Dancing in the rain

[Leo]

Dear Friends,

I attach a letter from Mac, titled "I got goosebumps as I watched".

Makes both interesting and inspirational reading.

Rgds
Leo D'Mello
You have one life,
Live it to the full.

*******************************************************************

I got goosebumps as I watched...
Dear Leo,
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 think you'll love
this quote."
"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
it's about learning to dance in the rain!"
-Vivian Greene
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 Breathnach 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."
What I just shared is the introduction to our book, Learning to Dance
in the Rain...The Power of Gratitude. My co-author is BJ Gallagher and
she is one of the most talented and creative writers I've ever known.
It was an honor to work with her on this beautiful book that can truly
change the way you think about life.
Live with Passion,

Mac Anderson
Founder, Simple Truths

[spe...@dataone.in]

Many thanks.

Kindly note that my email id is: speedya...@gmail.com

Regards
Albert.

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