My life was ready for a hero

[Guest guest]

My life was ready for a hero

 

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 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. "