This morning at 5:22am to 6am, I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed is an understatement considering I am still crying and it's like 7:15am. I am at work typing away.
Kyle Maynard is what overwhelmed me.
Kyle is a congenital amputee. But that is not what is important. What is remarkable is that Kyle can do everything. Kyle is a wrestler, a model and motivational speaker. The guy is either 18 or 19 years of age. The greatest additional is that Kyle didn't grow up in an exceptionally rich home. He was like any other kid in a normal family. But this family had a great and still has a great attitude.
As Larry King was interviewing him I couldn't help but cry. Look at this guy who can do more than most of us and yet he has no legs nor hands...I kept muttering to myself. I thought of all the things I have said I cannot do. Things I have told myself are too hard to do. How could I have an excuse? How can I look myself in the mirror and limit that person I see? If you haven't seen Kyle Maynard's interview on CNN please request for it. If you want a reason never to give up, just watch Kyle.
It's one thing to hear good stories that cause us to go ahead and live out our dreams. But I promise you that it is entirely another thing to see someone push themselves to achieve beyond human imagination. I don't even know why they haven't done a movie on him.
I learnt alot this morning about making it no matter what life throws at you. I learnt that God has made us stronger than we care to know. But one thing that the parents of Kyle said will stick with me for long. You know, Kyle used to be fed when he was growing up. Sometimes he used to fall on the stairs and of course someone would have to pick him up. But one day his parents realized we will not always be around him to help him. So they begun to allow him to figure out how to pick up or feed himself. And he did. Now a statement they made was this is kinda paraphrased, "We knew he had to learn to do things for himself because the world was not going to tailor things for him." Simply said he had to learn to make the best of what he had because no one was going to stop and make room for him.
Today I wished I could take that program and take it to all the schools of the physically challenged in Kenya and to all who say they cannot make it.
I made a promise to myself this morning as I watched Larry interview Kyle...
LORD EVERYTIME I THINK I CAN'T DO SOMETHING, PLEASE REMIND ME OF KYLE.
I am just overwhelmed. If you watch Kyle you will get up and do everything that is humanly possible to accomplish your goals. And for real, you will make it. Just think of Kyle...
Writing has a way of encouraging other people. That's why I do it...
About fifteen years ago I was rummaging through some old... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of April 28,... Read More
When was the last time you smiled at a stranger?When... Read More
IntroductionNearly all employers and human resource professionals are aware of... Read More
As I write this Southern California has just ended its... Read More
"Happiness can be as elusive as a fluttering butterlfy but... Read More
(excerpted from Leading an Inspired Life)Pity the man who has... Read More
Six former wards came back to the California Youth Authority... Read More
The other night I was watching a documentary on that... Read More
Oh my God, I'm not immortal anymore! What happened? Where's... Read More
I have a standing interview every Monday morning on a... Read More
When starting any enterprise or business, whether it is full-time... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of January 26,... Read More
We must shape the future and control our destiny.When we... Read More
Loving. It seems like such a simple concept. But those... Read More
As I drove home from work late one wintry afternoon,... Read More
Both failure and success are good... if you know what... Read More
These days, I find the lines are blurred between school... Read More
I walked out of his office inspired. All I could... Read More
A key fault I have, and I can only talk... Read More
This is the true story of what Deepak Chopra would... Read More
As there are silent depths in the ocean, which the... Read More
Some people live in and talk about the past so... Read More
I really like Jack Dempsey's great one liner: "A champion... Read More
The first thing that an aspiring leader must realize is... Read More
Do you have the charactertics to be star in their... Read More
Whenever we are working on our dreams we are going... Read More
A second on your lips forever on your hips never... Read More
In 1982, I found myself in Eden. What I found... Read More
Change is difficult for many people. Often times our whole... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of July 1,... Read More
In a recent disaster, a man was asked why he... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of January 27,... Read More
While sitting here tonight, watching the conclusion of "There Are... Read More
Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 24,... Read More
I always had an active imagination when I was young.... Read More
"If you are pained by external things, it is not... Read More
I knew precisely what I wanted. I felt that success... Read More
"And thou shalt say unto Pharoah, Thus saith the Lord,... Read More
I call myself semi-retired. I work at a job that... Read More
I just got back from Colorado where I spent a... Read More
"But if in your thought you must measure time into... Read More
Talking with friends, people I meet on a regular basis,... Read More
At a recent seminar we were asked to imagine if... Read More
(excerpted from Leading an Inspired Life)Pity the man who has... Read More
Trouble, trouble, trouble. Nothing but trouble. The night before, I... Read More
When it comes to meeting and conquering the negativity in... Read More
Wonder:~~To think or speculate curiously~~To be filled with admiration, amazement... Read More
How often do you have opportunities every day to exercise... Read More
The secret power of positive thinkers is their faith. And... Read More
Inspirational Inspirational |