--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've seen people recover physical…" description: "\"I've seen people recover physical abilities, yet never get over emotional trauma after a serious accident. I've seen other people overcome the psycholo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/jim-stovall-15483_ability_i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilit_71653.jpg" --- # I've seen people recover physical abilities, yet never get… ![“I've seen people recover physical abilities, yet never get over emotional trauma after a serious accident. I've seen other people overcome the psychological and emotional trauma of a serious illness even though they may never fully regain their physical capabilities. Which is the greater healing?…” quote by Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/jim-stovall-15483_ability_i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilit_71653.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/jim-stovall-15483_ability_i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilit_71653.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/jim-stovall-15483_ability_i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilit_71653.jpg) > “I've seen people recover physical abilities, yet never get over emotional trauma after a serious accident. I've seen other people overcome the psychological and emotional trauma of a serious illness even though they may never fully regain their physical capabilities. Which is the greater healing? Which is the better recovery? If I had the option of choosing between a mediocre life with eyesight or the life I have today, even though I am blind, I'd stay blind and keep the life I have.” [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physical recovery can be achieved through therapy, but emotional healing often requires deeper introspection and acceptance; the speaker values the quality of lived experience over sensory ability. **In simple terms:** Emotional resilience outweighs physical sight. Key Takeaway Life's richness can persist without vision. Themes resilience perception identity healing choice Mood reflective determined hopeful Type philosophical personal testimony When to use this quote - recovering from accidents - living with blindness - coping with chronic illness - making life choices Key Concepts psychological trauma physical disability quality of life acceptance Practical Applications - counseling for trauma - advocacy for disability rights Questions to Reflect On - What defines a 'good' life? - Can emotional growth compensate for physical loss? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Accidents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accidents/) [Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) [Emotional trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional-trauma/) [Healing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/healing/) [Illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illness/) [Mediocre life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediocre-life/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Physical ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-ability/) [Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological/) [Recovery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recovery/) [Serious illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious-illness/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Trauma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trauma/) ## Related quotes > [Protesting is good, but healing is better. We need to see America heal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alveda-king/protesting-is-good-but-healing-is-better-we-need-to-see-america-heal/) [Alveda King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alveda-king/) > [“Um. I’m really good at first aid. Like, the best.” He was the god of healing, after all. He’d better be good at fucking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosanna-leo/um-i-m-really-good-at-first-aid-like-the-best-he-was-the-god-of/) [Rosanna Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosanna-leo/) > [“Modern man’s misfortune lies not in having to live a mediocre life, but in believing that he could live one that is not mediocre.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/modern-man-s-misfortune-lies-not-in-having-to-live-a-mediocre-life/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [“Become successful, not just because you want to but because you have to! What’s the point in living a mediocre life, if the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/successcoach-nilesh/become-successful-not-just-because-you-want-to-but-because-you-have/) [SuccessCoach Nilesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/successcoach-nilesh/) > [Today is a new day. Don't let your history interfere with your destiny! Let today be the day you stop being a victim of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/today-is-a-new-day-don-t-let-your-history-interfere-with-your-destiny-2/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [We must see that we are afraid of the thing we most desire, and so we live a mediocre life, never bringing to consummation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-deida/we-must-see-that-we-are-afraid-of-the-thing-we-most-desire-and-so-we/) [David Deida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-deida/) > [“He was a mediocre man. He had led a mediocre life exceptional only in the magnitude of its unexceptionality. Now the world was mediocre,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead-zone-one/he-was-a-mediocre-man-he-had-led-a-mediocre-life-exceptional-only-in/) Colson Whitehead Zone One > [“How can a true man find contentment in growing old while leading a leisurely and mediocre life?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heo-gyun/how-can-a-true-man-find-contentment-in-growing-old-while-leading-a/) [Heo Gyun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heo-gyun/) > [Dear young people, let us not be satisfied with a mediocre life. Be amazed by what is true and beautiful, what is of God!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/dear-young-people-let-us-not-be-satisfied-with-a-mediocre-life-be/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“You were not meant for a mundane or mediocre life!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/you-were-not-meant-for-a-mundane-or-mediocre-life/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [“..:The purpose of a flashlight is to brighten our path when finding ourselves walking in darkness. So is every book written. Specially the BIBLE.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-garcia/the-purpose-of-a-flashlight-is-to-brighten-our-path-when-finding/) [Rafael Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-garcia/) > [What I will no longer accept is the mediocre life of a modest little gentleman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-miro/what-i-will-no-longer-accept-is-the-mediocre-life-of-a-modest-little/) [Joan Miro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-miro/) > [“In some ways, I think that part of what I'm trying to accomplish, whether Amá really understands it or not, is to live for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erika-l-s-nchez/in-some-ways-i-think-that-part-of-what-i-m-trying-to-accomplish/) [Erika L. Sánchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erika-l-s-nchez/) > [“Disease, and most specially opprobrious, suppressed, secret disease, creates a certain critical opposition to the world, to mediocre life, disposes a man to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/disease-and-most-specially-opprobrious-suppressed-secret-disease/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) > [Let us not be satisfied with a mediocre life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/let-us-not-be-satisfied-with-a-mediocre-life/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) ## More by Jim Stovall > [“Any discussion of money and success would be lacking if I did not state that money is neither good nor bad. In the hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/any-discussion-of-money-and-success-would-be-lacking-if-i-did-not/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [“Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/integrity-is-doing-the-right-thing-even-if-nobody-is-watching/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [“The only way to truly get more out of life for yourself is to give part of yourself away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/the-only-way-to-truly-get-more-out-of-life-for-yourself-is-to-give/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [“Being the B.E.S.T.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/being-the-b-e-s-t/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [“Integrity is doing the right thing, even if no one is watching.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/integrity-is-doing-the-right-thing-even-if-no-one-is-watching/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [Remember that a wish held fervently turns into belief, and a belief held diligently becomes reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/remember-that-a-wish-held-fervently-turns-into-belief-and-a-belief/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [“Being productive is an essential element of happiness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/being-productive-is-an-essential-element-of-happiness/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [Faith is all that dreamers need to see into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/faith-is-all-that-dreamers-need-to-see-into-the-future/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/you-need-to-be-aware-of-what-others-are-doing-applaud-their-efforts/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [In those times we yearn to have more in our lives, we should dwell on the things we already have. In doing so, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/in-those-times-we-yearn-to-have-more-in-our-lives-we-should-dwell-on/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [Money is nothing more than a tool. It can be a force for good, a force for evil, or simply idle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/money-is-nothing-more-than-a-tool-it-can-be-a-force-for-good-a-force/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [“T” is for Tenacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/t-is-for-tenacity/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [If we are not allowed to deal with small problems, we will be destroyed by slightly larger ones. When we come to understand this,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/if-we-are-not-allowed-to-deal-with-small-problems-we-will-be/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [Love is a treasure for which we can never pay. The only way we keep it is to give it away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/love-is-a-treasure-for-which-we-can-never-pay-the-only-way-we-keep-it/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) > [In the end, a person is only known by the impact he or she has on others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/in-the-end-a-person-is-only-known-by-the-impact-he-or-she-has-on/) [Jim Stovall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) [Explore all 43 Jim Stovall quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've seen people recover physical abilities, yet never get over emotional trauma after a serious accident. I've seen other people overcome the psychological and emotional trauma of a serious illness even though they may never fully regain their physical capabilities. Which is the greater healing? Which is the better recovery? If I had the option of choosing between a mediocre life with eyesight or the life I have today, even though I am blind, I'd stay blind and keep the life I have.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Stovall" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilities-yet-never-get-over/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilities-yet-never-get-over/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/jim-stovall-15483_ability_i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilit_71653.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/jim-stovall-15483_ability_i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilit_71653.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d74/jim-stovall-15483_ability_i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilit_71653.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've seen people recover physical abilities, yet never get over emotional trauma after a serious accident…” — Jim Stovall", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jim Stovall", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-stovall/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've seen people recover physical abilities,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilities-yet-never-get-over/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-stovall/i-ve-seen-people-recover-physical-abilities-yet-never-get-over/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```