I provided a authentic complement to a co-worker, and what happened next was amazing and profound to me. My co-worker said this to me:
God sent Moses to wonder through the dessert not because he wanted him to suffer, it was because God wanted teach Moses how to survive. God made you go through all that you did with Shawn because he wanted to prepare you for the journey that he planned for you to help so many other people and accomplish great goals. ~Michelle Mares
This comment shook me to the core, but it was in a good way.
My drive is somewhat based on my own insecurities. I have always had this feeling that deep down inside that the world was out to get me. It all started out when I was in grade school. I was the kid that always stood out in class not because I was good or smart, it was because I was the class clown. Often I found myself completely distracted from the lesson that we were going over because I was daydreaming of something that grabbed my attention.
My drive is somewhat based on my own insecurities. I have always had this feeling that deep down inside that the world was out to get me. It all started out when I was in grade school. I was the kid that always stood out in class not because I was good or smart, it was because I was the class clown. Often I found myself completely distracted from the lesson that we were going over because I was daydreaming of something that grabbed my attention.
If you are reader of my blog, you have have fallen victim to my inability to spell, but there is a reason for that. By the time I was 10 years old, I was diagnosed at Texas Scottish Rite hospital with Dyslexia and Attention Deficit Disorder. It was bitter sweet fro my family because finally there was a reason as to why I was not like the other kids. I was wired differently. My mother dropped everything to get a certification in learning disabilities to help me and provide my school with the information they needed to accommodate a child with a learning disability.
I grew up in a very small town of only 1000 citizens, so the administration and teachers were very resentful on having to accommodate for one child. They often would try to find ways to punish me or discredit the accommodations. Because the teachers were condescending to me, that lead to the students being the same way, and I soon found myself being left out of the popular crowds. I would try to do many things to get back in including fabricating huge stories about who my family was or who I hung out with, but that just led to them classifying me as a "Liar". It took years to lose that designation, and it is something that I struggled with till I was in my 20s.
Finally, I realized that it was not who I knew, or what people perceived me to be is what makes me a part of the crowd. It was how I felt about myself and being transparent enough that everyone could see my flaws. It was about doing what was right because it was right, and never trying to cut corners.
I still have that feeling that someone is always looking over my shoulder, but that is what drives me to be the person I am today. That person is not looking over my shoulder to find something to bring me down, it is God looking over my shoulder to move the hurdles from my destined path so I will not fall.
Going through what we did with Shawn help my whole family see clearly how we are surround by death and sickness everyday and how so many out there are not always included because they are different. Sara Bareilles just released a great song called Brave that really has a great message. One of of my favorite parts of the song is the part where she says:
Going through what we did with Shawn help my whole family see clearly how we are surround by death and sickness everyday and how so many out there are not always included because they are different. Sara Bareilles just released a great song called Brave that really has a great message. One of of my favorite parts of the song is the part where she says:
Everybody’s been there,
Everybody’s been stared down by the enemy
Fallen for the fear
And done some disappearing,
Bow down to the mighty
Don’t run, just stop holding your tongue
Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is
Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
This year, I made a different kind of New Years Resolution. I am here to be your running/swimming/cycling partner, your accountability partner, and your Q&A guru.
I have learned a lot about training, diet, technique, form, etc. from a lot of knowledgeable people in the past three years that have helped me become a multiple marathon and Ironman finisher and I started as an overweight smoker. What I have learned is free to you.
Tell me your goals and resolutions for 2014 and what I can do to help. Let's take this life that is surrounded by death, sickness and despair, and use it to open our eyes on how to live life to the fullest every day. Let's go from I Can... or I Will... to iDO! I wanna see you be BRAVE!
