The Power of Always Staying Positive
A story, quote and lesson about how a famed author survived an accident
Smile, it’s free therapy.
It's easy for most of us to agree when we have plenty of reasons to smile about. Maybe you just got a much-needed promotion, you are going out to a restaurant you enjoy or you just received a nice message from a loved one. The true test of positivity is being able to find something to smile about when smiling is the last thing you want to do.
In the summer of 1999, Stephen King was taking his usual afternoon walk near the town of Lovell, Maine. He was spending the summer in western Maine with his wife and kids, including his three-month-old grandson. They had plans to go see The General’s Daughter later that evening in nearby North Conway.
Little did he know that wasn’t going to happen. As he was walking alongside Maine State Route 5, a light blue Dodge van was heading his way. It was swerving back and forth along the width of the road but Stephen, unaware, was walking on the shoulder, far from harm.
The van got nearer and nearer and the swerving didn’t stop. Stephen kept walking along the shoulder. As he got to the top of the short steep hill he was walking on, Stephen finally saw the van. It was heading straight for him. With no time to react, he tried jumping out of the way but was ultimately struck and launched several feet in the air, landing in a crevice near the road.
With an exploded tibia, a severe dislocation of his right hip, four broken ribs, and a clean break in his right knee—among other injuries—King was rushed to Northern Cumberland Hospital, then medevaced to Central Maine Medical Center due to the extent of the trauma.
In his fleeting bursts of consciousness, Stephen struggled to make sense of what was happening. One thing, however, was undeniable: his life had changed forever. The doctors reassured him that he would survive—but what they failed to explain was just how long and grueling the road to recovery would be.
With the help of his loving wife Tabby, King understood that his mindset mattered just as much as the physical therapy. He cried—several times—but also made an effort to enjoy whatever moments he could. From watching the Fourth of July fireworks from the hospital loading dock to teasing a fellow patient during rehab, he found ways to smile through the pain.
“One patient was learning to walk again at the same time, a wispy eighty-year-old woman named Alice who was recovering from a stroke. We cheered each other on when we had enough breath to do so.”
- Stephen King on his road to recovery (On Writing).
What happened to King was tragic and senseless—an accident that never should have happened, caused by a distracted driver behind the wheel of a blue Dodge van. Even King has wondered what might have been different if he’d simply skipped his walk that day.
These are natural thoughts in the aftermath of trauma. But sometimes, life gives you a hand that feels unplayable—and it’s up to you whether to fold or stay in and rise to the challenge. Staying positive in the face of adversity may not change the cards you’re dealt, but it can make the game more bearable—and even meaningful.
So now I ask you:
Where could adding a touch of positivity help you accomplish your goals?
Great read!
What an insightful and encouraging story. 🙂😀