I am sharing a column that will be published next month.
“Strength Within”
By
Rob Claudio
I have always
been interested in hearing about stories of perseverance, because they become
examples of inspiration when we find ourselves challenged by any number of
things in our lives. I saw a person some time ago accepting an award on a
television show as he was being recognized for his determination and
outstanding sports casting skills, as he has been battling cancer for almost
two years. They showed video of his typical day, which began with an
early trip to the cancer center hospital, where he underwent radiation therapy
for a few hours. He then would pack up
and head off to the sports stadium either in his home town or away where his
team was playing, in order to do his show from the sidelines. A typical
day for him was almost fourteen hours of non-stop activity before he got the
opportunity to go home and rest. As one can imagine, if a person is
battling a serious medical condition and receiving extensive treatment, there
would appear to be little room for the energy needed to travel and perform at a
high profile job. Yet, this individual chose to have the best attitude
about his situation and in contrast to many who may have been in similar
circumstances, demonstrated to the world that his love for life and his work,
was far stronger than any ailment. It was very uplifting to see how this
person's strength within, was so evident on the outside and one could not
detect any type of deficiency associated with a person suffering from a life
threatening illness. I love examples like him and I know there are many
more out there, because I am reminded that life is not always easy, yet the
opportunity to achieve great things in the midst of heartache is extremely
possible. We all could learn a lesson or two from these types of
individuals that will themselves forward far beyond what one could think is
imaginable. If there is someone whom you know that is going
through a particular challenge, then take the initiative to be their light in
their cloudy moment. An invitation to
have a cup of coffee, share a meal or simply let them know that you are there
for them, can change a person’s day, week or month. Nobody is immune to challenges or adversity
through-out their lives, so always remember that at any given time it can be anyone
of us who may need to summon our inner strength. What I have found to be true with experience,
is that if I was there for others in the past, I usually end up with some
guiding lights in my life that will help me in my own time of need. Always remember that no matter what your
current circumstance, hope prevails and all things have a time limit to them as
nothing is forever. Whenever you want to
potentially complain about something, simply think of these prominent examples
that have shown all of us and the rest of the world what triumph over adversity
can look like.
“Joy is of the will
which labors, which overcomes obstacles, which knows triumph”’
-William Butler
Yeats
