Today marks three years since I underwent a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, in my case, a triple bypass.
To say that I am both grateful to be alive and extremely blessed is an understatement.
As I wrote in another piece where I reflected upon how undergoing such a surgery changes you in profound and permanent ways, both physically and emotionally, you truly don’t leave the hospital the same person you were when you walked in.
There is something else you learn…
There’s a difference between living and simply not being dead.
Anyone who has undergone open-heart surgery knows that line far too well.
You go into that operating room carrying every mistake, every regret, every ignored sign your body tried to warn you with.
You go in thinking about the people you love, the dreams you froze, and the time you wasted assuming you could afford to waste it.
Then they stop your heart.
For a terrifying moment, the machine becomes your life.
You’re no longer running yourself — modern medicine is.
And when your heart is restarted, you come back changed.
Not just stitched.
Not just repaired.
Reborn…
You Wake Up With a Scar — Not a Reminder of Pain, But of Victory
That long scar isn’t a flaw — it’s your proof of survival.
Proof that someone literally opened your chest, took hold of your life, and gave you a second chance you weren’t guaranteed.
People look at you differently afterward.
But more importantly, you look at you differently.
You understand that:
Every breath is earned now.
Time is not a subscription — it doesn’t renew on autopay.
Stress is something you choose to carry.
Love isn’t something to postpone.
When your heart has been stopped and then restarted, you stop tolerating a meaningless life.
The Body Recovers — The Priorities Transform
Suddenly…
You stop chasing things that drain you.
You stop entertaining people who don’t value their time or yours.
You no longer need permission to enjoy the sunrise or the taste of coffee or another chance to try again.
You learn that “someday” is the most dangerous word ever created.
Because someday almost didn’t come.
You Don’t Just Add Years — You Add Purpose
There’s clarity that comes only after touching the edge of your mortality.
You no longer fear death — you fear wasting your rebirth.
You start:
Saying “I love you” without hesitation
Apologizing quicker
Forgiving smarter
Laughing louder
Dreaming bolder
Living intentionally
You stop being a passenger in your own life.
Because your heart doesn’t beat in the background anymore — you hear it.
You feel it.
You know what it cost to keep it beating.
A New Birthday
And that’s why everyone who survives open-heart surgery has two birthdays:
The day they arrived into this world — and the day they were given a reason to truly live in it.
You walked back from the brink.
You earned your restart.
And from this moment on, nothing about your life is ordinary.
Because you weren’t just saved.
You were reborn.
-The Rational Ram
The Rational Ram 