Japanese Hospitals

What I Learned from My Accident

If you’re not humble, life will visit humbleness upon you.

–Mike Tyson

Looking back over things, it was entirely my fault. Just a few days before, I had been violently thrown from my bicycle in Okayama Prefecture. The result was a grievously broken collarbone and elbow. As I lay in my hospital bed post reconstructive surgery, I found myself unable to sleep due to the throbbing pain in my shoulder. Strangely though, my thoughts were surprisingly clear in a way that only true agony lends itself to. Mulling over what had transpired, it was clear that my ego had gotten the better of me yet again. Unable to merely sit around and wait while the others selected their rides, my impatient and idiotic self somehow thought it would be a good idea to cruise around the dirt parking lot. Not realizing the strength of the front brakes, all it took was a slight grasp to send me flying. Truth be told, I’m honestly lucky to be alive. The ordeal could have been much, much worse.

Now one thing I’ve come to realize during my reflections on my calamity is that I’ve been turning a blind eye to silent risks almost on a daily basis. I’ve jaywalked in front of oncoming traffic while mindlessly replying to comments on Instagram. I’ve darted between cars while…