Na Maste My Cherished Friends
As we move into the storm of the most negative days of the year please turn up
your Gratitude beams to the maximum amount of energy ever!
Blessings for Benevolent Outcomes in All that you Wish For.
In Love & Lite
Egyptian Priestess
The Power of Gratitude
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"When we choose not to focus on what is missing from
our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present....we experience
heaven on earth."
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An excerpt from
Learning to Dance in the Rain
by Mac Anderson and BJ Gallagher
The date was July 16, 2008. It was late in the afternoon and I was
sitting in my hotel room in Louisville,
Kentucky. I was scheduled to
speak that evening for the Kentucky
Association of School Administrators (KASA). I was a little "down in the
dumps." I hadn't gotten to exercise lately because of my traveling
schedule and recently I'd experienced some mild bouts of vertigo (that inner
ear condition that can cause the room to start spinning.) You got it...speaking
and "spinning" are not good partners!
My
keynote presentation was scheduled for 7:00 PM, but I had been invited to show
up at 6:00 to see a performance they said I'd enjoy. Little did I know that I
was about to see something I would never forget.
They
introduced the young musician. Welcome...Mr. Patrick Henry Hughes. He was
rolled onto the stage in his wheelchair, and began to play the piano. His
fingers danced across the keys as he made beautiful music.
He
then began to sing as he played, and it was even more beautiful. For some
reason, however, I knew that I was seeing something special. There was this
aura about him that I really can't explain and the smile...his smile was magic!
About
ten minutes into Patrick's performance, someone came on the stage and
said..."I'd like to share a 7-minute video titled, The Patrick Henry Hughes story."
And the lights went dim.
Patrick Henry Hughes was born with no eyes, and a tightening of
the joints which left him crippled for life. However, as a child, he was fitted
with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he
discovered the piano. His mom said, "I could hit any note on the piano,
and within one or two tries, he'd get it." By his second birthday, he was
playing requests (You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). His father
was ecstatic. "We might not play baseball, but we can play music
together."
Today, Patrick is a junior at the University of Louisville.
His father attends classes with him and he's made nearly all A's, with the
exception of 3 B's He's also a part of the 214 member marching band. You read
it right...the marching band! He's a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player;
and he and his father do it together. They attend all the band practices and
the half-time performance in front of thousands. His father rolls and rotates
his son around the field to the cheers of Patrick's fans. In order to attend
Patrick's classes and every band practice, his father works the graveyard shift
at UPS. Patrick said..."My dad's my hero."
But
even more than his unbelievable musical talent, it was Patrick's "attitude
of gratitude" that touched my soul. On stage, between songs, he would talk
to the audience about his life and about how blessed he was. He said, "God
made me blind and unable to walk. BIG DEAL! He gave me the ability...the
musical gifts I have...the great opportunity to meet new people."
When
his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together.
The crowd rose to their feet and cheered for over five minutes. It gave me
giant goose bumps!
My
life was ready to meet Patrick Henry Hughes. I needed a hero, and I found one
for the ages. If I live to be a hundred, I'll never forget that night, that
smile, that music, but most importantly, that wonderful "attitude of
gratitude."
I
returned to Chicago
and shared Patrick's story with my wife, my friends, and our team at Simple
Truths. About two weeks later, I received a letter from a friend. He said,
"Mac, I don't know who said it, but I think you'll love this quote."
"Life
is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
it's about learning how to dance in the rain!"
I
thought...that's it! We all face adversity in our life. However, it's not the
adversity, but how we react to it that will determine the joy and happiness in
our life. During tough times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for
ourselves, or, can we, with gratitude...learn how to dance in the rain?
It
almost sounds too simple to feel important, but one word...gratitude, can
change your attitude, thus, your life, forever. Sarah Breathnack said it
best...
"When we choose not to focus on what is missing
from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present....we
experience heaven on earth