.:: By John B Grimes
Did you know bacterial meningitis can change your life in an instant? I didn’t. Before it hit me, I had no idea what meningitis even was. One moment, I was living my life like any other 19-year-old college student, feeling like I was 10 feet tall and bulletproof. The next, I was in a coma fighting for my life.
Meningitis is a dangerous infection that attacks the protective membranes around the brain and spinal cord. It can develop suddenly, often without clear symptoms at first, and it doesn’t discriminate. What starts as something that feels like the flu can escalate into a life-or-death situation in hours.
The truth is, life doesn’t always come with warnings. We all face those moments when the rug gets pulled out from under us—sometimes it’s illness, sometimes it’s something else. But what I’ve learned is this: you can’t control everything that happens, but you can control how you move forward.
So ask yourself: if everything changed tomorrow, what’s one thing you’d wish you’d already started? A conversation? A project? A habit? Why not start it today?
Meningitis taught me that waiting is a gamble I don’t want to take again. What’s your “don’t wait” moment? Share it—your story could inspire someone else to take their first step.
