Here's a video I'd like to share from the introduction to Learning to Dance in the Rain by BJ Gallagher and me.
The date was July 16, 2008. It was late in the afternoon, and I was sitting in my hotel room in Louisville, KY. I was scheduled to speak that evening for the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA). I was feeling a little "down in the dumps." I hadn't gotten to exercise lately because of my travel 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, Patrick Henry Hughes. He rolled out onto the stage in his wheelchair and began to play piano and sing. His fingers danced across the keys as he made beautiful music. For some reason, I knew 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 seven-minute video titled, The Patrick Henry Hughes story." The lights went dim, and this was the video:
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 lives. 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, and 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 do you have to be grateful for? Who is your hero? How can someone increase their gratitude?