sue murray

STAYING AFLOAT
I look back on that day and so wish things were different. Doing something I loved quickly turned into mine and my loved one’s worst nightmare. Below the water my body was completely broken
and all the dreams I knew were shattered. My partner, family and closest friends remained by my side giving me the love, positive support and energy I needed. Without them I wouldn’t have survived.
Even people I didn’t know sent me their love, support and words of encouragement and continue to do so during my recovery. Good Friends and the community rallied around to support me, they worked tirelessly to raise funds to assist me and my future. I will be forever grateful and can’t thank them enough for what my friends and the community did for me. It was truly amazing.
I’ve lost many things that I loved, especially the simple things I took for granted. I have been reminded constantly that everything is different now, that nothing is the same anymore. However my mind is alive and I’m the same person inside.
Everyday I improve, I do something new and more movement comes back. I can now walk with an aid and my legs grow stronger each day. Rehab has been my home for many months, the staff have been my family and I’ll always be grateful. As time goes on, distance and everyday life has understandably taken it’s toll. Some people have slowly disappeared, some even have decided they can’t do this anymore. Reality slowly sinks in as I near going home, however I remain positive that I will stay strong and achieve my goals. I’ll never give up hope.

BEAUTY IN MOTION
Being beautiful is about how we perceive. My self image is beautiful and perfect and the ability to say that comes from having learned to love who I am, inside and outside. Believing you have this inside yourself is a vital journey you must take – to acknowledge your own beauty, especially if your self perception changes through no fault of your own – Bang Crash, in a flash, like a photo, you are caught in a moment in time. Your image of yourself changes like slow motion. So slow. Then suddenly you will eventually feel that you are Beauty in Motion

BEAUTY IN MOTION
Being beautiful is about how we perceive. My self image is beautiful and perfect and the ability to say that comes from having learned to love who I am, inside and outside. Believing you have this inside yourself is a vital journey you must take – to acknowledge your own beauty, especially if your self perception changes through no fault of your own – Bang Crash, in a flash, like a photo, you are caught in a moment in time. Your image of yourself changes like slow motion. So slow. Then suddenly you will eventually feel that you are Beauty in Motion

CLEAR THE MIND
Clear the mind of all cloudiness and get rid of all negative thoughts. This is my interpretation of what all athletes should strive for.

LIFE IS ABOUT CHANGE
Life is about change. Some we choose while other changes are forced upon us. I have tried hard to be resilient and to embrace all the changes that have occurred in my life.
My passions have been sporting in nature. After a long and chronic illness being in a wheelchair finally allows me to participate in sports again. My heart is singing and I feel free for the first time in many years. Please tell me what I can do in it and not what I can’t.

YOUR SPHERE OF CAPABILITY
Everyone lives within their sphere of capability, for things that occur outside that sphere one needs assistance. Those of us that have a disability need greater help to accomplish our daily living needs.
We call on people both professionally and those who assist us out of love to achieve this end. Those who lovingly assist us without recompense are usually our family.
I am lucky to have a wife, Ruth whose love I can never repay; increasingly as I age my needs become greater. My daughter, Karen has only known her dad in a wheelchair, now her partner, Will and my grandson, Nicky also have to make allowances for my limitations. This they do without complaint.
This image is my way to celebrate that all encompassing love, allowance and assistance they and others provide. Life is all about achieving our goals and fulfilment of those activities energises our life. To all the people who ceaselessly aid me without complaint this is the one way I can acknowledge your contribution and celebrate your thoughtfulness.

A FREE MIND SPACE
Riding into a free mind space. Just the horse, myself and the landscape...

REMEMBERING
Losing the ability to do the things you love is hard, remembering the feeling you used to get while doing the thing you love is easy, and brings back a reason to smile.