The ADHD Treasures - My Life, the real treasure
13February

The ADHD Treasures - My Life, the real treasure

Written by Craig Rogers, Posted on , in Section Inspirational
Original article posted on Psych Central by Kelly Babcock on February 13th, 2016

… or life worth treasuring

I’m past the double nickel now, 57 to be exact. It’s likely that I’ve lived more then half my life at this age.

And I suspect that having ADHD means that my life expectancy might be shorter than the norm. I mean, come on, we are more likely to wind up in emerge at any given time, more likely to die of accidental poisoning (that’s true, I read it somewhere on the internet so it has to be true, right?). How are we ever going to live as long as “the others?”ADD - Life of Treasures

And where am I in my life? Am I a success? Am I ready to retire like that “Freedom Fifty-Five” stuff says? Ha! I wish.

Not a success?

I’m not broke, I’m paying my bills, I own more than I owe. But I can’t quit working any time soon. Am I successful? Maybe, I don’t know, I guess, kind of.

So what’s this about treasures?

You know what? My treasures are memories. I remember taking risks. And looking back, I’m amazed I’m still alive.

I was recently reminded, by a picture of an old vintage Chevy, that I once drove my grandfather’s Pontiac across a field on the starter motor.

Yeah, I know, doesn’t sound that risky, right? And I guess it wasn’t. Did I mention I was five years old?

You know, I remember playing on the beams of the barn, I remember how beautiful the village looked from the dormers of the barn roof. I remember riding horse bareback with no bridle, just a single piece of twine tied to my mounts halter.

Treasured memories weren’t always adventures …

I remember doing farm chores with my mother and her teaching me ways to stay focused and make things interesting. Those are treasures.

I remember long, drawn out conversations of discovery with myself.

I remember book reviews of a similar nature, done by myself in my head.

I remember … so many things

But the cool treasures are the things I suddenly remember. When my mind is wide open and free-ranging and some single simple thing sparks the light of resurrection and illuminates some long forgotten risk taken or adventure chanced.

When some long forgotten quirk in my all too quirky past pops up years after the last time I’d thought of it, that’s when I feel rich.

And the real treasure?

The totally unique life I’ve lived, from the many different vocations and hobbies I’ve had on down to the random chances and choices I’ve made, the things I call life, this life, my life, that’s the treasure. That’s the real treasure.