
MAKE THAT LIST OF WHAT YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH–THEN DO IT!✨
===============
PART 6) NEXT WEEK>>BLOG 380–WHY CARE?
================

🌟 PART 7) FINAL THOUGHTS 🌟
Because the best is always still ahead.
So juggle joy like it’s the air you breathe.
The horizon holds more than you can yet imagine.
Your present moment is not the finish line—it’s your starting block.
Chase sunsets as if they’re secret treasures waiting just for you.
Laugh so loudly that tomorrow leans in to listen.
Write me today—kitsummers@gmail.com
Live as though you’ve only just begun—
BECAUSE YOU TRULY HAVE!
🌟

✨KITTING AROUND✨
BLOG 378–​BREAK THE SCRIPT
This Video will give you more insight into me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr8QFnD1yGc
This Blog is Best Read on a Laptop, Rather than Your Phone.
By KIT SUMMERS — World-Class Juggler to World-Class Comeback

To Learn More about Kit, Go Here >> https://kitsummers.com/about-kit/

Once upon a life, I made gravity nervous—
Headlining at Ballys, tossing clubs with a grin.
Seven of them. A world record—
Because physics loves a good insult. 😄
Then came the truck—the coma.
     
Thirty-seven silent days offstage.
And here I am now—not juggling clubs.
But throwing purpose, grit, and joy.
Balancing healing, catching courage.
Tossing hope sky-high. 🤹‍♂️


The mission grew bigger than applause.
Now I lift humans. I write to stay connected.
I write because it’s how I breathe.
If these words help you, too?
That’s magic catching air. 🎉
     
What’s next on Kit’s journey through life?
Back to juggling? Back to life?
Stay with Kit and find out.
Life can get better.
Life will get better. ✨

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It might make things easier for you if I added a table of contents. That way, you can jump directly to the parts that interest you most—like having a remote control for the circus inside my brain. 

I’m still figuring out how to add page numbers properly. Somewhere inside this machine, tiny digital gremlins are hiding the instructions from me. But don’t worry—I’m hunting them down and expect to have everything organized by the next blog post. Progress, my friends… even if it occasionally travels wearing clown shoes. 🎪✨At least you see the order of things.

PART 1) THE BEGINNINGS — PAGE 1
PART 2) THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK — PAGE
PART 3) BLOG 378 — BREAK THE SCRIPT — PAGE
PART 4) QUOTES — PAGE
PART 5) YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK — NEXT TO LAST PAGE
PART 6) NEXT WEEK’S BLOG — LAST PAGE
PART 7) FINAL THOUGHTS — LAST PAGE
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Every week, I try to create the very best blog I can—something that makes you laugh a little harder, think a little deeper, and step back into life carrying more hope than you had before. A spark of joy. A little wisdom. A reminder that life is still full of possibilities. ✨
The drops and catches over the years?
Can you feel it in the writing?
The miles traveled?
The hard lessons?
The laughter?
I hope so. Because I don’t simply arrange words on a page—I try to breathe life into them. 🎭
   
And if you ever miss a blog notification—or simply feel like wandering through a colorful museum of past adventures—visit kitsummers.com and dive into the blog section. Every post is sitting there like a tiny lit match waiting to brighten somebody’s day. ✨

And if the notifications ever become one juggling ball too many, just let me know and I’ll happily remove you from the list. No guilt. No drama. Just a graceful catch and release. Though I will miss you in the audience. 🎯🎪
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PART 1) THE BEGINNINGS
DON’T LIVE IN THE FUTURE OR THE PAST —
MAKE THE MOST OF THE MOMENT YOU’RE HOLDING RIGHT NOW!

The key to a good life is to learn to “change with the changes”.
If you do this, you are ready for anything.
YOU are the one to make your own life better.
   
Embracing change is essential for resilience, growth, and a meaningful life. Instead of fighting the natural movement of life, learn to move with it. Some changes arrive with a warning. Take that different dance step.
   
Others crash through the front door like a marching band of chaos.🎺😄 Either way, adaptation is what helps us survive, grow, and discover new opportunities we never saw coming. Real growth does not come from standing still—it comes from learning how to evolve.
   
Resisting change often creates frustration, stress, and exhaustion. The harder we grip the past, the more energy we waste fighting reality. But when we accept that change is part of life, we free ourselves to focus on what we CAN control—our attitude, our actions, and our next step forward.
   
Adaptability builds resilience, too. The moment you stop seeing setbacks as permanent failures and begin viewing them as temporary lessons, something powerful happens—you recover faster, grow wiser, and move forward stronger. Every challenge becomes less of a dead end and more of a detour leading you somewhere new. 🚀
         
Life becomes less about avoiding difficulties and more about learning how to dance through them without losing your balance. Even jugglers drop things sometimes. The trick is picking them up and throwing them again. 🎪
   
Every new challenge forces you to stretch, learn, and rethink who you are. That is how growth happens. New environments create new skills. Unexpected detours create wisdom. Reinvention is not a sign that your old life failed—it is proof that you are still growing. 👩‍🦱
     
The people who thrive are rarely the ones with the easiest lives. They are the ones willing to adapt, adjust, and keep moving forward with curiosity and courage. Life keeps changing. The beautiful part is that you can keep changing with it. 🚀
     
The future is a rumor.
The past is a memory.
But this moment? Ahhh…
This moment is alive in your hands. ✨
     
Too many people spend their lives staring into the rearview mirror or worrying about roads they have not even reached yet. Meanwhile, life is standing right in front of them like a golden retriever with a tennis ball, shouting, “COME PLAY!” 😄
     
This moment matters.
This breath matters.
This small decision
You make today matters. 🛼
     
You do not need to have your entire life figured out by Tuesday at 3:17 PM. Nobody does. Even the people who look confident are often improvising like jazz musicians in roller skates. 🎷
       
The real magic happens when you stop waiting for “someday” and begin fully stepping into NOW. Call the friend. Write the page. Learn the trick. Take the walk. Start the dream before you feel ready. 😁
     
Life rewards motion.
The rocket only lifts after ignition.
So stand tall in your life today. Laugh loudly. Help someone. Chase something meaningful. Build moments so rich with purpose and joy that the past smiles at you and the future gets excited to meet you.
Right now is not just a moment.
Right now is your launchpad.🚀
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PART 2) THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK
Kit’s Daily Delights — Inspiration, Freshly Served ✨

Every week, I sit down to map the days ahead—and every time, it begins the same way: a blank canvas. No guarantees. No script. Just a possibility waiting for color.
   
It still amazes me—that quiet moment before life takes shape. A few choices. A few conversations. A few unexpected turns. Suddenly, the empty canvas becomes a story. And here’s the beautiful truth: you’ve been handed that same canvas, too. Right now. Today. This moment.
   
You do not need permission to begin. You do not need perfect timing, perfect confidence, or a trumpet parade marching behind you. 🎺😄 Sometimes all it takes is one brave brushstroke—one kind act, one new idea, one small step forward.
     
So start now. Create the life YOU want while lifting others along the way. That’s where the real magic lives—one colorful day at a time. ✨ 🎨✨
       
>>>>>May 16
Slowly, things get going. Being a Saturday, I can see why. This morning I was working on the blog. Most of it is done; just the daily tasks remain. But how can I write about things that haven’t happened yet? I will have to work on that.
   
Breakfast did not arrive until 9:15; it’s usually here by 8. I could run the kitchen much better, including the times meals go out and what they are. For a change, I will go out to the garden/patio area.
     
I just watched a film about the making of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. With the difference in characters, it was so easy to compare it with here, now. Not that people here are crazy (except for me), there are so many different personalities.
     
I went out to do my daily cleaning. Not as much, but just one butt is terrible to look at. There was not much out there to pick up, but I did. I had forgotten that weekends here are dead. We are always watched, always controlled; it’s a little much for me.
     
Freedom is taken away, and we are all controlled. All this I saw in the movie. Reality is hidden from us. I want to go for a walk and get a little exercise, but that is forbidden. It’s about 11:10 now, and after lunch, I will go out for a short walk. I’ve compared this place to jail before; I haven’t changed my mind.
       The word “Escape” comes to mind.
They must develop a list of things that patients can do on the weekend. I just watch YouTube videos to fill my time. And now that the garden has been taken over, I cannot do anything there to help. It’s sad to me that some of these people here will NEVER be released — but they know no other life. I could not imagine that for myself.
     
I’ve wanted to interact with others here, but it did not seem right.
The staff does not really feel trapped; we are all.  Trapped. Something must be done to change this.      
They should, but do not, develop a schematic scan of what people could be, including a job outlook. 

Now, I want to cover meals.
As I’ve written, I am seldom hungry, but I worry about others.
Breakfast–an hour late.
Lunch–Came in at 12:45.
Dinner–6:45, another late one. 

If I​ took care of the kitchen myself, I could make sure every meal was nutritious and on time. I thought meal times were 8 am, noon, and 5 — yet that never happens. Times should be picked, and they always met. I do want to lose weight, but this is a little much.
   
This would not be a place I would choose to live. I do not belong in a world built around waiting for the days to pass. Some people here, including me, feel trapped—caught between what life once was and what it has become.
   
You can see it in the quiet hallways, in the long stares out the windows, in the way hope sometimes shrinks down to simply making it through another day. That is a hard thing to witness. Harder still to feel.
   
But my story is not ending here. In the next few weeks, I will be leaving, stepping into a new chapter with fresh air,

movement, possibility, and purpose again. 🚪✨ I still have too much life left in me to sit quietly on the sidelines. I want to juggle again. Run again. Teach again. Create again. LIVE again.
   
Some people here may feel the door has closed forever—but I still hear mine creaking open. And when it does, I plan to walk through it with gratitude, determination, and maybe a few juggling clubs flying through the air just to confuse the neighbors. 😄
         
>>>>> May 17
Here is another Sunday showing itself.  
Someone finally came in at about 9 am and said breakfast would be cereal.
I said no thank you. I noticed the hallways were empty. Where are people?
No hunger in me right now, and I doubt it will come soon.

“Doubt” is a strange word. I had to look it up >>
The word “doubt” comes from the Latin dubitare, meaning “to hesitate” or “to be uncertain.” Over time, it traveled through Old French as douter and then into Middle English as douten.
Interestingly, the silent “b” was neither pronounced nor written. It was added in the 16th century by scribes who wanted the spelling to more closely resemble its Latin roots. So every time you spell doubt, you are carrying around a tiny piece of ancient history… complete with a sneaky silent letter hiding in plain sight. 😄
Did you know that?
You’re welcome!
       
Do you ever “doubt” yourself about your ability to handle change? Embracing change is essential for resilience, growth, and living fully. Life is always moving—sometimes gently, sometimes like a squirrel on espresso. 😄
   
Instead of fighting the current, learning to adapt to both expected and unexpected changes allows you to move through challenges with greater strength and discover opportunities you may never have seen otherwise.
 
Real growth happens when you stop merely reacting to life and start evolving with it. Every shift, every setback, and every surprise carries the chance to learn, reinvent yourself, and step into a stronger version of who you are becoming. Adaptability is not weakness—it is one of the greatest forms of power.
       
>>>>>May 18
Monday is starting slowly, like an old car warming up on a cold morning. It’s 8 a.m. now, and there’s hardly anyone around. No breakfast, no schedule—normally both would have appeared by now like clockwork… or at least like slightly confused clockwork. 😄
     
Turns out breakfast was the “make-your-own cereal” special this morning, but no one bothered to tell me. So there I was, waiting for information while the cereal quietly sat there, minding its own business. Life in places like this can feel like a scavenger hunt sometimes: first prize is finding the spoon.
      8:03
Just got my schedule for the day. An hour each >>
OT Group at 10. Speech Group at 11.
The group meeting usually doesn’t do anything for me. Many of the others are more brain-damaged than I am, so they don’t really do anything for the group, which includes me.
     
For an experiment, I plan to see who is here at 9 am and at 3 pm. I want to see who is here and who is not. Of course, this will not be completely accurate, but I am seeing what I can of who is around. I do not want to be kicked out, so I move ahead slowly.
   
      9:00 a.m.
I headed down to the therapy room to see who was around, only to find the door closed and locked. No movement. No explanation. Just silence where progress was supposed to happen. I plan to see how it is tomorrow.
   
Sorry to say, the real working hours here are only from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Outside of that window, things can become very quiet and slow-moving. The therapists and staff are likely handling many responsibilities behind the scenes to help keep this place running.
   
Still, from a resident’s perspective, real progress, therapy, and meaningful support seem compressed into only a tiny fraction of the day. The hours pass, but the opportunities to truly grow, improve, and reconnect with life often feel far too limited.
    YOU LIVE HERE?
Recovery is not something that exists only during certain hours on a schedule—it is an ongoing process that touches every moment of a person’s life. When large portions of the day feel inactive or disconnected from growth, people can feel stalled rather than encouraged.
   
A short conversation, a shared laugh, a simple activity, or just feeling seen for a few moments can brighten an entire day. When people are struggling, hope does not always arrive in giant, dramatic ways. Sometimes it enters quietly, through kindness, connection, and the reminder that they still matter. ✨
           
A little more structure, creativity, and consistent support throughout the day could help transform the atmosphere from simply “getting through the day” into truly moving forward. For people working to rebuild their independence and confidence, every hour matters. Every positive interaction matters. And every opportunity to grow matters.
    A DROPPED CLUB?
Moments like that may seem small to some people, but when you are fighting to rebuild your life, every single hour matters. Every missed opportunity can feel like a dropped juggling club in the middle of the performance—sudden, frustrating, and impossible to ignore. But here’s the truth every juggler learns: the show is not defined by the drop… it is defined by the courage to pick the club back up and keep going.
 
Still, life has taught me something important: not every locked door means the show is over. Sometimes it means the timing is off, the plan needs adjusting, or a different path is waiting nearby. So instead of letting frustration run the entire morning, I kept moving forward. Progress is not built from perfect days; it is built from continuing anyway.
           
I know the world is not finished with me yet—and I am not finished with life, either. There is still fire in me, still purpose, still something meaningful left to give. I do not want to become a burden to anyone, but I also refuse to believe that a life filled with experience, struggle, wisdom, and heart should simply be pushed aside or forgotten.
       YES I HAVE
I have fallen, been broken, rebuilt, and risen more times than most people can imagine. And even now, somewhere ahead, there are still people I can help, stories I can share, and lives I can inspire. A dropped juggling club does not end the performance—it is simply part of learning how to keep the act going. 
   
There are several people here who walk these halls with someone by their side at all times. I jokingly call it having a “babysitter” following along. 😄 I understand that many people truly need help and guidance, and there is nothing wrong with that.
     ON MY OWN
But for me, it feels different. Independence has always been a huge part of who I am. After years of traveling, performing, and building my own life, having someone shadow me everywhere can feel less like support and more like losing a piece of freedom.
   
Safety matters, of course—but so do dignity, confidence, and the feeling that your life still belongs to you. Real living is not just being protected; it is being trusted to grow, choose, move, and participate in your own future.
     
That is why I keep pushing forward every single day—to improve, rebuild, and reclaim as much independence as possible. Every small step matters. Every inch of freedom regained is a victory worth celebrating.
     MOVING AHEAD?
Progress is not always loud or dramatic. Sometimes it arrives quietly—one determined step, one hard-earned victory, one small choice to keep going. But those steps begin to stack together. Little by little, they create momentum… and momentum is powerful. It can rebuild confidence, restore hope, and completely change the direction of a life. Like juggling, the magic is not in one throw—it is in refusing to stop after the drops. 🎪✨
     OT GROUP FROM 10:05 — 11:00
As often happens, things started five minutes late. I was told the activity would be Cornhole (and by now you probably know my thoughts on that one 😄), followed by “another game.” Around here, time often feels optional—but when you are fighting to rebuild your life, time matters. Every hour is a chance to grow, improve, and move forward, not simply something to pass away.
     
Looking around, I realized there was nothing there that challenged my mind, pushed my growth, or helped me move forward. I also did not see any way I could add to things for others there. So instead, I headed back to my room and chose to spend the time doing something meaningful to me—typing these words, shaping ideas, and continuing to rebuild my future one sentence at a time.
       SPEECH GROUP, 11-NOON
What they were doing was writing farewell notes to Christen, someone I didn’t really know personally. She basically runs NR. There will be a lunch held for her here on this floor—a quiet gathering filled with memories, stories, and goodbyes. Even without knowing her well, you could still feel the emotion in the room, the reminder of how quickly people become part of the rhythm of a place like this.
        NOON TO 1 PM
On the third floor today, we will have a going-away lunch for Christen, who has been here for 4 years and is now moving to Tennessee. I never really had the chance to know her well, but it is easy to see the impact she made on the people around her. She will clearly be missed by many.
     
Places like this become their own little world over time. People arrive as strangers, routines form, conversations happen in passing, and before long, lives quietly weave together. Even when you do not know someone deeply, you still feel the space they leave behind when they go. I hope Tennessee brings Christen happiness, fresh beginnings, and a wonderful new chapter ahead. 🌟
     
Normally, from noon to 1 p.m., many of the therapists head into the therapy room and lock the door behind them. I understand people need breaks, meetings, paperwork, and time to regroup—everyone deserves that.
      ME–A RESIDENT?
From a resident’s perspective, it can sometimes feel strange to watch the very place built for recovery suddenly become unavailable in the middle of the day, when you are fighting hard to rebuild your strength, independence, and confidence; every hour matters. Every opportunity to practice, improve, or simply keep momentum alive feels valuable.
     
Recovery is like juggling: once you finally get a rhythm going, you do not want to stop tossing the clubs into the air. Even a short pause can feel bigger than it looks from the outside. 😄 That is why I keep pushing so hard—not because I expect perfection, but because I still believe progress is possible. I believe people can continue to grow, improve, and surprise themselves right up until the final curtain call.
     
At about 3 p.m., I headed down to the therapy room again. This time, the place was alive with activity. Therapists were working with different residents, moving from one project to another, helping people stretch, practice skills, solve problems, and keep pushing forward. There was energy in the room—movement, conversation, effort, and purpose all happening at once.
   
Honestly, it was good to see. Earlier in the day, things can sometimes feel slow or disconnected, so walking into a busy therapy room in the afternoon brought a different feeling altogether. I didn’t expect that. 
        BUSY THERAPISTS
It reminded me that progress does not always happen in giant, dramatic moments. Sometimes it is found in steady work, patient guidance, and people quietly helping others rebuild parts of their lives, one small victory at a time.
   
Watching the therapists move from person to person gave the room a feeling of quiet hope. Every person there was carrying some kind of challenge—some visible, some hidden deep beneath the surface—yet the effort to improve never stopped.
     
Step by step, exercise by exercise, conversation by conversation, people kept reaching forward. There was something powerful about that. It was a reminder that healing is rarely dramatic; more often, it is built through persistence, patience, and the simple courage to keep trying. ✨
     
A little more balance. A little more strength. A little more confidence. Like juggling, improvement often looks messy in the middle of it—but if you keep the clubs in the air long enough, eventually the pattern starts to smooth out.
   
>>>>>May 19
Good morning, as they say.
How can I break out of here?
I’ve had about enough of being held up here.
Will it be escapism or deathticuff, I don’t know.
     
For one thing, a couple of the people here have voices so loud and grating they could probably crack a windshield from three rooms away. 😄 Others, because of brain injuries, speak in ways I simply cannot understand, no matter how hard I try.
       
The whole place sometimes feels like a strange orchestra where nobody has the same sheet music. Between the shouting, the confusion, and the nonstop hallway noise, I am wondering if I’m the one losing my marbles here. At this point, if someone rolled three juggling balls toward me, I might start having a serious conversation with them for a little peace! 🎪🤹
   
Today’s OT — Cooking is scheduled for the pork chops I bought last week. That will take place from about 10:30-1 pm. Then I have my teaching juggling session from 2-2:30. In the afternoon, I am scheduled to go to Walmart for a few things I need. As you can see, nothing is scheduled to help me advance. Just everyday things that I will complete.
   
Did you ever hear someone say, “Boy, this pig tastes great”? Or even, “That’s some great cow you cooked up”. We hid behind the words “pork” and “beef”. In fact, these words are often treated as dirty words when used. I’ve never understood this. You vegetarians out there can educate me on this.
       LOST, HE IS
There is a man here who constantly walks the hallway, back and forth from his room to the elevator, caught in a pattern he no longer seems to understand because of his brain injury. Watching him is heartbreaking and reminds me how fragile life and the mind can be. He is one of those who always have to have an escort. Sorry for the person who follows.
   
As I have written before, some people here need someone with them almost every moment of the day. I feel compassion not only for the residents but also for the caregivers assigned to stay by their sides hour after hour. It is not easy work. Their patience and steady presence often go unnoticed, yet it matters deeply. Seeing this also strengthens my own determination to keep rebuilding my independence and
      TONIGHT
This evening I was driven to Walmart to pick up some things.
This is scheduled once a week to restock, which is a good thing.
I like to get Lindor candy; insurance pays for it. Expensive, but worth it.
     
>>>>>May 20
Quietness… that’s all I hear.
It’s 4:08 in the morning, and somehow my eyes popped open before the sun even considered punching in for work. 😄 The halls are silent, the world is asleep, and here I am—awake like an overcaffeinated raccoon with thoughts.
     
I have absolutely no idea what this day will hold. Maybe inspiration. Maybe chaos. Maybe mystery meat at lunch. The universe has not sent me today’s script yet. But one thing is certain: something will happen. It always does. And don’t worry—you’ll hear about it soon enough. 🚀🎭
      Shhh
Throughout the night, the shifts change like a Broadway play with no intermission. 🌙😄 Around 3 a.m., a whole new crew marches in as if they are storming the beaches of Normandy armed with clipboards and coffee cups. Then 9 a.m. rolls around and—BOOM—another cast replacement. It is like watching a never-ending relay race where nobody actually leaves the building.
   
In all my years, I have never once pulled the “Light Night Shift.” Nope. Somehow, I always land in the middle of the action, where doors beep, carts rattle, voices echo down the hallway, and sleep becomes more of a rumor than an activity. 😄
   
Meanwhile, time just floats along like a confused goldfish circling the same little bowl over and over. One minute it feels like midnight, the next it is suddenly breakfast time, and somehow you are still wondering if you ever actually slept at all. ⏰✨
       LIGHTS IN THE HALLWAY
The hallway lights never seem fully awake or fully asleep either—they just hover there in some strange twilight dimension. Staff members glide past like airport workers during a delayed flight, everyone moving with purpose while I sit there wondering what day it even is anymore.
     
Somewhere in the distance, a machine beeps for absolutely no reason anyone can explain, a cart squeaks dramatically like it deserves its own acting award, and somebody is always talking loudly at exactly the moment your eyes finally start to close. Time here does not march forward—it meanders around in fuzzy slippers carrying a lukewarm cup of coffee. 😄
   
They say, “Time is of the essence”.
What could that mean?
Time is time, and essence is essence.
How can the two mix?

I just got my schedule for the day, and the only thing that really jumps out at me is OT from 2–3 pm. Bingo from 11 to noon? I think I’ll somehow survive the crushing disappointment of missing that masterpiece of suspense and flying numbered balls.😄 Somewhere, a bingo cage is spinning dramatically without me… and yet, life marches on. 🚀
     DRAMA?
Honestly, it has reached the point where this place offers very little that pulls me in anymore. The days can start to feel like reruns of a show nobody asked to binge-watch. Even breakfast this morning was just cereal, and I passed on that, too. My excitement level stayed somewhere between “mild shrug” and “sleeping houseplant.”
     
Still, I keep reminding myself: this is temporary. A waiting room is not a destination. I did not come this far in life—from stages, spotlights, accidents, reinventions, and all the wild juggling acts in between—just to let my spirit go flat over a bowl of corn flakes. 🥣😄 One way or another, I will keep pushing forward, looking for growth, movement, and meaning… even if I have to create it myself.
     DOGGY DU DA
And to top off the day, they rolled out what they call “Pet Therapy,” which mostly looked like someone escorting a confused little dog from room to room like a furry motivational speaker. 😄🐕
   
Now, don’t get me wrong, the dog seemed nice enough—no complaints with you, pooch. But I quietly decided to pass on that adventure. Somewhere along the line, my life drifted from performing under spotlights and juggling flying objects to being invited to pet a traveling Labrador in the hallway. That realization alone nearly made me laugh out loud.
     
Still, I know some people truly enjoy it, and if a wagging tail brightens someone’s day, that is a good thing. As for me, I keep looking for something that challenges the mind, sparks the spirit, or at least involves a little more danger than a golden retriever and a leash. 😄
      TODAY
Every morning is about the same–
Wait to get my schedule.
Breakfast arrives.
Then I go out to do my duty, cleaning the garden/patio area.
   
But I want more out of life. Without change, I will not find a different future. It was pretty clean out there today, but still some butts.
   
But I want more out of life than simply watching the days drift by. I want movement. Growth. Possibility. Without change, the future stays trapped inside the same old pattern, like a juggler tossing only one ball and calling it a show. 😄
      DRIFT?
If I want a different tomorrow, I have to keep pushing for it today—step by step, thought by thought, effort by effort. Change can feel uncomfortable, but so can standing still for too long.
   
I went outside for my daily cleanup mission today. Things were clean, which was a good sight. Still, a few cigarette butts were scattered around, stubborn little reminders that there is always work left to do.
     
Funny how life mirrors that. No matter how much progress we make, there are always a few “butts” left behind to pick up—old habits, doubts, fears, excuses. But little by little, the place improves. So do we. One small act at a time.
      NEW JUGGLERS!
Two new people, along with a staff member, stopped by today for a tour of the place. Naturally, I could not resist turning it into an impromptu juggling lesson. 😄 Within minutes, I had them keeping 3 scarves in the air, laughing and surprising themselves at what they could do. Nothing breaks the ice faster than objects flying through the air with just a tiny bit of controlled panic. 🎪
 
Seeing that spark light up in people never gets old. At this point, I have taught more than 55 people here how to juggle, and that feels wonderful. In a place where many people feel stuck, frustrated, or uncertain, even a few moments of success can change the energy in the room.
   
For a little while, people stop thinking about limitations and start thinking, “Hey… maybe I CAN do this.” And sometimes, that small victory becomes the first toss toward something much bigger. For a brain-injured person, the specifics always have to be the same. Chang can be devastating. 
     
They call it “Pet Therapy.” Today, Lucky stopped by to visit people here, bringing a few smiles and wagging her tail along the way. 🐶✨ It was a quick little doggie visit, but she left behind a bit of warmth wherever she went.
       
Worked with Terrie in OT today. She handed me a giant grid packed with numbers and had me hunt for groups of five hidden inside the chaos. This is supposed to help with driving skills. I smiled and played along, although I’m still not sure how spotting sneaky little numbers prepares a man for traffic, stoplights, and the occasional driver who has earned their license from a cereal box. 😄
    DRIVING
Still, I understand the bigger idea. Exercises like that are designed to sharpen focus, scanning, reaction time, and attention to detail—all things that matter behind the wheel. So I dug in and gave it my best effort. Every challenge, even the strange ones, is another small step toward reclaiming independence. And honestly, after everything life has thrown at me, searching for hidden fives in a sea of numbers feels pretty manageable.
     
>>>>>May 21
Just got my schedule for today, nothing much. At 9:30, I have OT for a half hour, then at 11 a Scrabble Group for an hour. Seems to be getting worse around here as far as therapy goes. As you know, I do not do well in “group” settings; they usually do nothing for me.
       
Just got back from OT. Today’s big challenge was basically electronic whack-a-mole with my finger on a glowing board. Honestly, juggling three balls would probably accomplish the same thing—and with a lot more style. 😄 I think I did terribly, but the funny thing is… I did not really care. Sometimes the victory is simply showing up, playing the game, and refusing to let frustration take the steering wheel.
      A CLEANING I WILL GO . . .
Later, I went outside to clean the area, as I do every day. Not much out there this time, which felt like a small win in itself. Still, there is always something needing attention—a cigarette butt, a crooked chair, a little piece of disorder waiting quietly for someone to notice. Life feels a lot like that sometimes—small things, small fixes, small acts of care. None of them seems huge alone, but together they slowly help put the world back in place.
     
Funny how life works that way. A cleaner sidewalk, a picked-up cigarette butt, a tiny act of care—it may not change the entire world in a single afternoon, but it changes my little corner of it. And maybe that is how real progress always begins: not with fireworks and giant speeches, but with small, steady acts that quietly say, “I still care.” One little improvement at a time, the world shifts… and so do we. ✨ 🌎
      GAME TIME
Then came a game of Scrabble with four others. Funny enough, after writing many books and posting a weekly blog, you would think I’d have a slight advantage with words. Nope. I still managed to come in dead last in the great battle of letter tiles. Writing inspiration and finding a seven-letter word under pressure are two completely different sports. 😄
   
It’s strange how many simple family games are used in brain injury therapy. Maybe there is real value hidden in those familiar little games… or maybe the therapists use them because everyone already knows the rules, so the brain can focus on rebuilding rather than learning something new. This makes it easier for the therapists.
     
Either way, it is funny to realize that somewhere between Scrabble, matching cards, and beanbags tossed across a room, people are quietly trying to put pieces of their lives back together again. But from simple games?
      IT’S 3:22
I just went down to the therapy room. Everything was locked up, quiet as a library after closing time. No therapists around at all. They are only here for a limited time in the mornings, though I still do not know enough to fully understand how everything works here. I’m watching, learning, and piecing it together little by little. More updates later as the mystery unfolds. 😄
    NOW IT’S 5 p.m.
I spoke with Myles, and he said the move to:
https://www.legacypreservetampa.com/
is expected to happen on May 28 or 29. Jasmine and April are planning to come down from Pennsylvania to help with the move, which makes this next chapter feel even more real.
   
A new place.
A fresh start.
Exercise time!
New energy in the air.
I’ll keep you posted as things come together.
   
It looks like my time at Legacy will be far more open and freeing than what I’ve experienced here. I’m excited to get back outside, run more, exercise regularly, and hopefully get a bike soon so I can start putting some serious miles behind me again. Watch out, world… I may be turning into a gray-haired road warrior on two wheels. 😄 How ’bout those miles, Myles?
      LEGACY
Yes, I will continue posting my weekly blog for you. I’m grateful that you take the time to read my words, and from everything I can tell, you truly connect with what I write. That means more to me than you know. So get ready—there’s a new atmosphere ahead, a fresh chapter in the air, and I have a feeling the best words are still waiting to be written. ✨
                       LOOKS LIKE A GREAT PLACE >> https://www.legacypreservetampa.com/
And thank you, Greg, for helping make this happen. Greg is with Selective Insurance, and they are covering this new place for me to stay. It is the same insurance company connected to the man who hit me back on 4/3/1982—a moment that changed the entire direction of my life.
     TWISTS?
Through all the twists, turns, crashes, comebacks, and reinventions life has thrown my way since then, Greg and everyone at Selective have been an incredible source of support, encouragement, and help. Through every chapter of the journey, they have continued to stand beside me—and that has meant more than words can say.
Talk about Breaking the Script—I shattered a few copies along the way. Life can be strange like that. One terrible moment can echo through decades, but so can a single act of kindness. A crash can change a life, yet so can a hand reaching down to help someone back up.
   
Through all the twists, setbacks, reinventions, and unlikely comebacks. I have never forgotten the people who helped me keep moving forward. They became part of the story too—the proof that even after the curtain falls, the show is not always over. 🎭✨
       
>>>>>May 22
What is it you say first thing in the morning? Oh, ha… “Good morning.” Funny how those two little words can set the tone for an entire day. Sometimes they are spoken with energy and optimism. Other times, they come out half-asleep, mumbled through tangled hair, aching muscles, and a desperate search for tea. ☕😄
   
But maybe there is more power in those words than we realize. Every morning is a small restart button. A fresh juggling toss into the air. Another chance to stand up, shake off yesterday, and step back into life—whether we feel ready or not.
   
Some mornings feel exciting. Others feel heavy. Yet the sun keeps showing up like the world’s most reliable stage manager, pulling back the curtain and whispering, “Alright, kid… your scene again.” And there we are, blinking at the spotlight, trying to remember our lines.
   
So yes… “Good Morning”. Two simple words. But hidden inside them is hope, possibility, resilience, and the stubborn little decision to begin again. And honestly? Beginning again may be one of the greatest skills a person can ever learn. 🌅✨
   
Every Thursday, I give this blog one last editorial scan. Miner changes make a good end result. Just a comma here or there can change much that is written. I’m enjoying the writing. I hope you are enjoying the reading.
     
Breakfast finally rolled in around 8:40 — fashionably late once again. At this point, even the toast seems to be running on “island time.” 😄 As for the schedule? It never showed up at all. Somewhere out there, I imagine it wandering the halls like a lost tourist with no map and no sense of urgency.
   
Life here sometimes feels like a parade with no route, no drum major, and absolutely no hurry, yet the clock keeps ticking, the carts keep squeaking, and the day keeps rolling forward anyway. Still, the sun came up, coffee exists, and I’m here — writing, thinking, laughing a little, and doing my best to juggle the chaos with style. 🎪✨
     
I was a little late — which, around here, seems to put me right on schedule. 😄 I wandered into Game Group and found everyone gathered around a simple children’s game called Sequence. Cards and chips were flying everywhere.
   
I stayed for a few minutes, watched the cards and colored chips fly around the table, smiled politely at the action, and then decided it was time to hit the road. Some games pull you in… and some gently escort you right back out the door. Bye-bye.
     I’M STILL SAYING TO MYSELF—GET ME OUTTA HERE !
At 11 a.m., there’s something on the schedule called “Red, White and Beautiful Art Group.” If you know me, you already know arts-and-crafts hour is probably not my natural habitat. 😄 Still, I may wander in, investigate the situation, and report back from the front lines of glitter, glue sticks, and patriotic construction paper. Stay tuned.
     
So I went down, and sure enough, I was right. Each person was handed a red, a white, and a blue crayon and told to draw something connected to the holiday — and you can probably guess which one. 😄 Somewhere between kindergarten art class and patriotic masterpiece, history was being made one wobbly crayon line at a time.


===============================
PART3–BLOG 378–​BREAK THE SCRIPT
     
Starting back at Collier Junior High School in San Diego, I loved being in plays. In 1976, I was featured as a juggler in Carousel, and that single performance gave my young juggling life a tremendous boost. For a teenager obsessed with juggling, stepping onto that stage felt like someone had suddenly turned the lights brighter on my future.
 
The show took place at the legendary Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park — officially home to the San Diego Civic Light Opera. The Starlight Bowl once filled warm summer nights with music, laughter, Broadway magic, and yes… flying juggling clubs and torches? 🎪✨
   
Originally built as the Ford Bowl for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition, the 3,500-seat amphitheater became one of San Diego’s great traditions. Audiences gathered under the stars while performers sang, danced, acted, and occasionally battled one unexpected co-star: airplanes.
   
You see, the theater sat directly beneath the flight path to San Diego Airport. And when a roaring jet thundered overhead, the show could not continue. The actors froze in place. The singers stopped mid-note. The orchestra paused. The entire production literally had to BREAK THE SCRIPT.
 

THE STARLIGHT BOWL

And there I was—a young juggler trying to keep clubs flying while a roaring airplane bulldozed its way through the scene. You should have seen a juggling club freeze mid-flight! 😄✈️ One moment, everything was moving in perfect rhythm… the next, the entire cast locked in place like someone had hit the giant cosmic PAUSE button over Balboa Park.
     
For a few magical seconds, time itself seemed suspended. The actors froze. Music silenced. A juggling club hanging in the air like it had forgotten gravity. Then, as the jet noise faded into the distance, everyone sprang back to life as if nothing had happened.
   
Strange?–Absolutely. Chaotic?–Constantly. But somehow it was also beautiful—a perfect reminder that live performance is gloriously unpredictable, and sometimes the interruptions become the most unforgettable part of the show. 🎭✨
     
Looking back now, I realize that theater taught me something much bigger than performing. Life does not always follow the script. Planes fly overhead. Accidents happen. Dreams stall. I drop (who, me?) People freeze. But the magic is not in pretending interruptions never come. The magic is learning how to continue after they do. At times, we have to break the script.
   
Over time, financial struggles dimmed the lights at the Starlight Bowl. Mounting debt eventually forced the organization into bankruptcy in 2011, and the once-vibrant venue fell silent. Yet even now, the story refuses to end.
   
Groups like Save Starlight have worked tirelessly to restore and preserve the historic theater, while the City of San Diego continues exploring ways to bring the venue back to life. Hope still hangs in the warm San Diego night air, waiting for another opening curtain. Are you a part of this group, Larry?
 
And maybe that is the real lesson of Starlight >>
Sometimes life interrupts the performance.
Sometimes everything freezes in place.
Sometimes the music stops.
But you are still here.
So smile, take your mark, and when the noise finally passes…
Break the silence, break the fear, and break the script. 🚀
      LIVE FOR NOW!   NOT YESTERDAY!    NOT TOMORROW!   NOW IS THE TIME!
===========================                                                                                                                                      THERE’S THE STARLIGHT BOWL!
PART 4) 🔥 A FEW SPARKS TO SLIP INTO YOUR POCKET
    ✨ THE MAGIC OF QUOTES ✨
Inspirational quotes are like mental spark plugs. 💥 They jolt the mind awake, shrink giant problems down to size, and give your spirit a running start. One powerful sentence can flip your thinking upside down—turning “I can’t” into “Why not give it a shot?” The right words at the right moment can become a tiny flashlight in a dark hallway. 🔦

But here’s where the real magic happens: repetition turns inspiration into identity. The more you repeat a truth, the more your mind begins to believe it… and eventually, your life begins to reflect it. A quote hanging on a wall is a decoration. A quote lived out through your actions? That becomes a transformation. 

Simple truth:
A quote on a page is nice…
A quote you live by?
That’s power. ✨
=====
“When we strive to become better than we are,
everything around us becomes better, too.” —Paulo Coelho
   
“Without change,
We go nowhere.” —Kit Summers.
     
“Just one small positive thought in the morning–
can change your whole day.” —Dalai Lama
   
“Motivation is a fire from within.
If someone else tries to light that fire under you,
chances are, it will burn very briefly.” —Stephen R. Covey
   
“I have discovered in life that there are ways of getting.
almost anywhere you want to go, if you really want to go.” – Langston Hughes
     
“The secret of getting ahead is getting started.
The secret of getting started is breaking your complex,
overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks,
and then starting on the first one.” —Mark Twain
     
“Do or do not.
There is no try.” —Yoda.
     
“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule,
but to schedule your priorities.” —Stephen Covey
     
“You were born to win, but to be a winner,
you must plan to win, prepare to win,
and expect to win.” —Zig Ziglar
   
“It is no good getting furious if you get stuck.
What I do is keep thinking about the problem,
but work on something else,” —Steven Hawking
     
“Reflect on what you do in a day.
You may have never realized how some simple,
harmless activities rob you of precious time.” —Vivek Naik
   
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest
you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” —Robert Louis Stevenson
   
“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly,
It is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.” —Kurt Vonnegut.
     
“Creativity involves breaking out of expected patterns.
to look at things differently.” —Edward de Bono
     
“Create with the heart;
build with the mind.” —Criss Jami
     
“Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration,
motivation, and a pinch of creativity.” —Bo Bennett
   
“Have no fear of perfection,
you’ll never reach it” —Salvador Dali
============================
PART 5) YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK >>
LIVE FOR NOW! NOT TOMORROW. NOT NEXT WEEK. NOW IS YOUR TIME!
This week, change everything about yourself, live a different life.
Remember that, without change, we go nowhere.
Try living a “different” life this week.
===============
PART 6) NEXT WEEK>>BLOG 379–Don’t Just Count the Days Until Your End
================ 

🌟 PART 7) FINAL THOUGHTS 🌟
Because the best is always still ahead.
So juggle joy like it’s the air you breathe.
The horizon holds more than you can yet imagine.
Your present moment is not the finish line—it’s your starting block.
Chase sunsets as if they’re secret treasures waiting just for you.
Laugh so loudly that tomorrow leans in to listen.
Write me today—kitsummers@gmail.com
Live as though you’ve only just begun—
BECAUSE YOU TRULY HAVE!
🌟

✨KITTING AROUND✨
BLOG 377–I CAN(‘T) WHISTLE
This Video will let you know more about me–1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr8QFnD1yGc
This Blog is Best Read on a Laptop, Rather than Your Phone.
By KIT SUMMERS — World-Class Juggler to World-Class Comeback
To Learn More about Kit, Go Here >> https://kitsummers.com/about-kit/

Once upon a life, I made gravity nervous—
Headlining at Ballys, tossing clubs with a grin.
Seven of them. A world record—
Because physics loves a good insult. 😄
Then came the truck—the coma.
     
Thirty-seven silent days offstage.
And here I am now—not juggling clubs.
But throwing purpose, grit, and joy.
Balancing healing, catching courage.
Tossing hope sky-high. 🤹‍♂️


The mission grew bigger than applause.
Now I lift humans. I write to stay connected.
I write because it’s how I breathe.
If these words help you, too?
That’s magic catching air. 🎉
     
What’s next on Kit’s journey through life?
Back to juggling? Back to life?
Stay with Kit and find out.
Life can get better.
Life will get better. ✨

=============================

It might make things easier for you if I added a table of contents. That way, you can jump straight to the sections that interest you most—like having a remote control for my wandering brain. 😄 Let me know if it helps.
   
At the moment, I still need to figure out how to add page numbers properly. Somewhere inside this machine, tiny digital gremlins are hiding that information from me. But don’t worry—I’ll track them down and have it sorted out before the next blog post. At least you can see the order of things. ✨

PART 1) THE BEGINNINGS PAGE  1
PART 2) THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK PAGE 
PART 3) BLOG 377–I CAN(‘T) WHISTLE PAGE 
PART 4) QUOTES PAGE 
PART 5) YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK  Next to Last Page
PART 6) THE BLOG NEXT WEEK Last Page
PART 7) FINAL THOUGHTS Last Page

=============================

Every week, I try to write the very best blog I can—something that makes you laugh a little louder, think a little deeper, and step back into life with brighter eyes and a lighter heart. A few words of joy. A little wisdom. A spark of wonder. The kind of writing that stays with you long after the screen goes dark. ✨
   
Can you feel that in my writing? The heart, the humor, the miles traveled, the lessons dropped and picked back up like juggling balls over the years? I hope so. Because I don’t just place words on a page—I try to breathe life into them. 🎪
   
If you ever miss a blog notification—or simply feel like wandering through a colorful garden of past posts—visit kitsummers.com, then look for and dive into the blog. Every post is waiting there like a tiny spark on a bookshelf, hoping to light something alive inside you. ✨
   
And if the notifications ever start feeling like one ball too many in your juggling pattern, no worries at all—just let me know, and I’ll gently remove you from the list. No drops. No drama. Just a smooth catch and release. Though I’ll miss having you in the audience. 🎭  🎯 

================ =================

PART 1)  THE BEGINNINGS
DON’T LIVE FOR THE FUTURE OR THE PAST—
MAKE THE MOST OF THE MOMENT YOU’RE HOLDING RIGHT NOW! 

Whistle while you work–can you imagine? Many keep themselves occupied and happy by whistling. Try it, you might like it. How ’bout this–I will listen to try and hear you from where I am. You will have to be very loud. You know the line — “I CAN’T HEAR YOU!” Can you whistle?

Lots of people think whistling is a genetic trait, but it is just a learned physical skill. You aren’t alone—an informal poll showed up to 67% of people can’t whistle. You can train your lips and tongue to get it right.

Hmm, a list of things I can’t do?
Pull up a chair… This could take a while. 😄

• I can’t whistle very well… yet. Right now, my whistles sound less like beautiful music and more like a confused tea kettle asking for emotional support.
• I can no longer run a mile under five minutes. These days, if I run at all, nearby people start looking around for the escaped bear I must be fleeing from. 🐻💨
• Pole vaulting? Those days are over. I once cleared 18’6″… but these days I can’t even try again, mostly because I’m missing one tiny detail: the pole. 
• Seven-club juggling? Those glorious days may be behind me. At this point, I’m hovering around, juggling 3½ clubs. The other half usually introduces itself directly to my forehead. 🤹‍♂️
• I will never be a racecar driver. Mostly because I prefer my vehicles upright and not wrapped around a flaming tire barrier while commentators scream, “HE’S STILL SMILING!”
• I’ll never believe in the long parade of gods humanity has invented through the centuries. Zeus hurled lightning bolts, Thor swung a hammer, and Jesus conquered death. Thousands of gods have risen and fallen through history, yet I’ve never seen convincing evidence that they were anything more than human stories—wrapped in thunder, mystery, and hope. 
• I will also never be female. Biology looked at me and said,
  “Nope, we’re installing the deluxe beard package instead.” Wrong parts. 😄
• I can’t ride a 300-meter-tall unicycle either.
  Mostly because none currently exist…
  Though somewhere, some circus engineer just whispered, “Challenge accepted.” 🎪
• I have not yet learned to fly. I’ve tested gravity many times.
  However, I can confirm the wind remains highly committed to its job.
• And I will never become a prostitutie. Sorry, ladies.
  The line forms somewhere else. Besides, nobody wants to hear >> 
  “For an extra twenty bucks, I’ll also teach you to juggle scarves!” 😂

AsIwrote,therearesomanythingsIcan’tdo.
(Whoops. Apparently, my space bar took a coffee break.) 
     
I was outside, all geared up to do a short run. My lungs, however, called an emergency board meeting and unanimously voted, “ABSOLUTELY NOT.” 😄 So instead of jogging, I performed the rarely celebrated sport of Competitive Standing Still.
   
Back in my room, I could hear Bob across the hall doing his daily pain-crying. That part hits hard. Every time I hear it, I wish I could fix something, help somehow, say the magic words, juggle the pain away, something. But at times, life hands you moments without an easy answer—just a reminder that being human can hurt.
   
Still, even caring matters. A smile. A few kind words. A tiny act of kindness tossed into someone’s difficult day like emotional confetti. Sometimes those little things are the closest thing we have to superhero powers… unless Amazon finally delivers my cape and officially promotes me to Captain Compassion. 🦸‍♂️✨Do what you can . . .
   
Until then, I’ll keep using my secret abilities: listening, encouraging, and fighting evil with dangerously powerful dad jokes and slightly overcaffeinated optimism. ☕🦸‍♂️ I may not have laser vision, but if I can make someone laugh, feel stronger, or believe in themselves again, that’s a pretty good superpower.
     
I may not fly or leap tall buildings anymore—stairs, and I are currently in delicate negotiations—but I’ve learned that real superheroes are usually ordinary people who keep showing up with kindness, hope, and humor even on hard days. So I’ll keep spreading a little light, lifting spirits where I can, and waiting for Amazon to finally deliver my cape. ✨
=============================
PART 2)  THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK Kit’s Daily Delights — Inspiration, Freshly Served. Every week, I sit down to map my week—and every time, it begins the same way: a blank canvas. Nothing there. It still surprises me. That quiet moment, just before I fill it in… when the whole week is wide open, waiting for me to decide what it becomes. And here’s the beautiful truth—you’ve got that same wide-open canvas, too. Start now and make the life YOU want as you help others!   

>>>>>May 9
THE EARLY MORNING
It’s only about 8 a.m., and I’m already finishing most of my next blog. 🌅✍️ While much of the world is still waking up and hunting for coffee, my mind has already been dancing with ideas. There’s something magical about these early quiet hours—the silence, the sunrise, and the feeling that anything is possible before the noise of the day rolls in.
     
Getting most of a blog done before 8 a.m. feels like a head start on life itself. The day says, “Ready?” and I smile back: “Already moving.” 🚀 You know me… up early as usual. At 4 a.m., while most of the world is still drooling on pillows and negotiating peace treaties with alarm clocks, I’m rolling laundry down the hallway like a determined little nighttime raccoon. 😄
      LAUNDRY
The laundry room was empty—my kind of rush hour. Two washers. Two dryers. No waiting. No chaos. Just me, a mountain of rebellious socks, and the hypnotic ballet of spinning machinery. Honestly, it felt less like doing laundry and more like I’d rented out a tiny nightclub for exhausted T-shirts. 🌀😄
   
Most people here have their clothes cleaned by staff, but I still do my own. I actually like it. There’s something satisfying about handling the little pieces of life yourself. A bit of independence. A bit of rhythm. A bit of, “Yep… still moving forward.” And honestly, I do it with a smile on my face.
     I SMELL SOMETHING
My sniffer isn’t operating at Olympic level these days. My sense of smell barely punches the time clock, so I can’t always tell when that classic “well-aged human aroma” might be quietly sneaking onto the scene like an uninvited guest at a barbecue. 😄
 
Along with that, my taste buds are not really my “buds” these days either. 😄 Ever since everything my body has been through, my sense of taste has wandered off like a confused tourist with no map and a broken compass. Some foods arrive with all the excitement of wet cardboard, while others surprise me out of nowhere like, “Well, hello there… where have YOU been hiding?”
   
But honestly, when you don’t fully remember what something is supposed to taste like, you don’t spend much time mourning it. Human beings are amazingly adaptable creatures. We adjust. We improvise. We keep moving forward. Here I am, changing with the changes.
   
I may not experience flavor the same way I once did, but I still enjoy the ritual of eating, the conversations around meals, the laughter, the tea in my hand at sunrise, and the simple joy of being here for another day on this wild spinning rock. 🌅☕🍳
   
Life changes the recipe sometimes. A few ingredients vanish without warning. Others come flying into the pot like a raccoon with a shopping cart and no adult supervision. Plans burn. Dreams boil over. Somebody definitely forgot the lid. 😄
   
But somehow, if you keep stirring with gratitude, humor, and a little stubborn hope, the meal still becomes something worth sharing. Maybe not the dish you expected… but often one with far more flavor, depth, and surprise.
    RELAX
But if you keep your spirit seasoned with gratitude, humor, curiosity, and a little stubborn hope, life still has a way of serving up something surprisingly beautiful. Maybe not the meal you originally ordered… but often one with far more flavor, depth, and stories worth telling around the table. 🍲✨
     
My sense of taste took a vacation, too. The taste buds apparently packed tiny suitcases and left without notice. But here’s the funny thing about being human: when you slowly lose certain senses, you adapt. You stop mourning every little thing because your brain learns a new version of normal. Life keeps saying, “Alright, Kit… different tools now. Keep juggling.” And somehow, we do. ✨

STRANGE THOUGH, I STILL TASTE
“HOT” MEXICAN FOOD.
(OR PERHAPS IT’S NOT TO TASTE)
THAT HAS NOT CHANGED. 

I was just out doing my daily cleanup mission. Fewer cigarette butts today—which felt like a small but glorious victory for Team Earth. 🌎 Every little bit matters. Still, that wave of exhaustion I sometimes get came crashing in hard today, like my internal batteries suddenly filed an official complaint with management and demanded an immediate coffee break. 😄
      RUNNING?
I had planned to run a few laps afterward, but my mind stepped in, folded its arms, and said, “Not today, Captain Cleanup.” So instead, I listened. Sometimes strength is charging forward… and sometimes it’s knowing when the engine needs a little tune-up before the next adventure.
     
They had spread fresh wood chips around the grounds, and I already know the routine: the next big storm will send them flying across the property like nature’s version of confetti. So off I went, making my rounds, gathering scattered chips and tidying things up before the wind could turn the place into a wooden tumbleweed convention. Sweep, sweep, sweep.
     
The funny thing is, most people probably never notice the effort behind small acts like this. But little by little, cleaned corner by cleaned corner, we shape the world around us. Even tired… I’m especially tired… there’s something good about leaving a place better than you found it. ✨
     
>>>>> May 10
It was already 1:30 in the afternoon, and I still hadn’t written a single word on this daily schedule… so, after deep thought, intense concentration, and what I can only describe as a dramatic literary breakthrough, here it is:

           “Word.”

A late start, perhaps — but technically, the streak is alive. 😄 Sometimes progress arrives like a roaring rocket. Other times, it limps in wearing slippers and carrying a sandwich. Either way, it showed up. And honestly, showing up counts for a lot in this life. 😄
    THE BLOG
Truthfully, I’ve been busy working on other parts of this blog—with you in mind and excellence as the target. I don’t just want to toss words onto a page like socks into a laundry basket. I want each piece to carry heart, humor, insight, and maybe a tiny spark that makes your day feel a little more alive. ✨
     
There is a lot more to building a good blog than just throwing words onto a page like spaghetti at a refrigerator and hoping something sticks. 🍝😄 It’s rhythm. Timing. Heart. Humor. Clarity. Too many words, and readers need a nap halfway through. Too few, and your brilliant idea walks out wearing only one sock.
     
How’s your writing?
Are you quick?
Accurate?
Or do you type one sentence… stare out the window dramatically… delete it… rewrite it… Then reward yourself with a snack for surviving the emotional journey? 😄
     
Some writers sprint like caffeinated squirrels. Others move slowly, polishing every sentence as if it were going into a museum. The real magic is finding the balance—writing fast enough to keep the fire alive, but carefully enough that your words actually land where you aimed them instead of crashing into the neighbor’s petunias. 🌺✨
   
I know it’s a beautiful sunny day outside. The sky is showing off, the birds are probably holding tiny afternoon meetings, and somewhere out there, the world is rolling forward in full color. Meanwhile, I’m in here… stuck inside this room, unable to get out.
     CARTWHEELS
Some days, that reality lands softly. Other days, it hits like a locked door inside the chest. You can almost feel the sunshine calling your name, teasing you through the window like life is out there doing cartwheels while you sit on the sidelines holding the ticket stub. ☀️
   
I miss movement.
I miss wandering.
I miss the beautiful simplicity of thinking,
“I think I’ll go for a walk,” and then simply opened the door and went.
     
No planning.
No permission.
No obstacles.
Funny how the smallest freedoms barely whisper to us when we have them…
but roar like thunder once they’re gone.
   
A breeze on your face.
The sound of shoes on pavement.
The randomness of life happening around you.
Even standing somewhere with absolutely nothing.
Nowhere is more important than suddenly feeling magical.
    TRAPPED
But here’s the strange thing about human beings: even when the body feels trapped, the spirit still searches for open windows. That’s what writing does for me. That’s what humor does. That’s what hope does. They become tiny escape artists. 🎪
   
So yes, part of me aches to be outside under that bright sky today. But another part of me refuses to let these walls become the borders of my life. If I can still encourage, still create, still laugh, still dream, still send a little light outward into the world—then the room may hold my body, but it does not get custody of my spirit. ✨
     “MY” BARBER
About once a week, I visit my barber—an exclusive little shop run by a highly trained professional named… me. 💈😄 The appointment is always available, the conversation is brilliant, and the waiting room is wonderfully empty.
   
I use my trusty razor and give everything the same deluxe treatment: hair, beard, sideburns, and yes—even the eyebrows. Why should the eyebrows think they’re above the law? Or above getting trimmed just because they happen to live closer to the penthouse suite? 😄
   
Around here, everybody gets trimmed to regulation height. It’s less “Hollywood stylist” and more “efficient lawn maintenance,” but I walk out feeling clean, sharp, and aerodynamic enough to reduce wind resistance as I walk down the hallway.
   
And the price? Absolutely unbeatable. The owner gives me a huge discount on every visit. No tipping required either… although I do occasionally pause at the mirror afterward and compliment myself on the exceptional craftsmanship. Five-star service. Very handsome clientele. (Who, me?) 😄 😄
   
Truthfully, there’s something satisfying about doing it yourself. A few careful passes with the razor, and suddenly you feel lighter, fresher, more ready for the day. Besides, at my rates, I can still afford luxury items like peanut butter and bananas.
   
Do you cut your own hair, or do you place your fate into the trembling hands of a professional barber named Skippy, armed with scissors, clippers, and the enormous responsibility of eyebrow management? 😄 One wrong move and suddenly your eyebrows look like two squirrels that got into an argument and moved to opposite sides of your forehead.
   
I handle the job myself. Hair, beard, sideburns, nose hair, eyebrows—everybody gets the same VIP treatment. I believe in equality. No strand gets special privileges around here. The cost is excellent, the appointment wait time is zero, and the barber never tries to sell me expensive shampoo with mysterious ingredients harvested from moonlight and volcano flowers.
   
There is also something oddly satisfying about standing there with a razor in hand, taking control of the situation like a slightly underqualified sculptor working on a very nervous statue. So far, I still resemble a human, which I consider a tremendous success. ✂️

>>>>>May 11
A good morning to you.
No breakfast for me today, it never arrived. I hope others who need their morning nourishment are getting something. All I have scheduled today is a speech from 10-10:30, then “Sports Group” from 1 to noon.
    10:00–10:30
I spent the last half hour in speech therapy. She suggested I use my notebook more often to help with memory. We talked about several things, and within minutes, I had already forgotten much of the conversation. Moments like that remind me that, yes, I still need the notebook—no shame in that. A notebook is not a weakness—it’s a backup for the brain. Even astronauts use checklists, and they’re flying rockets, not trying to remember where they left their coffee. 🚀☕        
    11:00–Noon
I went into the Sports Group and was basically asked, “What do you want to do today?” Honestly, nothing came to mind. A few people chose Corn Hole, which I completely understand. Some people really enjoy it, and that’s great. But for me? My passion for tossing beanbags at plywood has not yet burst into flames. 😄 So I sat that one out. Everybody has different things that light them up. One thing I don’t like is litter and waste.
   
There are NO therapy sessions this afternoon, which honestly makes me sad. Therapy is not just something to fill time for me—it is movement, progress, challenge, and hope rolled into one. Each session gives me a chance to sharpen my mind, strengthen my body, and feel like I am actively climbing forward instead of sitting still. When those sessions disappear, the day can suddenly feel much quieter, heavier, almost like the engine of progress has been switched off for a while.
   
For people recovering from brain injuries, structure and purposeful activity matter deeply. Growth does not usually arrive wrapped in fireworks and marching bands. Most often, it comes through small repetitions, steady effort, and continued engagement with life, even when it feels difficult.
      THERAPY
Therapy represents possibility. It whispers, “Keep going. Keep rebuilding. Keep reaching.” It is movement, challenge, progress—the quiet proof that tomorrow can still become something greater than today.
   
Without therapy, the afternoon can feel strangely hollow, like a gym with the lights turned off, a stage after the applause fades, or a circus tent standing silent after the crowd has gone home—the energy changes. The momentum pauses. And for someone fighting to rebuild a life, that emptiness can echo louder than people realize.  🎪
   
Still, I remind myself: progress is not limited to official therapy hours. Even on quiet afternoons, I can still practice patience, writing, thinking, memory work, movement, humor, gratitude, and determination. Recovery does not completely stop just because the schedule does. The human spirit is sneakier than that. It keeps stretching, adapting, and learning—even in the slow moments.
    THE WASTE
I see so much waste here, especially wasted time. Time is life, and too much of it drifts away in this place like smoke in the wind. I already went out and did my daily cleanup mission this morning, but once again, there were more cigarette butts, more trash, more signs that people have stopped paying attention.
   
It’s sad. Not just because of the litter, but because it feels symbolic of something bigger—people slowly giving up on their surroundings, and maybe even on themselves. Many of the staff here waste time, which costs NR a lot of money. That’s one of the reasons I do the cleaning that I do.
   
Yes, I keep cleaning. One little piece at a time. One butt. One wrapper. One small act that says, “I still care.” 🌎 Maybe that sounds tiny in a world this messy, but revolutions have started with less. Besides, if Captain Cleanup retires, the squirrels may form a union and take over the property. And frankly, I do not trust them with management responsibilities.
     
>>>>>May 12
    WHICH DIRECTION?
Here we go again… another day stretched out in front of me like a long open road, asking the same question: What will I do? What will I do? Maybe that question is not a burden at all. Maybe it is an invitation. A blank stage. A fresh juggling pattern waiting for the first toss. 🎪
   
Some days arrive with fireworks and marching bands. Others quietly shuffle in wearing sweatpants and carrying lukewarm tea. But every single day still holds possibility—a conversation, a laugh, a lesson, a tiny victory nobody else even notices.
    SIT?
So I sit with the hours ahead of me and wonder: Will I write something that helps someone breathe easier? Will I make someone smile? Will I challenge myself a little more today? Will I whistle through the hard parts? Will I head outside again for Captain Clean-Up duty and rescue the planet one cigarette butt at a time? 🌎
   
Life does not always hand us perfect circumstances. Sometimes it hands us detours, pain, boredom, waiting rooms, and walls that seem much too close together. But even then, a choice still lies hidden inside the day.
   
We can drift through it… or meet it standing tall. So here we go again. Another sunrise. Another chance to think better, move better, love better, laugh louder, and keep going forward—one step, one word, one slightly overcaffeinated thought at a time. 😄
      11 TO NOON
From 11 to noon, I was scheduled for Game Group. I waited until 11:09 before finally retreating to my room. You may realize that games are not exactly my Olympic sport. 😄 Unless the event is Extreme Professional Avoiding of Corn Hole… in that case, I may be world-ranked. 🎯
   
Sitting around waiting for a game I didn’t want to play in the first place felt like being stuck at an airport gate for a flight to someplace I never planned to visit. So, back to the room I went—where at least my thoughts, ideas, and keyboard still know how to keep me entertained.
    MY WRITING
As words fly from my fingers to your eyes, I hope they carry more than letters and sentences. I hope they carry sparks. Tiny fireworks of thought. A little laughter on a hard day. A reminder that life is still happening right now, right in front of us, waiting to be noticed.
   
Every word I write has traveled a road with me—through applause and silence, hospitals and highways, victories and spectacular face-plants into reality. 😄 Some words limp a little. Some dance. Some juggle flaming bowling balls while riding a unicycle through a windstorm. But all of them are trying to reach you with something real.
 
Maybe that is what writing really is—not typing, not grammar, not commas behaving themselves for once—but one human being reaching across the invisible distance to another and saying, “Hey… keep going. There is still magic here.”
   
As words fly from my fingers to your eyes, I hope they carry more than letters and sentences. I hope they carry sparks. Tiny fireworks of thought. A little laughter on a hard day. A reminder that life is still happening right now, right in front of us, waiting to be noticed.
   
Every word I write has traveled a road with me—through applause and silence, hospitals and highways, victories and spectacular face-plants into reality. 😄 Some words limp a little. Some dance. Some juggle flaming bowling balls while riding a unicycle through a windstorm. But all of them are trying to reach you with something real.
   
Maybe that is what writing really is—not typing, not grammar, not commas behaving themselves for once—but one human being reaching across the invisible distance to another and saying, “Hey… keep going. There is still magic here.”
   
And if a few of these words happen to sneak into your heart, straighten your back, or make you grin like a raccoon that just discovered an unattended taco truck… then the mission was a success. 🎪
    1:00–2:00
Yoga Group. I politely passed. 😄 Nothing against yoga at all—I fully support stretching, breathing deeply, and achieving inner peace—but twisting myself into shapes that resemble a confused lawn chair did not feel like today’s adventure.
     
Some people find calm through yoga. I find mine through movement, ideas, laughter, writing, juggling, and occasionally wandering the planet like an overcaffeinated philosopher with a cleanup mission. Different roads, same destination. ✨
    2:00 to 2:30
I taught my juggling class. Five people came out to practice, and the beautiful thing is… most of them are really starting to get it. You can almost see the lightbulbs flick on mid-throw. 🎪✨ There is something special about watching confusion slowly turn into rhythm.
   
Maryann, along with some of the staff, continues improving, too. She still has that very common beginner habit of launching her left-hand throws off forward during a sightseeing tour. 😄 But that is part of learning. Every juggler starts with wild throws, chasing runaway balls like they are escaping prisoners. I noticed it, smiled, gave a little nod, and we kept going. Progress—not perfection—is the game.

>>>>>May 13
    BUTTS 
Why does littering seem to come bundled with smoking like some terrible “buy one, get one free” deal? Polluting the air is already bad enough, but covering the ground with cigarette butts, too?
   
Come on now. Right outside the entrance/exit, I counted at least 25 butts scattered around like tiny toxic breadcrumbs. Then I reached the patio—another 20 or more waiting for me there.
     
It is discouraging because cigarette butts are not harmless little scraps. They sit there, ugly and forgotten, soaking chemicals into the environment while making the whole place feel neglected.
   
Small actions matter, both good and bad. A single person tossing one butt may seem insignificant, but multiplied by hundreds, it turns into a dirty landscape that everyone else has to walk through.
     
So out I went again—Captain Clean-Up on patrol. 😄 One more bag, one more round, one more quiet reminder that taking care of the world still matters. Even when others drop the ball… or the butt.
      THE THERAPISTS HERE      
I must commend the therapists and nurses I have worked with here. In past posts, I’ve sometimes been critical of parts of the system, but it’s also important for me to recognize the many people here who truly care and work hard every single day.
     
So many of these therapists bring patience, skill, encouragement, and heart into what they do, often helping people rebuild pieces of their lives one small step at a time. That matters more than words can fully express.
     
I sincerely thank every person I have worked with here at NR. Recovery is not always an easy road—it can feel more like juggling flaming bowling balls during an earthquake while someone keeps changing the music. 😄
   
But through the chaos, frustration, setbacks, and small victories, so many people here have shown patience, kindness, and genuine care. For that, I am deeply grateful. Every bit of encouragement, support, and effort matters more than you may realize. 😄
       
But many of you have continued to show up with support, professionalism, and kindness. I appreciate the effort, the conversations, the guidance, and the belief that improvement is still possible. Thank you for being part of the climb.
        CLEAN THE WORLD
Today, we head back to https://cleantheworld.org/. As you know, we go a few times each month, and we’ll be leaving at 8:30 this morning. It should be a good time—part service project, part field trip, part “look at us being productive before some people have found their left sock.” 😄
   
The beautiful thing about it is that it costs Clean-the-World nothing. They receive free volunteer labor, and the work truly matters. Many businesses and organizations send teams to help with the projects there, packing and preparing recycled soap and hygiene supplies that are distributed to people in need around the world.
   
Small actions, multiplied by many hands, create enormous good. A little effort, a willingness to help, and suddenly the world becomes cleaner, kinder, and brighter. Real change rarely begins with fireworks—it begins with people quietly deciding to care. ✨  ✨
       
ARE YOU DOING YOUR PART TO CLEAN THE WORLD? 
     
Breakfast was not delivered before we left.
I’m not hungry, as usual.
But I worry about others.
     
At Clean the World, I got a tremendous amount done today, as usual. 😄 Part of me wants to teach others some of the little techniques and rhythms I’ve discovered that help me work quickly and efficiently.
        HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL    
Over the years, I’ve learned that success often comes from tiny adjustments repeated consistently. But I also understand that everyone has their own style, pace, and approach, and I never want to come across like an overcaffeinated efficiency ninja barking orders in a soap-packing factory.
   
So I try to balance enthusiasm with respect—offering ideas when they’re welcome, while remembering that the best teamwork happens when encouragement leads the way. A little inspiration can open doors far better than a shove ever could. ✨
   
Along with two therapists, there were four of us brain-injured adventurers gathered together—our own little team of bent-but-not-broken humans, trying to rebuild circuits, confidence, and pieces of ourselves one conversation, one exercise, and one laugh at a time.
   
We stayed for a couple of hours, which was right. Long enough to stretch the brain, challenge the spirit, and remind ourselves that recovery is not a straight highway—it is more like juggling flaming bowling balls on a trampoline during an earthquake. 😄
   
Still, there is something powerful about being in a room with people who understand struggle without needing long explanations. Each person there is carrying invisible battles, frustrations, and victories that outsiders rarely see.
      DEALING WITH BRAIN INJURY     
A forgotten word. A shaky step. A moment of confusion. Then suddenly—a smile, a breakthrough, a tiny success that deserves a standing ovation. Those moments matter. They are proof that the human spirit keeps reaching forward, even after life throws a brick through the windshield.
     
By the end of the session, you could almost feel everyone’s mental batteries slipping into the yellow zone, blinking low-power warnings. Brain work is exhausting in a way many healthy people never fully understand.
   
A damaged brain can turn concentration, conversation, memory, and simple thinking into the equivalent of climbing a mountain with ankle weights strapped to your thoughts. Even a few hours of focused effort can leave someone feeling wrung out—mentally, emotionally, and physically.
 
Two hours can feel like climbing a mountain while solving underwater crossword puzzles. So yes, a couple of hours was probably enough for all of us brave neurological warriors before our brains started waving tiny white surrender flags.
      THE AFTERNOON       
In the afternoon, there was nothing—nothing scheduled, nothing happening, not even a tiny crumb of excitement rolling down the hallway. Nada. An empty stretch of hours just sitting there, staring at me like a goldfish with no hobbies. 😄
   
And honestly, that can be surprisingly difficult. People often think doing “nothing” sounds relaxing, but when your mind wants movement, challenge, conversation, purpose, or growth, too much emptiness can feel heavy. Time slows down. The clock starts acting dramatically. Even the walls seem to yawn.
   
I found myself wondering what to do with myself. Read? Write? Walk? Juggle imaginary juggling clubs for an invisible audience? There are only so many times a man can reorganize his thoughts before his thoughts start reorganizing him.
     
Still, I keep reminding myself that empty hours are not empty lives. Sometimes these quiet spaces become the birthplace of ideas, reflection, gratitude, or determination. A blank afternoon can either swallow your spirit—or become a blank canvas where you decide what comes next.
    SEARCH
So I keep searching for little sparks: a conversation, a few written words, a bit of exercise, a laugh, a plan for tomorrow. Sometimes progress does not arrive wearing fireworks. Sometimes it quietly sneaks in disguised as “just getting through the afternoon.” ✨ How about you? Can I be with you?
     
Someone turned Bob on, and soon his voice and the sounds he made filled the room like a radio stuck between stations. At times, it can feel grating on the nerves—but the truth is, Bob, isn’t choosing any of it. His injured brain no longer gives him the control most of us take for granted. That realization softens my frustration. Beneath the noise is a human being fighting a battle he never asked for, doing the best he can with the damaged wiring life handed him.
     
>>>>>May 14
Four in the morning, and it was time once again for my twice-weekly shower and full clean-up operation. 🚿✨ Not exactly a rock concert, but let me tell you—there is something deeply refreshing about feeling human again.
     SHOWER TIME
Warm water, clean clothes, a fresh shave—and suddenly the world feels a little less like a battlefield and a little more like a place I can handle again. 😄 It is amazing what a bit of soap, stubborn determination, and a decent razor can do. One minute, you look like a shipwrecked pirate arguing with seagulls, and the next, you are practically ready to rejoin civilized society.

Sorry, but I’m not going to turn this into a live
pay-per-view event by showing myself naked in the shower. 😄
Some mysteries are better left behind the curtain. 

There is also something encouraging about these small routines. They may not look dramatic from the outside, but they matter. Tiny acts of self-care are quiet declarations that we are still in the game. Even at four in the morning, half awake and shuffling around like a confused raccoon searching for coffee, we are rebuilding ourselves one step at a time.
   
And afterward? I felt better—much better—cleaner body, clearer mind, lighter spirit. Sometimes progress does not arrive with fireworks and marching bands. Sometimes it slips in quietly at four in the morning, carrying a towel over its shoulder and whispering, “Let’s begin again.” What looks ordinary from the outside can actually be victory in work clothes. ✨
      THE BLOG
Then I sit down and send words flying from my fingertips to your eyes. Thursday becomes editing day—time to read through the blog again, tighten the bolts, polish the sentences, and make sure the right words march out into the world instead of wandering around like confused penguins. 😄
   
But you do know something important, yes? This helps me too. Writing is not only something I give to others; it is something that quietly rebuilds me while I create it. Every sentence becomes a small act of healing. Every paragraph helps me stand a little taller inside myself. The words may reach your heart, but in the process, they help repair mine as well. ✨
     
Every paragraph straightens a crooked thought. Every sentence throws another ball into the air, keeping the pattern moving. In helping you think, smile, reflect, or feel less alone, I end up helping myself right along the way.
   
You must remember that the words I place before you have been reviewed, reshaped, polished, and scanned again and again—each pass searching for the exact rhythm, meaning, and feeling needed to reach your mind and heart.
     
That is the secret behind great writing: not merely inspiration, but the willingness to return to the page repeatedly, refining rough thoughts into something clear, powerful, and alive. Great writing is rarely born in one burst of genius. It is built into the editing process, where ordinary sentences slowly learn how to sing. ✨
      JAPAN
Currently, I have an itchy eye and an itchy knee.
Naturally, my brain wandered off to Japan.
“Ichi” means one. “Ni” means two. (As in, Itchi knee.)
 
Apparently, my body has decided to turn itself into a multilingual vocabulary lesson. One itchy eye, two itchy complaints… and suddenly I’m starring in The Adventures of Professor Scratchy-san. Do you speak Japanese? 😄
   
When I was young, I was learning Japanese, and I truly wish I had kept it up. I have visited Japan three different times, and I absolutely love being there. The culture, the kindness, the safety, the precision, the beauty—it all stayed with me long after the plane rides home.
       A JAPANESE DAD?
My stepfather, Kiyoshi Nakagawa, was Japanese, so I grew up around much of the language and culture. Looking back, I realize what a gift that was. My sister, Willow, dove even deeper into the customs and traditions, and sometimes I wish I had followed her lead and studied more seriously.
     
Still, some things stuck with me. I can use chopsticks—hashi—like a professional noodle ninja. 🍜 And honestly, I would love to study the language again someday and return to Japan. Life is funny that way. Some dreams wander off for a while… then quietly bow and return. And, what about John?
      JOHN
Many years ago, I helped my friend, John Fox, make his way to Japan for performing and circus training (he being the trainer). We had already spent years performing together and touring across Europe, chasing applause, adventure, and the occasional meal that looked suspiciously capable of chasing us back. 🎪
     
Those were wild, beautiful years—two performers hauling props, chasing applause, and carrying just enough money to survive one more train ride, one more cheap meal, and one more show beneath unfamiliar lights.
   
We wandered through country after country, not as tourists, but as students of the world—learning the rhythms of different cultures, the humor of different people, and the strange truth that a smile and a juggling act can open doors in almost any language.
   
Now John is completely fluent in Japanese and deeply woven into the customs, language, and everyday rhythm of life there. A white boy in Japan fitting in — I admire that immensely. There is something beautiful about a person stepping so fully into another culture that it no longer feels foreign—it feels like home. He did not just learn the words; he learned the heartbeat behind them.
    TOKYO
There is something beautiful about watching a person immerse themselves so fully into another culture that it begins to shape the way they think, speak, move, and experience the world. Japan clearly captured his heart, and over the years, he allowed it to become part of who he is.
   
And if I am being completely honest, a small part of me is jealous, too. Not in a bitter way—more in the way you admire someone who followed a path all the way to the horizon. When we were younger, we traveled, performed, and chased adventure together across Europe and beyond, living out stories most people only daydream about. Then John was Japan-bound.
   
But John kept going deeper into Japan, deeper into the language, the customs, and the spirit of the place itself. I can understand why. Japan has a certain magic to it—a balance of discipline, beauty, kindness, precision, and wonder that stays with you long after you leave. ✨
     
He didn’t just visit Japan—he stepped fully into it and built a life there with both feet and an open heart. I doubt he will ever move back. Japan captured something deep inside him, and from everything I have experienced in that beautiful country, I can understand exactly why.
    TUKO
For the artwork on my book, Juggling with Finesse, I was fortunate to find Tuko Fujisaki, a gifted Japanese artist whose work immediately captured my imagination. She did the opposite of John; she went from Japan to the US. The moment I saw her art, I knew it carried something special—grace, movement, elegance, and a kind of quiet power that perfectly matched the spirit of juggling itself. Her illustrations did not merely decorate the book; they gave it soul.
 
There is a refinement in Japanese art that I have always admired. Even the smallest details seem alive with intention and balance. Tuko’s work had that same feeling. Her lines flowed almost like a juggling pattern in the air—smooth, disciplined, and beautiful. It felt as though she understood the rhythm and poetry behind what I was trying to teach. 🎪✨
     
To this day, I remain deeply grateful for her contribution. A great cover does more than attract attention; it invites people into the world inside the pages. Tuko Fujisaki’s artwork did exactly that. It helped transform the book from a collection of ideas into something that felt artistic, alive, and unforgettable. 

CAN YOU USE CHOP STICKS? 

      A BRAIN INJURY HOSPITAL?
It is strange to realize that I am currently living in a hospital, NeuroRestorative at Avalon Park (230477) – CARF International. 
They are a part of https://neurorestorative.com/
Yes, it is helping to be here.
     
Life can change directions so suddenly—one moment you are out juggling dreams and miles of highway, and the next you are learning how to rebuild your world from a hospital room. But thankfully, I am not facing this alone.
    ,
But, I find it very limiting around here; I can’t even cross the street out front to go to the park to juggle clubs or do some running. They do feed me well, and I have a nice residence in which to reside. The staff is kind and very helpful, too. I just want more freedom to chase my dreams. And, yes, I am dreaming of you.
      A CHANGE
My daughters, Jasmine and April, along with Case Manager Myles Mireles and Greg Golden from the insurance company, are all working together to help me find a new place to live. That gives me something powerful: Real Hope. It reminds me that even during uncertain seasons, there are still people beside you helping carry the map, the flashlight, and sometimes even the heavy luggage of life. 😄
   
Sometimes the next chapter begins long before you can fully read the pages. Change often arrives quietly at first—like the faint sound of a door unlocking somewhere in the distance. Right now, out there beyond what I can currently see, a new beginning is patiently waiting for its moment to open. 🚪✨
                           DRAWING BY TUKO

Wherever I go next, I hope for a little more freedom—room to work on my juggling, room to run, room to breathe without feeling so confined. I want to say again that the people here are good. Many have been kind, patient, and genuinely helpful. This place has helped countless people rebuild their lives, regain skills, and eventually step back out into the world stronger than before.
     
But for some, this becomes their final home. That is a difficult reality to sit with. Some residents are as young as 30 and will spend the rest of their lives in this structured environment because they truly need this level of care and support.
     
I understand that completely, and I respect it deeply. Still, inside me, a voice keeps whispering, “There is more life to live yet.” So I keep looking toward the horizon, juggling hope in one hand and determination in the other. 🎪
   
10:00–11:00 — This therapy session began a bit late while everyone waited for one more person to arrive. The class was called “Visual Group,” and we were given puzzles where colored blocks had to be matched to specific patterns and designs. I completed one very quickly and soon realized the activity simply was not challenging enough for where my mind was operating that morning.
      BYE BYE
So I left early. Some exercises are helpful stepping stones for many people, but this one did not feel like the right fit for me. My brain was ready for calculus… or at least something slightly more advanced than Olympic-Level Competitive Block Stacking. 😄 Sometimes the real challenge is not solving the puzzle—it is finding one worthy of your attention
     
11:00–11:30 — Speech therapy was next, a half-hour session with Lillie. She seems a bit frustrated with me for not consistently carrying through on the daily writing book, where I’m supposed to record things that happen throughout the day.
     
And honestly, I understand her point. She reminded me of several things I had completely forgotten, which certainly strengthens her argument. Still, part of me wonders: do I really need to document every tiny detail of life like an overworked detective solving The Mystery of the Missing Afternoon Snack? 😄
     
She ad asked questions such as, “What day of the week is it? I knew because I know the blog comes out tomorrow, Friday. She asked the actual date, but I had no idea and didn’t care. If I need to know the date or the time, I can ask someone, so I don’t care. 

I suppose that is the balancing act—trying to improve memory and awareness without feeling like I must carry a notebook everywhere like a wandering philosopher/journalist/juggler hybrid. But she is right about one important thing: memory can be slippery after brain injury, and sometimes the moments we think are unimportant quietly disappear before we realize they mattered at all.

2:00–2:30 — OT was up next. We headed to Publix Supermarket and gathered supplies for the gourmet masterpiece I’ll apparently be preparing Monday or Tuesday. “Meal preparation” sounds very official, though at this stage it mostly involved me trying not to crash the shopping cart into innocent displays of avocados. 😄
     PORK CHOPS?
That is what is on the menu, the chops. I’m expecting you, of course. If you suddenly hear someone in Publix announcing, “Attention All Shoppers, Chef Kit is approaching the Salsa Aisle,” you’ll know things have escalated quickly.   https://www.summerssalsa.com/ . 🍝🎪
>>>>>May 15
As often happens, breakfast arrived 45 minutes late. I do not worry much about myself; I think most about the others here. For many people, routines are not just routines—they are stability, comfort, and part of how they navigate the day. When one thing falls behind, the entire rhythm of the day stumbles along behind it like a shopping cart with one bad wheel. 😄
     
Because breakfast was delayed, my entire schedule started late as well. The only activity listed today was “Fun Friday Group” at 10:00. Honestly, I did not feel it was something I could truly benefit from. I am always looking for activities that challenge the mind, encourage growth, or build toward greater independence. My brain still wants to sprint, while the schedule often feels like it is asking me to color gently inside the lines.
   
I was late, but I did stop in for the Friday group. By the time I arrived, they were just beginning a game of Hangman. People laughed, guessed letters, and seemed to enjoy the simplicity of it all.
     
And perhaps for some minds, these kinds of games are helpful—something light, social, and easy to engage with. I understand that. Not every activity has to be climbing Mount Everest with your brain carrying bowling balls. 😄
    NOT FOR ME
But for me, I could feel almost immediately that it was not where my mind wanted to be. My brain still craves challenge, complexity, creativity—something that stretches me a little further. I wanted conversation, ideas, problem-solving, perhaps something involving writing, strategy, storytelling, or deeper thinking.
   
Instead, I sat there, realizing that while my body may currently be in a recovery center, my mind is still out there somewhere, running marathons, building projects, juggling possibilities, and trying to calculate the meaning of life before lunch.
   
That is one of the strange parts of recovery. Sometimes the greatest frustration is not what you cannot do—it is knowing what you still can do, while not always having the right outlet for it. Still, I showed up. That matters. Even arriving late is better than disappearing entirely. Life is funny that way. Sometimes progress is not winning the game… sometimes it is simply walking into the room anyway.
     
Then, at 11:00, I had speech therapy for half an hour. We spent most of the session simply talking, and by the end, we both seemed to realize something important: perhaps I do not really want more therapy sessions after all. Funny how the human mind works. I complain about not getting enough therapy, yet when asked what kind of therapy I actually want, my mind suddenly goes blank like a game show contestant under bright lights.
     
This part may be on me, too. I may have been fighting a battle without clearly defining the goal. That is a hard thing to admit. Still, realizing that is not losing—it is information. And information is useful. Even a juggler drops a few balls before figuring out the pattern. 

I DON’T KNOW HOW I WANT TO GET BETTER OR EVEN IF I WANT TO GET BETTER.

Some days, the hardest truth to admit is this: I do not even know how I want to get better… or if part of me truly wants to get better at all. Recovery is strange that way. One moment, you are fighting like a warrior; the next, you are exhausted from carrying the armor.
     
There are times when the mind becomes so tired from the battle that even hope feels heavy. And yet, honesty like this is not weakness at all.
     
It may be the beginning of something real. You cannot build a stronger future on fake smiles and forced motivation. Sometimes the first courageous step is simply admitting, “I’m lost right now.” And maybe that is okay for today. Even a juggler drops the balls before finding the rhythm again. 🎪

In the afternoon, I will sneak out to run and get my heart rate up, something I cannot do here.
===============================
PART 3)–BLOG 377–I CAN(‘T) WHISTLE
     
Whistling is one of humanity’s smallest miracles—a simple breath transformed into joy, courage, and light. A whistle can lift heavy spirits, calm troubled thoughts, and chase tension out of the room like a mischievous little bird stealing the gloom. Sometimes all it takes is one tiny tune floating through the air to remind us that life is still wonderfully alive.
     
Through wars, heartbreak, lonely roads, hospital hallways, long shifts, and exhausting days, people have whistled to keep hope breathing. A whistle says something words often cannot:
“I’m still here.”
“I’m still moving forward.”
“I may be bruised, bent, tired, or dented like a shopping cart with one bad wheel… but I’m still rolling.”
   
Whistling is courage with a melody.
A tiny anthem of joyful defiance.
The soundtrack of the human spirit refusing to sit quietly in the shadows.
   
A person whistling while they work is often carrying far more than a tune. They’re carrying optimism. Peace. Resilience. Maybe even a little rebellion against despair. In a noisy world full of stress, bad news, and people arguing on the internet about things nobody will remember in six weeks, a cheerful whistle becomes the soul’s way of smiling out loud. 🎶✨
     
And I love this part…
For years, I believed I simply could not whistle. Walk and whistle? Forget it. Chew gum and whistle? That sounded like Olympic-level wizardry. Some people can juggle chainsaws. Others can whistle. Apparently, I had been assigned to the wrong circus. 😄
     
But then one day, I challenged that story.
I taught myself to juggle seven clubs.
I rebuilt my life more than once.
Surely I could learn to make one tiny musical squeak with my face.
So I practiced.
   
At first, I sounded like an exhausted squirrel trying to inflate a balloon. Then came the strange wheezing noises. Then accidental bird impressions. Then one glorious, clear note appeared out of nowhere like the universe whispering:
“SEE? KEEP GOING.” 🎶
   
That’s the magic of learning.
Most people quit during the “confused teakettle phase.” 😄
But almost every worthwhile skill hides behind awkward beginnings.
Whistling teaches something bigger than whistling:
What feels impossible today is something you haven’t practiced long enough yet.
     
And honestly, the world becomes more delightful once you discover there are actual whistling champions. Yes, professional whistlers exist. Somewhere out there, someone’s entire life mission is dominating competitive airborne face music—and I deeply respect that. 🎶😄
     
Whistling champion Chris Ullman explained it beautifully: with patience and practice, most people can learn. That’s encouraging, because it means whistling isn’t reserved for a chosen few blessed by the ancient Lip Gods at birth. It’s learned, built, and earned one awkward puff of air at a time.
     
Nature itself whistles constantly🎶🌎

• Dolphins whistle to identify one another, almost like names. 
• Marmots are known as “whistle pigs” for their warning calls. 
• Guinea pigs whistle for food like tiny furry managers demanding that snack service speed it up immediately. 
• Male mice sing ultrasonic songs. 
• Wild dogs coordinate hunts through eerie whistles in dense forests. 
• Even caterpillars get involved. 

Apparently, the entire planet has secretly been in one giant wind-powered orchestra this whole time.     
     
And then there’s folklore.
Cultures around the world have long believed nighttime whistling could summon spirits, mystery, or trouble. Stories of Skinwalkers and Stekini weren’t merely spooky entertainment—they carried warnings, wisdom, and cultural identity through generations. Humanity has always used whistles not just as sound, but as symbols: signals in the dark, echoes of caution, courage, wonder, and imagination. 🌙
     
Which leads us to one of the funniest truths about learning to whistle:
Nearly everyone goes through the same stages:
Silence.   Damp disappointment.   Aggressive air leakage.
One accidental bird noise.   A magical, clear note.    Immediate overconfidence. 😄
   
After that first successful whistle, people suddenly behave like they’re auditioning to summon dolphins from three counties away. But that could be beautiful too.
   
Because whistling is more than noise, it is evidence of breath.
Evidence of effort.   Evidence of joy.
Evidence that something inside you still wants to sing.
   
Sometimes life takes away strength.   Sometimes it takes away certainty.
Sometimes it knocks juggling clubs, plans, confidence, and comfort straight out of your hands.
But if you can still whistle…
Even softly…   even badly…
Even like a tea kettle being attacked by raccoons…
There is still music in you. 🎶✨
      LIVE FOR NOW!   NOT YESTERDAY!    NOT TOMORROW!   NOW IS THE TIME!
===========================
PART 4) 🔥 A FEW SPARKS TO SLIP INTO YOUR POCKET
    ✨ THE MAGIC OF QUOTES ✨
Inspirational quotes are like mental spark plugs. 💥They snap you awake, simplify big ideas, and give you a quick push forward. A good quote can shift your thinking—turning “I can’t” into “let’s try.” And the more you repeat it, the more it becomes part of you.
Simple truth:  A quote on a page is nice… A quote you live by? That’s power. 🚀
=====
Whistling to keep myself from being afraid.
―John Dryden
   
“Work?– I whistle while I play!”
―Kit Summers
     
“To attempt to advise conceited people is like whistling against the wind.”
―Doug Larson
   
“And it’s the funniest thing: as soon as I see it, the whistling in my ears stops, and the feeling of terror drains away, and I realize this whole time I haven’t been falling at all. I’ve been floating.”
―Thomas Hood
   
“Discourse on virtue, and they pass by in droves. Whistle and dance the shimmy, and you’ve got an audience.”
―Lauren Oliver
     
“My worst habit is whistling while I sleep.”
―Billy Boyd
     
“I know of witches who whistle at different pitches, calling things that don’t have names.”
― Helen Oyeyemi,
       
“Nobody likes a whistler, particularly not the divinity that shapes our ends.”
― Douglas Adams
     
“As we rode along, LaBoeuf commenced whistling tunes, perhaps to take his mind off his sore arm. Rooster said, “God damn a man that whistles!” It was the wrong thing to say if he wished it to stop.”
― Charles Portis
     
“Self-driving cars are so lonely. Are you really going to use all that extra commute time to binge-watch Netflix? Why not hire me to sit next to you and whistle all your favorite tunes?”
― Jarod Kintz
   
“The sound circulated like an autonomous being whose tentacles needed to experience a sensitive awareness of the terrain.”
― Ondjaki
============================
PART 5) YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK >>
LIVE FOR NOW! NOT TOMORROW. NOT NEXT WEEK. NOW IS YOUR TIME!
Your mission for this week is, of course, to teach yourself to whistle.
If you already whistle, take it to a higher level—volume, tone, and do songs with it.

If you already know how to whistle, don’t stop at a tiny little “tweet-tweet” and call it a day. 🎵 Take that superpower to the next level! Play with volume. Learn to whistle softly like a breeze slipping through the trees… then crank it up like a train conductor announcing the greatest adventure on Earth. Experiment with tone, pitch, rhythm, and emotion. A whistle can sound joyful, mysterious, playful, lonely, triumphant, or downright mischievous.
   
And here’s where the real fun begins—learn songs. Start simple. Whistle a melody while walking, cleaning, driving, or waiting in line at the grocery store, pretending you’re starring in your own movie soundtrack. 😄 Before long, you’ll notice people smiling, turning their heads, or even joining in. Whistling has a strange little magic to it—it lifts the mood of a room without asking permission.
   
The beauty is this: whistling is not just noise… Its expression. It’s music carried on nothing but breath and joy. Some people juggle balls. Some paint pictures. Some dance. And some turn ordinary air into melody. That’s pretty amazing when you think about it. So pucker up, practice, and let your inner songbird clock in for work. The world could use a few more happy soundtracks floating through the air.
===============
PART 6) NEXT WEEK>>BLOG 377–THE YEARS PILE ON
================ 

🌟 PART 7) FINAL THOUGHTS 🌟
Because the best is always still ahead.
So juggle joy like it’s the air you breathe.
The horizon holds more than you can yet imagine.
Your present moment is not the finish line—it’s your starting block.
Chase sunsets as if they’re secret treasures waiting just for you.
Laugh so loudly that tomorrow leans in to listen.
Write me today—kitsummers@gmail.com
Live as though you’ve only just begun—
BECAUSE YOU TRULY HAVE!
🌟

✨KITTING AROUND✨
BLOG 376–DON’T LIVE FOR THE FUTURE OR THE PAST

                                                          This Video will let you know more about me–
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lr8QFnD1yGc
This Blog is Best Read on a Laptop, Rather than Your Phone.
By KIT SUMMERS — World-Class Juggler to World-Class Comeback
To Learn More about Kit, Go Here >> https://kitsummers.com/about-kit/

Once upon a life, I made gravity nervous—
Headlining at Ballys, tossing clubs with a grin.
Seven of them. A world record—
Because physics loves a good insult. 😄
Then came the truck—the coma.
     
Thirty-seven silent days offstage.
And here I am now—not juggling clubs.
But throwing purpose, grit, and joy.
Balancing healing, catching courage.
Tossing hope sky-high. 🤹‍♂️

The mission grew bigger than applause.
Now I lift humans. I write to stay connected.
I write because it’s how I breathe.
If these words help you, too?
That’s magic catching air. 🎉
     
What’s next on Kit’s journey through life?
Back to juggling? Back to life?
Stay with Kit and find out.
Life can get better.
Life will get better. ✨

========================
Part 1)  THE BEGINNINGS
DON’T LIVE FOR THE FUTURE OR THE PAST—
MAKE THE MOST OF THE MOMENT YOU’RE HOLDING RIGHT NOW!
@     
Every week, I try to write the very BEST blog I can—
Something that makes people laugh a little, think a little deeper.
I want you to walk away seeing life with brighter eyes. ✨
Are you feeling that in my writing?
@     
Can you sense the heart, the humor, the miles traveled, and the lessons dropped and picked back up like juggling balls across the years? I hope so, because I don’t just place words onto a page—I try to breathe life into them. 🎪
@
If you ever miss a blog notification—or just feel like wandering through a garden of past posts—head over to my website, KitSummers.com. Click on the blog and dive in. Every post is there, lined up like a bookshelf of bright little sparks, just waiting to light something up inside you. ✨
@    
And if the notifications ever start to feel like one ball too many in your juggling pattern, no worries at all—just let me know, and I’ll smoothly take you off the list… no drops, no drama, just a clean catch and release. I will miss you, though. 🎯 

In this blog, I’ve been experimenting with creative little paragraph breaks and visual rhythm changes along the way. 🎨✨
@    
Honestly, it became part of the fun—almost like adding juggling beats between the thoughts. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed creating it.
@   
While traveling the country for seven years in my van, I learned something far more valuable than how to navigate highways or find a quiet place to sleep—I learned how to be alone. Truly alone. And strangely enough, that became one of the greatest lessons of my Life.
@      
Because being alone is not the same as being lonely, solitude teaches you how to think clearly, calm your mind, enjoy your own company, and discover who you are when the noise finally fades away. It teaches strength. Peace. Independence. We must first learn to stand comfortably with ourselves before we can fully connect with others.
@    
One day, life may place you in a season where you must stand on your own. Learn now how to do that with grace. Learn how to sit quietly with yourself without fear. Learn how to enjoy your own thoughts, dreams, and presence. If you can do that, you carry a strength no storm can easily shake.
@   
Years ago, I shaped patterns with juggling balls flying through the air. Today, I shape them with words, ideas, and encouragement, traveling through hearts and minds. The tools may have changed, but the magic never packed its suitcase and left town. It simply stepped backstage, changed costumes, and walked back into the spotlight wearing a different kind of brilliance. ✨🎪
@     
Back when I was juggling, the rhythm lived in the air… toss, catch, repeat—a quiet dance between gravity, focus, and trust. And the secret? It was never about the last throw or the next catch. It was always about this one… this moment suspended in the air like a tiny miracle asking, “Are you paying attention yet?”
@   
That’s where life happens.
Not behind you.
Not ahead of you. Right here.
     
Now the rhythm lives between thoughts… idea, sentence, spark. Different stage. Same dance with the unknown. Same occasional drop followed by a grin and recovery. Because the drop never ends, the act becomes part of the performance.
@    
Too many people live trapped in old patterns or waiting for some future version of themselves to finally “have it all figured out.” But the magic has never lived back there—and it’s not hiding somewhere ahead either. It lives here. In this breath. In this choice. In this moment where your life is still moving.
@    
Because the real art was never in the tools. Not the juggling balls. Not the words. The art is in the flow—that invisible current that whispers, “Keep going.” That’s where life lives. Not in memory. Not in imagination. In participation.
@     
I didn’t stop juggling—I simply changed what I chose to keep in motion. The rhythm never disappeared. It just traded juggling balls for words, ideas, encouragement, and sparks of hope tossed into the air for others to catch.
@     
And the magic? Oh, it’s still here… leaning quietly in the corner of life with a crooked grin, pockets overflowing with confetti, wonder, and a few gloriously ridiculous surprises. It hasn’t disappeared over time or in the face of hardship.
@     
It’s simply been waiting—patiently, playfully—for you to step forward again. The instant you move, it moves too… spinning back into motion like an old friend who never stopped believing in you for even a second. ✨
@    
Change comes for every one of us. Sometimes it arrives softly, like sunrise slipping through the curtains. Other times, it storms into life like a bowling ball smashing straight through your carefully balanced act, scattering plans in every direction. But here’s the secret: change is rarely the main event. Your response is. Do you freeze? Or do you reinvent the act?
@     
Because life isn’t asking us to avoid every dropped ball, it’s asking whether we’re brave enough to bend down, pick them up smiling, and begin again with a little more wisdom, a little more courage, and maybe even a better punchline. 🎪
@   
That’s where your story gets written—not someday when conditions are perfect, but right now in the messy middle. With courage, coffee stains, uncertainty, laughter, and maybe a few cookie crumbs for dramatic effect. 🎭
@    
Because life is not built in polished moments, it’s built into the wobble. The shaky inhale before the leap. The laugh after everything falls apart. The decision to keep dancing even when the music skips.
@   
The messy middle is not proof that you’re failing. It’s proof you’re alive. Participating. Trying. Growing. And maybe that’s the secret nobody tells us soon enough: transformation lives in the middle—not at the finish line.
@    
So keep moving.
Keep creating.
Keep showing up with your wonderfully imperfect energy—
The kind carrying dreams in one pocket and glitter in the other. ✨
@    
The world does not need more flawless statues standing stiff on pedestals. It needs real people.
Brave people. People willing to fall, stand back up, straighten their crooked crown, and laugh:
“Well… that was dramatic. Let’s keep going anyway.” 💫
@    
Because eventually the character steps onto the stage, rolls up its sleeves, cracks its knuckles, and says:
“Alright, Life… Let’s Play.”
So what will you do?
Shrink backward into fear?
@
Or lean forward into possibility?
Will you stare at the closed door?
Or notice the glowing trail opening beside you?
@    
Every change places a crossroads in your hands and quietly asks: “Who do you want to become now?” Not someday. Not when you finally feel fearless. Not after the universe delivers a glittery permission slip tied to a balloon. 🎈✨NOW.
@     
Life is already revving the engine and asking if you’re getting in. 🚐💨
@    
So jump on. Start before you feel ready. Make the call. Take the walk. Write the page. Learn the trick. Chase the sunrise. Life is moving right now—wild, messy, unfinished, and absolutely beautiful.
@     
And most transformations do not begin with fireworks.
They begin quietly.
With one brave thought.
One tiny decision.
One wobbling step forward, where you whisper:
“Alright… let’s do this anyway.”
@    
That’s how lives change. Slowly. Steadily. Like sunrise, teaching the world how to glow again. So don’t live in the future. And don’t camp in the past. Those places don’t need you. This moment does.
@      
Yes, change will come. But so will your ability to adapt, respond, and rise. You are not merely someone who survives change—you are someone who can turn change into momentum.
And that… is where the magic begins. ✨ ✨
============================= 
PART 2)  THINGS THAT HAPPENED THIS WEEK Kit’s Daily Delights — Inspiration, Freshly Served. Every week, I sit down to map my week—and every time, it begins the same way: a blank canvas. Nothing there. It still surprises me. That quiet moment, just before I fill it in… when the whole week is wide open, waiting for me to decide what it becomes. And here’s the beautiful truth—you’ve got that same wide-open canvas, too. Start now and make the life YOU want!   

>>>>>May 2
Being a Saturday, the hallways have softened into a whisper—one of those quiet stretches where even time seems to tiptoe. But something still lingers in my mind. Yesterday, around 3 p.m., the staff seemed to vanish all at once… like a curtain dropping mid-scene.

It makes me wonder—is this the rhythm here, or just one of those curious little pauses life tosses into the mix to see how you’ll play it? Did everyone really leave early… or am I just standing in one of those quiet in-between moments where the world takes a breath and waits to see what I’ll do next? 

Because here’s the truth—DON’T LIVE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE PAST. Don’t sit there wishing yesterday had gone differently. Don’t wait for tomorrow to fix what today is asking you to face. Right now… this moment… this quiet hallway… this is your stage.

The stillness isn’t empty—It’s an opening. Maybe it turns into a short run. Maybe just ten steady steps. Maybe it’s nothing more (and nothing less) than sitting up a little taller and saying, “I’m still in this game.” And that counts. Oh, that counts.

Yes, my tiredness shows up uninvited—like that one guest who never checks the clock. And sure, an hour can vanish faster than a magician’s coin trick. 🪄 But this isn’t the end of my energy… It’s the quiet rebuilding of it. A new rhythm is finding its feet. Same fire, just burning smarter now—steadier, deeper, impossible to snuff out.

Then lunch arrives—tiny pizza, small salad—and it doesn’t quite meet you where you are. And yeah… that stings. Not just in the body, but in that deeper place that wants to be seen, understood, cared for. Especially now, without lower teeth, when even simple food becomes a challenge most people never have to think about. That’s real. That’s frustrating. That’s human.

But don’t let that moment write the whole story of your day. You’re still here. Still adjusting and still finding new ways to move forward when the old ways don’t fit. That’s not weakness—that’s grit with a grin. This is where real strength shows up… sleeves rolled up, saying, “Alright, Life, we’ll do it this way now.” And somehow—you are. That’s power in motion. 💥 💫

But here’s the pivot… and you’re good at pivots:
You want to lose weight. You want to change.
So maybe—just maybe—this isn’t resistance…
It’s an alignment in disguise.

Because progress rarely shows up wearing a parade costume.
Sometimes it looks like less.
Sometimes it feels inconvenient.
But stack those moments?
That’s transformation quietly doing push-ups in the background. 💪

And then there’s Bob. His pain echoes through the hall, loud and unfiltered. It’s hard. You feel it. Anyone with a heart would. But this is part of the human symphony too—the notes we don’t choose, the sounds we can’t silence. So you do what strong people do: you hold compassion in one hand… and keep moving forward with the other.

Now here I am—1 p.m., the blog nearly complete.
Every piece is set, every thread woven… except those final words, still out there somewhere, stretching, yawning, waiting for their perfect entrance. And honestly?

This pause… It’s kind of magic. ✨
Not empty—alive. Not missing—gathering.
Like the moment just before the next toss, when everything hangs in the air, and anything feels possible.

Not finished…   Not unfinished…   Just suspended.
Like a juggler holding that last ball, feeling the rhythm.
Smiling.  Because he knows—the next toss will land perfectly. ✨
Because that’s how this works, isn’t it?

This morning, you didn’t know what you’d write.
And yet… here it came. Word by word. Thought by thought.
Just like juggling.  You didn’t stop the magic.
You just changed what you keep in motion. 🎯

> May 3
No breakfast today. I was here. I was waiting.
As you know, I am seldom hungry.
But I am concerned about others.
    A
A Sunday… and here we go.
Dave Vieth—the man who kept our vehicles running and turned every visit into a bit of a comedy show—passed away over the weekend. He worked hard, laughed easily, and had that rare ability to make even a repair shop feel alive.
Here is Dave >> https://www.facebook.com/daveveithsr
      B
He smoked like a smokestack and didn’t treat his body like a temple—but he lived life on his terms. No pretending. No polishing himself to fit someone else’s script. He showed up with real rough edges and all. And you had to respect that.
      C
In a world packed with people reading from someone else’s script, Dave snatched the pen. He wrote his own life story—messy at times, sure, with ink smudged and a few wild plot twists—but always real, unfiltered, and completely his, and there’s a rare kind of power in that… a life not polished for approval, but lived with grit, truth, and just enough rebellion to make it unforgettable.
    D
Later in life, he found a deep belief in God—something that clearly mattered to him. And now he’s gone. No neat explanations. No tidy ending. Just the quiet reminder: people pass through, leave their mark… and move on. You are on your way, too, remember?
    E
But not really gone—because the laughter still echoes, the stories keep walking into rooms long after he’s left them, and the moments he made brighter don’t fade… they multiply. That’s what lingers. That’s what matters. He left a mark—are you? ✨
    F
I spent much of today working on my blog—shaping thoughts, chasing the right words, juggling ideas until they found rhythm. Not every word arrives with a drumroll… some slip in quietly and whisper, “This one matters.” Those are the ones I chase.
      G
Because my goal is simple: to add something to your life. A spark. A shift. A sentence that lingers just long enough to change your direction. Something that makes you smile, pause, or take one more step forward—maybe even a slightly bolder one.
    H
So here they are—no spotlight, no drumroll. Just words, showing up quietly… like a warm cup of tea placed in your hands at exactly the moment you didn’t know you needed it. ☕✨ Not loud, not demanding—just there, steady and warm, inviting you to slow down for a second.
    I
You could take a sip. You could sit with it a little longer. And somewhere in that small pause, something clicks… a thought softens, a new idea slips in, a bit of energy returns. Nothing forced. Nothing flashy. Just a gentle nudge forward—the kind that doesn’t shout, but somehow stays with you long after the cup is empty.
    J
And if even one line lands.
If it lifts your day just a little.
Then this was worth it.
      K
As for belief? I don’t follow a supernatural path. And that’s okay. A meaningful life doesn’t require it. It asks for something simpler—and harder: show up, pay attention, engage. Meaning isn’t handed down. It’s built—choice by choice, action by action, throw by throw, drop by drop in how you treat people, how you create, how you rise after you fall.
    L
Sunday doesn’t need a church to matter. It can be a reset. A check-in. A moment to ask: What’s next? What do you think about now? That kind of honesty? That’s powerful. So no church for me. But I do have a life that matters. A story still unfolding.  And today?   Wide open.
    M
And this morning delivered a small, unexpected miracle. I woke at 3 a.m.—right on schedule—but then… slipped back into sleep. That rarely happens. It felt like life handing me a quiet little bonus round… no fanfare, just a soft wink that said, “Here, have a little extra.”
    N
Now the day stretches out in front of me—fresh, full of possibility.
And I’m stepping into it with intention. A smile here.
A kind word there. Small ripples that grow.
So tell me—what would make your day just a little brighter? ✨        
      O
I stepped out for my daily cleanup—something I’ve come to do almost every day. It’s a small act, sure… but small acts have a funny way of leaving big fingerprints. As I walked, a thought tapped me on the shoulder: I may be leaving here within the next month… so who carries this forward? Who keeps things just a little better than they found them?
    P
It’s Sunday—quiet, almost whispering—with only a handful of staff around. And then, out of nowhere, this bold idea popped up: “Let’s go for a mile run!” The old fire stretched and flickered—Hey… remember me? So I listened. I gave it a shot.
    Q
But the moment I tried to start, my body answered back—loud and clear: “NO.” Not a whisper. Not a suggestion. A full-on, arms-crossed, not-today kind of NO. And honestly, with the daily tiredness tagging along, I wasn’t even sure I could. But I had to try. Because that’s what I do—I show up and test the edges.
    R
And here’s the truth… that’s part of the dance. Some days you run. Some days you listen. Some days, you negotiate with your knees like a used-car salesman. 😄 But either way—you’re still in motion. Still engaged. Still in the game.
    S
And maybe that’s the quiet victory most people miss… not the sprint, not the speed—but the willingness to step out, to try, to care. To leave a place just a little brighter than you found it—and trust that somewhere, someone will feel that… and keep it going. Will you join me in cleaning up the world?
      T
The rest of the afternoon was spent watching videos, spurring my mind on, or not.  I love using words I haven’t used before. Have you ever used “spurring” before? What secret words do you keep in your arsenal? I think that’s the first time I’ve used “arsenal”, as well. What new words do you like?
      U
>>>>>May 4
Where to start… where to start. It’s a question that shows up for me every single day—quiet, persistent, tapping me on the shoulder like, “Alright… what’s next?” And I have a feeling you’ve heard that same voice, too.
    1
Lately, there’s a sharper edge to it—not loud or dramatic, just unmistakably clear. I’m tired of this place in a quiet, honest way—the kind of tired that doesn’t complain, it simply knows. It leans in close and whispers, “You’ve grown past this. It’s time.” This isn’t frustration… It’s readiness. Not escape—evolution. Something new is calling, and for once, I’m not hesitating—I’m listening.
      2
The only twist? I don’t quite know what that “new” looks like yet. And that space—between ready to go and not sure where—that’s where the mind starts jogging in circles like it’s training for a marathon nobody signed up for. But maybe that in-between isn’t a problem to solve… maybe it’s a runway. And you, my friend, are already picking up speed. ✨
      3
I just got today’s schedule. One item: Sports Group from 10 to 11. And let’s be real—that’s not exactly headline material. The brighter note? Salsa’s on deck, aiming to be ready by tomorrow—Cinco de Mayo. Now that’s something with flavor, literally and figuratively. 🌶️
    4
But days like this… when things move slow, when the schedule feels thin… they stretch. And in that stretch, the mind starts wandering toward the future—Where’s my next place? When does the shift happen? That anticipation can turn into a quiet kind of anxiety.
    5
And here we are—it’s 8:22 am… and breakfast is still playing hide-and-seek. Often, the time to eat is 8 am. But let me offer you this, my friend: even a “nothing” day has something tucked inside it. A conversation. A small win. A moment that shifts the tone just enough to remind you—you’re still in motion.
    6
You’re not stuck… you’re in between.
And “in between” is where change gathers its strength.
The question remains — what’s next?
    7
So today isn’t about fireworks. It could be about staying engaged, showing up, and adding one small spark to a slow-burning day. And hey—step one? Let’s go track down that breakfast, as it owes you money. 🍳😄
    8
There’s no “off switch” for Bob across the hall. Today, he’s taken his moaning to championship level—like he’s training for the Olympics of agony. Perhaps it’s because I did not get his breakfast either? I wonder.
    9
And me? I keep hearing the same chant in my head: GET ME OUTTA HERE. There was no breakfast today, just a dose of reality. Still… I move forward. One step, one breath, one bite, one “let’s see what this day’s got” at a time.
      10
There are so many better games and challenges for individuals with brain injury. Why don’t we try new techniques that would challenge those here who are trying to get better? Once again, I think it is the therapists who hold back patients.
      11
I wandered over to Sports Group, curious and more than excited. Turns out—it is Ladder Ball. Simple. Easy. Let’s just say… not exactly the Super Bowl of stimulation. It felt like time was stretching itself out just to see how far it could go. But hey—I played anyway.
    12
And, plot twist—I took first place in Ladder Ball, even nailed a perfect score in the final round 🏆—So there’s that little burst of glory; funny how life works, handing you a moment that feels flat or forgettable, and then—boom—you find a way to shine right in the middle of it.
    13
Because winning isn’t always about the spotlight—it’s about showing up anyway, right there in the quiet corners of the day, and turning even the most ordinary moments into something that makes you smile… maybe even grin like you just got away with a little magic. ✨
    14
Later, I found out there had been a walking group earlier. I wasn’t invited. Last time, I pushed too hard, went too fast, stepped outside the lines a bit. It stings, no question. There are no challenges here. Last time, did I go too fast for them? I’m looking for challenges, not walking.
    15
But I’m starting to see the pattern—this place has its rhythms, its rules, its quiet systems. And when you move against them, even a little, there can be friction. I see too much “Control” going on. There are good therapists, and then there are the others.
    16
Seems some of the therapists have it too easy here and refuse to try anything new, even if it could help a brain injury survivor in a good way. I just keep seeing the same ol’, same ol’. I do have to say, I have seen good therapy going on, just not enough.
    17
The therapists want full control of all that goes on here, and that hinders them much. I do know some of them read my blog — so I will be scolded for these words. I just want things to get better for others. I hope to help.
    18
But here’s the truth hiding in plain sight–I’m still in motion.
Even here. Even now. I showed up. I played. I won.
And somewhere inside all this… that voice saying
“GET ME OUTTA HERE” isn’t just frustration—it’s direction.
It’s a compass.
And compasses?
They don’t shout. 
They point.
    19
The time now is 12:22. Usually, lunch is here by noon; it just arrived. I hate to be a complainer, but they know my circumstances. All my lower teeth were extracted (I hate the reminder of that.) Lunch was a chicken burger, tater tots, and a salad. Because of missing teeth and not being able to chew, I cannot eat most of the meal, but I will live.
    20
2-3:00  I made a batch of my salsa, as usual, it turned out quite delicious. Along with my sweet-mild, I make some that is very hot. This will be saved for those who request it. Do you like hot? I don’t like hot myself. A guy here doesn’t like beans, so I made him a bowl without any.
    21
5:15 Dinner is usually here by now, a strange day.
5:22 Dinner has arrived and tastes good.
A lasagne mix that had a great taste.
    22
El 5 de mayo (Cinco de Mayo) es mañana, así que publicaremos todo entonces. Pero ¿quién bailará el baile mexicano? Debería pasar un buen rato para todos; os lo haré saber. Una cena mexicana completa para todos los que están aquí. Desearía que tú también estuvieras aquí. ¡Algún día tenemos que bailar juntos! ¡Viejo!   (What does that say, Larry?)
       
>>>>>May 5 
¡SI!  ¡CINCO DE MAYO!
¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
Espero que tengas un día fantástico.
Traer alegría a los demás.
       
Why?
Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. Led by General Ignacio Zaragoza, a smaller, poorly equipped Mexican force defeated a much larger, well-armed French army, providing a major morale boost during the Franco-Mexican War.
     
Your language?
Do you speak American, or English, or Mexican, or Spanish, or Yugoslavian, or Russian?
Или вы говорите по-русски?
それとも、日本語を話せるのですか？ 
Pole tänu väärt.
   
The Twist
Here’s the surprising twist: although humanity speaks more than 7,000 languages, just 23 are used by over half the world’s population. Meanwhile, thousands of smaller languages quietly protect entire worlds of culture and identity inside their words. Every language is its own little universe.
 
Come on!
Life is waiting for you—so climb on board! 🚀
Not someday. Not when everything is perfect.
Not when you finally feel “ready.” — Now!
This moment. This breath.
This is a beautiful, unfinished, wide-open chapter.
   
MOVE!
Life isn’t standing still—it’s a moving train, doors open, wind rushing through, adventure whispering your name. And here’s the secret: you don’t need a perfect plan to get on… You just need a little courage and a willingness to take that first step.
     
Keep Going!
Will it be smooth? Nope. There will be bumps, wrong turns, and a few “What was I thinking?” moments. Good. That’s not failure—that’s living with the volume turned up. That’s how stories are made. That’s how you are made. Juggling taught me something–If you drop a ball, you pick it up and keep going!
   
Dream on.
So grab your dreams—yes, even the slightly ridiculous ones.
Pack your curiosity.
Bring that stubborn spark inside you that refuses to quit.
And if fear tries to tag along, let it come… just don’t give it the driver’s seat.
Fear will teach you, and, better yet, you will teach fear.
   
You are part of
Because the truth is simple and electric:
You’re not here to watch life pass by… you’re here to ride it, shape it, and light it up.
So hop on.   Lean forward.   And enjoy the wild, beautiful ride. 🎢✨
     
What’s on the schedule?
Just got my therapy schedule for today… And, true to form, it’s a lighter one—but hey, even light days can shine. Cooking group kicks things off at 11, where I’ll be enjoying the salsa I made yesterday and whipping up a little Mexican feast (because if you’re going to heal, you might as well do it with flavor and/or spice 🌶️).
     
Bocce?
At 1, it’s Bocce Ball—a simple roll-and-toss kind of game. Maybe not a brain workout… but sometimes the win is just showing up and playing anyway. Like many of the simple games here, not much to help with recovery from TBI (TBI is “traumatic brain injury.)KJuggling time.
   
Then at 2, we turn up the magic—I’ll be teaching juggling, which means smiles, motion, and a few gravity-defying moments (my kind of therapy). People here seem to like juggling a lot. And, juggling has been proven to help with TBI recovery.
Walmart?
   
Buy a few.
And to top it all off, a 3 p.m. run to Walmart—because even everyday heroes have to restock their magic. It’s not a jam-packed schedule… but it’s a lived one. And truth be told, a day that’s fully lived beats a day that’s just filled. Sometimes, that’s more than enough—it’s exactly right.
     
Relax
So no, it’s not a packed, high-octane kind of day… but it’s still a day. And sometimes life isn’t about fireworks—it’s about showing up, adding a little flavor, a little motion, a little meaning… and turning “just stuff” into something that counts. You must remember that you design each day you have, and only you can give yourself a bad day.
       
Are you eating?
Eating, that’s a fair concern—and a good instinct; it’s unlikely people are being intentionally left without food, but delays do happen, so if breakfast hasn’t arrived by 9:15, it’s worth calmly asking staff to make sure everyone’s taken care of, because noticing and speaking up like that is real leadership.
     
A butt here, a butt there — BUT?
I just got back from my daily cleanup—my version of exercise with a purpose. Right at the entrance to this place, I counted 11 cigarette butts scattered across the ground. Eleven. Like they were planted there overnight. And there’s one spot where someone drops at least 30 butts a day… a one-person litter storm. I’ve decided I’m done cleaning that particular patch—they can meet their own mess now.     YUCK!
   
How will it be?
Still, it leaves me wondering what this place will look like when I’m gone. Will the small care disappear with me? Will the ground slowly surrender to trash and neglect? I hope not… but I’ve seen how quickly things can slide when no one steps up. Maybe the real question is this: who’s next? Who picks up the quiet torch and says, “Not on my watch”?
     
My Rings
My magic rings arrived in the mail—and while they didn’t break the bank, they just might break a few expectations. Sure, I went with the budget-friendly option… but guess what? They’re still going to fly, flash, and tell a story in the air. Because here’s the truth: it’s not the price tag that amazes people—it’s the passion behind the performance. These rings aren’t just props… they’re possibilities. And in the right hands, even the simplest tools can create a little wonder. 🎪 
     
Cleaning the floor
Every week, like clockwork, they bring that big hallway floor back to life right outside my door. It shines a little brighter, feels a little better… and it never goes unnoticed. And every chance I get, I offer a simple thank you—”Looks great. I appreciate you.” It takes just a moment. No spotlight. No applause. Just two people sharing a quiet acknowledgment that something good was done.
 
People notice
No one else may ever notice—but I do. And she does. And that tiny exchange? It matters more than we think. So here’s the move: thank people. Every chance you get. It’s one of the easiest ways to make the world feel a little more human… and a whole lot more alive. ✨
   
The Mexican Lunch
Following the salsa I made yesterday, today we stepped it up—chicken enchiladas hit the stage. And wow… they didn’t just turn out good, they turned out fabulous. Plates were cleaned, smiles were earned, and for a moment, the whole room felt like a little celebration. 🌮🔥
 
HOT!
And then came the salsa showdown. Yesterday I brought two personalities to the party—my smooth, easygoing mild peach salsa… and its wild cousin, the very hot version. Some people danced with the heat and loved every second. Others? Let’s just say their taste buds went on an unexpected rollercoaster ride. 😄  🌶️  I don’t like the hot, but that’s just me (or is it you?)

1 pm-did not have interest in Bocce Ball, so I didn’t.
     
Juggling
2 p.m.—time to juggle.
Just one brave soul joined me alongside the therapist, both still in the beginner zone… but smiling, laughing, and keeping those balls (mostly) in the air. And honestly? That’s where the magic lives—not in perfection, but in the joy of the toss.
     
My weekly expedition to Walmart to gather the essentials for survival. 🍦🍪 Two ice creams, two cookies… mission accomplished. Yes, yes—junk food. I know. But they feed me the “official” meals here, and these little treasures help fill in the gaps and add a bit of joy to the menu.
   
Sometimes happiness doesn’t arrive with fireworks, a marching band, and a motivational soundtrack. 🎺✨ Sometimes it sneaks in quietly… disguised as a shopping cart squeaking triumphantly toward the checkout line, carrying ice cream like it just won Olympic gold. 🍦🏆
       
>>>>> May 6
Forced myself to stay in bed until 5 a.m. And it actually worked. 😄 For a guy whose brain usually starts sprinting at 3 am before the birds begin their tiny morning staff meeting, that’s practically considered sleeping in.

*****

Maybe my body finally negotiated a peace treaty with my mind. “Listen, Captain Adventure… we’re staying horizontal a little longer today.” And for once, the brain replied, “Fine. But only because the sunrise will still be there waiting.” 🌅

*****

Sometimes rest doesn’t arrive with fireworks and dramatic music. Sometimes it sneaks in quietly—five extra minutes at a time. But those moments matter. Healing matters. Recovery matters. Even race cars spend time in the pit before roaring back onto the track again. 🏎️

*****

So yes… mission accomplished.
The world somehow survived without me awake at 3 a.m. solving mysteries, planning adventures, and rearranging the universe before breakfast. 😄

*****

Today is Wednesday. The blog is mostly finished. The words have stretched their legs, wandered across the page, found their favorite chairs, and settled in like tiny houseguests refusing to leave. And now, floating through the soft quiet of the morning comes the grand question of the day—what kind of delightful trouble shall I step into next? 

*****

What’s a Kit to do with an open day? 🤹‍♂️For one thing, he is scheduled to meet with Lilly for speech from 10:30-11. We went over some memory sheets, and I did not do as well as I had expected. She has done so much to help me remember things, but I know I could use much more help. 

*****

That’s the funny thing about progress—we spend so much time puffing and sweating our way up the mountain that we forget to stop near the top, look around, and let our lungs throw a tiny celebration party. 🎉⛰️

*****

We get so focused on the climb, the goals, the next handhold, that we miss the miracle of the view we already earned. Sometimes the bravest thing isn’t pushing harder… It’s pausing long enough to breathe, grin like a happy fool, and whisper, “Would you look at that? I made it farther than I thought.” 

*****

No giant emergency. No jam-packed schedule. Just open sky… and possibility sitting there like a mysterious unopened letter from life itself, sealed with sunshine and a little cosmic mischief. 🏔️✨

*****

Some days don’t burst in wearing fireworks and marching bands. They simply lean against the doorway of your life with a crooked grin, jingling possibility in their pockets, and whisper, “Well then… what kind of glorious little adventure shall we invent today?” ✨🚪🌎 

*****

Today may be a wandering day. A thinking day. A tiny-adventure-with-sneakers-on kind of day. Maybe it becomes one of those beautiful little moments where I teach someone to juggle scarves, and suddenly their face lights up as they’ve just uncovered a secret loophole in the laws of gravity. 🎪✨

*****

For a few glorious seconds, the scarves float, laughter sneaks into the air, and the universe quietly whispers, “See? You’re capable of more than you thought.” Then they get ten throws, and it overwhelms them. I often suggest to them to get 100 throws by the end of the day. 

*****

Or today’s assignment is simpler: notice things. The birds are conducting their tiny morning meetings. The sunlight was slowly crawling across the floor. The strange beauty of life continuing forward, even when the calendar loosens its grip for a while.

*****

Open days can fool us. They sometimes look “empty” when they’re actually overflowing with possibility. Not every meaningful day arrives carrying fireworks and marching bands. Some stroll in quietly, hands in pockets, whispering, “You finally have room to breathe.”

*****

And honestly?
Those days matter.
Always remember that you are in charge of making your day fabulous. 

*****

Because a well-lived life is built not only in dramatic moments, but also in these softer spaces—the pauses between performances, the calm between adventures, the Wednesday mornings where a man sits beside a mostly finished blog and quietly asks:

*****

“Now what?”
Now what?
Now you live. 🌟

*****
This place gets so quiet sometimes that it almost feels unreal. Right now, there’s no one around at all—just stillness hanging in the air like the building forgot to breathe. It’s 1:15, and honestly, I’d love nothing more than to go for a long stroll… maybe even break into a little run just to feel movement again.

*****
But, as you know, that’s not something I’m allowed to do right now. So the body waits while the mind keeps pacing laps. Even so, somewhere inside me, that runner is still there—stretching at the starting line, ready for the day the gate finally opens. 

*****
Dinner should be rolling out soon like a grand culinary parade on tiny invisible wheels. 🍽️✨ I’ll keep you posted on the evening feast. Although… plot twist… It’s now the next day, and whatever I ate last night has apparently slipped into the Witness Protection Program for memories. I know dinner happened. I survived. Beyond that? Complete mashed-potato mystery. 🤹‍♂️😂
******
>>>>> May 7
😀
A happy smiley face 😊 — do you like it? You’d better… because this little rascal is about to bounce through the entire section like it owns the place. 😊 It has no plans of leaving quietly, either. It’s here to sprinkle joy, photobomb your thoughts, and grin at you from every corner like a tiny yellow motivational speaker with cheeks. 😊
😀
Congratulations are in order! 🎉🏆 After wrestling the wild midnight circus of thoughts, ideas, memories, and random brain squirrels… I managed to stay in bed until nearly 5 a.m. For me, that’s sleeping late. A true athletic achievement in the Olympic sport of “Not Getting Up Too Early.” 😄
😀
Days arrive. Days leave. The sun clocks in, the moon clocks out, and somewhere in the middle our poor bodies politely whisper, “Hey, genius… maybe include sleep in this grand experiment called life.” 🌙✨ Turns out rest isn’t laziness—it’s fuel. Even race cars pull into the pit stop now and then… and you, my friend, have been running quite the marathon.
😀
I’m pretty much packed up for my next location for life, https://www.legacypreservetampa.com/. This place looks good to me. What do you think? The average American is expected to move roughly 11 to 12 times in their lifetime, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. While some people remain in only 1–3 homes, others, particularly in transient or professional contexts, may live in over 20+ different homes, apartments, or cities.
😀
If someone asked me where I’d choose to live after wandering across Europe, rolling through Japan, and exploring every state in America, I’d still point toward New Zealand with a giant grin on my face. 🌎✨ There’s just something magical about that place—the beauty, the calm, the people who somehow manage to feel both adventurous and wonderfully grounded at the same time.
😀   
Mountains that look like they were designed by a fantasy novelist, oceans that sparkle like they’re showing off, and enough fresh air to make your lungs stand up and applaud.
😀
Now, actually moving there? Ah, yes… tiny detail. 😄 Sometimes life hands you a dream wrapped in paperwork, logistics, visas, moving expenses, and about seventeen forms asking if you’ve ever transported suspicious fruit across international borders. But still, what a beautiful thought to carry around in your pocket: out of all the places on Earth, one place made your spirit quietly whisper, “Yep… this feels like home.”
😀
Are careers funny little shape-shifters, too, aren’t they? 🎪 One minute you’re a 15-year-old kid picking up juggling balls “just for fun”… and suddenly WHOOSH—you’re completely consumed, chasing flying objects across stages and around the world. Then somehow the story kept growing.
😀
I wrote 15 books. I traveled the world helping jugglers discover and improve their own magic. And now? These days, I juggle words instead of clubs, tossing ideas, stories, laughter, and life lessons into this blog each morning before sunrise. Different rhythm… same joyful madness. ✨ I truly hope you enjoy the ride.
😀
I’m 67 years old now… though somewhere inside me, a 23-year-old is still sprinting down the hallway juggling dreams, wild ideas, and probably a suspicious amount of snacks. 😄🎉 And honestly? I hope that kid never leaves.
😀
I’m planning to stick around until at least 100, which means this wild little adventure still has 33 more years of plot twists, sunrise walks, outrageous laughter, unexpected reinventions, late-night ideas, wrong turns that become great stories, and beautifully ridiculous moments waiting just around the corner.
😀
Honestly, I feel like life keeps tossing me brand-new juggling balls and grinning like a mischievous carnival announcer: “Alright, Kit… your turn. Let’s see what kind of magic, chaos, and glorious nonsense you create with THESE.” 😄🎪✨
😀
I think the younger version of us never truly disappears—it just gathers wisdom, deeper love, stronger scars, and the good sense to stretch before attempting anything heroic. The real magic isn’t staying young… It’s staying curious and staying playful. Keeping that spark alive even while the candles on the birthday cake begin requiring a fire permit. 🎂🔥
😀
So tell me… does the child inside you still sneak out once in a while to chase fireflies, laugh too loudly, buy unnecessary ice cream, or dream up wonderfully ridiculous ideas? I sure hope so. 🎈
😀
Because life becomes a far brighter circus when we never stop chasing wonder, juggling curiosity, and leaving a little glitter on the sidewalks of ordinary days.
😀
I’m planning to stick around until at least 100, so this adventure still has 33 more years of plot twists, sunrise walks, laughter, learning, and glorious nonsense ahead. Here I go! Want to join me on this wild little expedition to 100? We’ll collect stories, wisdom, wrinkles, and, along the way, a few missing reading glasses. 🚀✨
😀
Here I go! Want to join me on this wild little expedition to 100? We’ll collect stories, wisdom, wrinkles, and a few missing reading glasses along the way. 🚀✨
😀
As I’ve written before, if I didn’t have this blog to pour my thoughts into, I don’t know what I’d do. 🤹‍♂️✨ This little corner of words has become part diary, part campfire, part runaway circus train for my brain. Some people knit sweaters. Some people yell at golf balls. Some waste their time watching TV.
😀
I wake up before sunrise and wrestle ideas onto a screen while the birds hold their tiny morning meetings outside. Without this blog, I’d be roaming the hallways juggling oranges and giving motivational speeches to vending machines. 🍊🎤
😀
My daily schedule finally arrived… and guess what? One lonely little appointment: speech therapy from 10:30 to 11:00. Apparently, I’ve become the wild rogue juggling club of the therapy department and scared everyone else into hiding. Honestly, though, that part feels a little sad. I still want to keep improving, keep learning, keep pushing forward. Give me challenges, not parking brakes. My engine is still running. 🎪✨
😀
Breakfast was the usual today—nothing worthy of a standing ovation, fireworks, or even a postcard home. Just another quiet little “well, this technically counts as food” kind of morning. No legendary pancakes. No heroic omelet riding in to save the day. But that’s alright. Not every breakfast becomes a memory; some are simply fuel for the next adventure waiting somewhere ahead. ☀️
😀
First, I stopped by the therapy room, and Terrie let me know she’ll meet with me tomorrow—which, in the mysterious land of schedules and clipboards, counts as a genuine victory.  I was early, so I spent a little time downstairs on the first floor, quietly observing life in all its strange and fragile forms. Some people there truly are not doing very well. Honestly, it sometimes feels less like a rehabilitation center and more like extremely expensive babysitting with better lighting.
😀
From 11:00 to 11:30, I had speech therapy. I left feeling a little disappointed in myself because my memory still likes to wander off like a distracted golden retriever chasing squirrels. I know I need to use more strategies instead of just hoping my brain suddenly yells, “Surprise! I remembered everything!” One thing is becoming very clear: I need to carry a pen and something to write on at all times. My future may depend on sticky notes, scribbled reminders, and the ancient survival technique known as “WRITE IT DOWN, KIT.” ✍️
😀
Back for lunch… and the meal was not that great. Then absolutely nothing is scheduled for the rest of the afternoon. Apparently, my calendar looked at me and said, “You know what? Let’s just let Kit freestyle today.” 😄
😀
I’m looking forward to getting to the new place. Once I land there, I plan to tighten up my food intake, start working out more, and wake this body back up like an old circus lion hearing the opening music again. 🦁🎪
😀
Right now, there’s not much I can do here, so I’ve mostly been in “low battery mode.” But that won’t last forever. The engine is still in there rumbling… just waiting for open road, fresh challenges, and maybe slightly smaller bowls of ice cream. 🍨😀 
😀
People told me I should be wearing a
mask because I was sick. 
This is my mask, do you like it? And, here is a mask on a mask. 
Last week, while I was coughing like an old lawnmower trying to start in winter, people kept telling me, “You should really be wearing a mask.” 😄 So naturally, I contacted Amazon and ordered a mask. And now the big question is… do you like it? Because if I’m going to look like a mysterious ninja-pharmacist-superhero, I at least want style points. 🥷😷✨
😀
>>>>> May 8
YES!
That’s a great word, YES.
Use this word more often, YES?
YES, you can!
YES!
Waking in the early hours never gets old for me—that quiet time before the world fully wakes up has become part of who I am. While most people are still dreaming, my mind is already stretching, building, creating, and chasing the next idea across the sunrise. It always feels good to have projects to work on, little sparks of purpose waiting on the table each morning, like unopened gifts from life itself. ☀️✨
YES!
Today, I wrote a letter to my daughter, Jasmine, about some difficulties I’ve been facing. Sometimes the bravest thing we can do is speak honestly about what hurts and what needs to change. This letter is an important step toward a better future. Life has taught me something powerful: even hard conversations can become bridges to healing, progress, and new beginnings.
YES!
What’s next for you today?
What’s first for you today?
You have all day — use it right.
And you have all your life — Make it magnificent!
YES!
Around 8:35 a.m. now, my breakfast has decided to begin a heroic cross-country expedition before reaching my room. My schedule finally arrived too: speech therapy from 10:30–11 and OT from 1–2. Not exactly the kind of action-packed calendar that makes Broadway producers fight over the movie rights.
YES!    
Not much to write home about… though that thought comes with a little sting, because technically, at the moment, I don’t really have a home to write to. Funny how life can slip humor and heartbreak into the very same sentence.
YES!    
Still, I’ve learned something important over the years: home is not always a building. Sometimes it’s the people who love you, the dreams still pulling you forward, the stories you continue to tell, and the stubborn little spark inside you that refuses to quit. ✨
YES!
I was just out doing my daily cleaning patrol again… picking up little bits of the world one piece at a time. And honestly, the thought crossed my mind once more: who will keep doing it when I’m gone? I’d hate to see this place slowly surrender to clutter and neglect. A clean space may seem like a small thing, but it quietly tells people, “Someone cared enough to make life a little better here.” Even tiny acts of care leave fingerprints behind. 🧹✨
YES!
From 10:30 to 11, I had speech therapy with Dino. Trying not to radiate too much negativity here, but when I walked in, he casually asked, “How ya been?” I already had my reservations. Most sessions feel unprepared, like we’re building the airplane after takeoff. He rarely seems ready for me, and honestly, I left as quickly as I could. So, back I came to something that lights me up—this blog. Right now, my greatest joy is sitting down and tossing words into the world for you, one thought at a time, like juggling little sparks of life across the page. ✨
YES!
My daughter, April, has a daughter, Penelope — so I am a Granpa. I can’t be that old.
My mom made the dress, by the way.
YES!
OT was supposed to start at 1 pm. The door to the therapy room remained locked until 5 after, then my actual therapy did not start until 10 after, and ended at 1:37, so I am losing time for therapy. We decided I would make a meal of pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans, and salad, using my own salad sauce recipe. She wrote a list of things this would help with — I just want to eat a meal.
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PART 3)–BLOG 376–DON’T LIVE FOR THE FUTURE OF THE PAST
     
“Don’t live in the past. Don’t live in the future.”
Simple words… but they carry the kind of truth that can rearrange a life.
Often linked to Gautama Buddha, the fuller idea lands like a quiet bell in a noisy room:
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
No fireworks. No drumroll. Just clarity—clean and undeniable.
   
Yesterday is a story.
Tomorrow is a guess.
But right now?
     
This is your workshop. 🔧
This is where life gets built.
Build one small, imperfect moment.
One beautiful action at a time.
   
When you anchor yourself in the present, something almost magical happens. The static fades. Regret loosens its grip like an old knot finally giving way. Worry—oh, that loud, dramatic storyteller—loses its microphone.
   
And suddenly, you’re not stuck replaying or predicting… you’re doing. You’re choosing. You’re creating. That’s where peace lives—not in some distant future, not buried in a rewritten past—but right here, in the breath you’re taking and the step you’re about to make.
     
And here’s the twist—living in the present doesn’t mean erasing the past. It means finally putting it where it belongs. The past is a teacher, not a landlord. It shouldn’t get to live rent-free in your mind, stomping through your thoughts, rearranging your peace, and dimming the lights of your future.
   
Take the lessons. Take the scars that turned into strength. Take the wisdom that only struggle could teach. But don’t hand the car keys to it and let it drive your life in circles. You’ve still got roads to travel and horizons waiting to meet you.
   
Because when old pain builds a permanent campsite in your head, it quietly drains your energy—the very fuel you need to create something beautiful now. Regret is heavy. Resentment is exhausting. And replaying yesterday over and over is like trying to drive forward while staring only into the rearview mirror. At some point, you have to loosen your grip on what hurt you so you can finally hold onto what can heal you.
     
And today? Today is where your life actually lives. Not someday. Not “when everything finally lines up perfectly.” Today—in all its messy, unfinished, gloriously imperfect magic. This moment is still breathing, still offering chances, still handing you tiny opportunities disguised as ordinary hours. So laugh a little louder. Love a little deeper. Start before you feel fully ready. Life is not waiting for perfection…
   
It’s waiting for participation. 🌅     
So step into this moment like you mean it.
Unpack your attention.
Open the windows. Let the light in. ☀️
     
Say yes to what’s in front of you—even if it’s small, even if it’s uncertain. Especially then. The future isn’t waiting for you somewhere down the road—it’s being shaped right now, by the choices you make in this moment. Every action is a brushstroke. Every decision adds color to the canvas. You’re not just passing time… you’re painting something that didn’t exist before.
   
So leave the past where it belongs.
Forgive yourself—yes, even for that.
Use what you’ve learned, but don’t live there.
And stop renting space in a future that hasn’t arrived yet.
   
Instead, stand right here—feet planted firmly on the ground, heart wide open, hands ready for the work and wonder ahead—and build something bold. Something alive. Something that crackles with purpose, laughter, courage, and possibility. Build a life that doesn’t whisper “maybe someday,” but shouts a full-bodied, fearless, unapologetic YES into the sky. ✨ 

Because this moment?
This one right here?
This is where the magic gets made. ✨ 

       LIVE FOR NOW!   NOT YESTERDAY!    NOT TOMORROW!   NOW IS THE TIME!
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PART 4) 🔥 A FEW SPARKS TO SLIP INTO YOUR POCKET
    ✨ THE MAGIC OF QUOTES ✨
Inspirational quotes are like mental spark plugs. 💥They snap you awake, simplify big ideas, and give you a quick push forward. A good quote can shift your thinking—turning “I can’t” into “let’s try.” And the more you repeat it, the more it becomes part of you.
Simple truth:  A quote on a page is nice… A quote you live by? That’s power. 🚀
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Buddha–“Do not dwell in the past,
do not dream of the future,
concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
   
Kit Summers–“If you want to be remembered after you are dead–
Write something worth reading (as I’ve done.) 
Or do something worth writing about.”
   
Kit Summers — “The more people you lift, encourage, teach, and sprinkle a little hope onto,
the more your fingerprints stay on the world long after you’ve wandered off to your next adventure.” 🎪
     
Kit Summers–“Memories aren’t built from perfection—they’re built from kindness, laughter, generosity, and those small moments when someone walks away thinking, ‘Wow… that person made my day brighter.’ Help enough people, and your story keeps juggling its way forward through the hearts of others. 🎪✨”
   
Kevin Costner–“Our best chance of leaving behind a legacy is to
Teach those who want to learn, our kids, by standing firm.
You can go with the flow on some things. But in matters of conscience,
You need to stand firm.”
   
Anonymous–“Even though your time here is temporary,
If you do a good enough job, your work will last forever.”
       
William Arthur Ward:–
The mediocre teacher tells.
The good teacher explains.
The superior teacher demonstrates.
The great teacher inspires.”
     
C.K. Webb–“A writer doesn’t want for riches and fame. 
Even though those aren’t bad things.
An authentic writer wants to leave behind a part of themselves,
something that withstands the test of time and can go through the generations.”
   
Billy Graham–“The greatest inheritance you can pass on to your children and grandchildren is more than the money or material possessions you get. It’s a legacy of both character and faith.”
     
Og Mandino–“The greatest legacy you can leave to your kids is happy memories; those special moments so much like rocks on the beach that are taken from the white sand and put in tiny boxes that lie unopened on shelves until one day they fall out and time repeats, with joy and sadness, in the child who is now an adult.”
     
Simon Van Booy–“Language lets us reach out to people, to touch people with our deepest fears, hopes, losses, victories. To reach out to people whom we’ll never meet. It’s the single greatest legacy you could ever leave to your children or your loved ones: The history of how you felt in your biggest moments.”
       
Christine Gregoire–“It is up to us to live based on the legacy that was left behind for us, and to leave our own that is worthy of our children, their children, and their children’s children.”
     
Naveen Jain–“Our legacy will be defined by the victories and boldness by which our daughters and sons take on the challenges the world faces. I also wonder if perhaps the most important and long-lasting demonstration of one’s humility lies in our ability to teach and mentor our children.”
     
Aristotle–“Children are the legacy we leave behind for the age we will not live to see.”
     
Paul Tsongas–“We are a continuum. In the same way we draw on our ancestors for our core values, we, as guardians of our legacy, must look ahead to future generations. And we do so with an awareness of sacredness in that reaching.”
     
Andre Leon Talley: “I want to be remembered as someone who made an impact in the lives of young people. I want people to remember that I nurtured someone and taught them to pursue their dreams and their careers, to leave a legacy.”
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PART 5) YOUR CHALLENGE THIS WEEK >>
LIVE FOR NOW! NOT TOMORROW. NOT NEXT WEEK. NOW IS YOUR TIME
This week, shift your lens. The past has packed its bags and left the building. The future?
A promise, a maybe, a “we’ll see.” But NOW—this moment right here—is where your power lives.
     
Treat each “now” like it’s a spark with your name on it—because it is. Show up fully. Lean in a little more than you feel comfortable with. Add your flavor, your fire, your grin. Stack enough of those moments—one, then another, then another—and suddenly… boom.
     
This week, see life differently, see hope in your future. You’re not just passing time anymore—you’re crafting something bold, bright, and unforgettable. An extraordinary life, built one electric “now” at a time. MAKE ALL THIS HAPPEN THIS WEEK! ⚡
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PART 6) NEXT WEEK>>
BLOG 377–I CAN’T WHISTLE
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