Mirror
I’m not sure who to give credit to for the title quote, but I was reminded of it at our last Ed Thomas Legacy Leadership Academy. Our 1st speaker was Rohan Murphy– a young man who lost his legs at birth. He spoke about growing up learning how to live his life without legs. Do you know that when he grocery shops he has to take around 5 trips in and out of the store because he can’t carry big loads of groceries? Something so simple that we don’t even realize we are privileged to have. Rohan went on to graduate from Penn State University. He was also on the wrestling team there!! Today he is a motivational speaker sharing his story.
Our 2nd speaker was Brad Waller. As a young teen, Brad became paralyzed in an auto accident. He gets around today in a wheelchair. He went on to become an Assistant Vice President at Hy-Vee and works out of the corporate office in Des Moines. Brad also does motivational speaking and he is a great example of how faith can become such a positive and powerful force in our lives.
With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I thought it would be a good time to share how these two men held up a mirror for us all to look into. What I saw made me feel foolish. What do I complain about each day? How truly tough are these issues for me to overcome? Will this problem impact me just today, or every day for the rest of my life like it does for Rohan and Brad? Hearing their stories made me realize that we all need to do a better job of being thankful for all that we can do.
People like Rohan and Brad are such an inspiration to us. While these two men share similar obstacles in their lives, we know that there are many other hurdles we may face in our lifetime. For some, mental illness may consume their lives, making it difficult to function from day to day. Some may feel pain during this shopping-focused holiday season as they are reminded of their financial state. Others may be struggling with the illness or loss of a loved one.
Consequently, I am thankful I can move, no matter what speed.
We all have our own challenges and battles in this life, but I guarantee you there is someone else in the world that has it harder than you do. Instead of focusing on what you do not have, be thankful for what you do have.