Overcoming Challenges
February 9, 2009
This little smiling miracle is my son, my role model for staying in the present moment and focusing on the positive. When this picture was taken, he was six years old, and had been in the hospital for nine days (including Christmas) to repair a previous surgical mistake. Do you know why he was smiling? He was smiling because he was present only in that very moment.
He was no longer thinking about the difficult recovery from the first surgery, or the six months of excruciating pain and danger he had just survived. Like most kids, he doesn’t waste time or energy looking back. He was not thinking about the struggles that still were to come: how would he do even the simplest things with this heavy halo screwed to his skull for nearly three months?
He was not worried about whether this time the surgery went well, how long it would take to recover, if he’d need another surgery, or if he would ever ride a bike again. Kids don’t think about all these things that have happened, will happen and might happen. None of those things are relevant. You could waste your life agonizing about them, but what good would that do? Would it change anything? I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “If there is a solution to a problem, there’s no need to worry. If there is no solution, worrying won’t help at all.â€
At the moment this picture was taken, all he was thinking about was that he was pain-free for the first time in six months, and that he was getting to go home. This smile melted me, and it changed me forever. After all that he had endured and would still have to go through, he was smiling because he was finally OK… and I should be smiling too.
This reminds me of Elizabeth Lesser’s book, Broken Open: How Difficult Times Can Help Us Grow
Have you had any experiences like this, which made you think you would never make it through, but you came out stronger than you were before? I wonder what makes some people break down and others choose to fight harder?
Related Posts: Stages of the Journey | Choosing to See the Good
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Posted in Overcoming Challenges, choices, happiness, present moment
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I have a great picture of the two of you playing Uno at my house. I think you were over celebrating Alex’s birthday with us. He was wearing a smile then too. I’ll try to find it in my archives.
I watched TLC last night and saw the episode of the Lady with Giant Legs. (She has a genetic disorder similar to The Elephant Man.)Listening to her was inspiring. She has such a great outlook on life. I admire her for her determination. She has a problem most of us will never experience yet she beamed true happiness despite her restriction.
I would love to see that picture!
You know, when my dad was at the Shepherd Center I met so many amazing people whose lives were forever altered by spinal injuries and who just refused to let life get them down. They were so thankful to be alive and determined to make the most of it that it was impossible not to be inspired. There are so many examples to show us that happiness is something we can choose regardless of our circumstances.
Thanks!
Wow. How truly inspiring. It’s Alice (twittermoms) … In answer to your question about what makes some break down and others fight harder – I ask myself that every day. We have all had battles to fight and yet I do sometimes wonder why I always find the strength to find the positive where others might not. I think it is a true love of life, which for me has come through following my heart. So I love life so much that I ‘want’ to fight. Sadly, not many people follow their hearts so maybe that’s it?? Anyways, I think your family sounds incredible and I think your son takes his strength from all you clearly give him.
Hi, Alice! I’m so glad you stopped by here. I agree that what is needed is a love of life, and to find that we need to look within ourselves.
I know the seeds of happiness are planted in everyone. Maybe I was lucky that my parents helped me cultivate mine. I only wish I knew, really knew, how to help others cultivate theirs. I am committed to finding a way so everyone can see the beauty in their present moments.
Meeting you today has been a great inspiration, and fills me with hope for others. Now I know I’m not the only one with a great love of life and passion for adventure.
Thanks for a great comment!
Hi Lisis,
This is really inspiring. It’s amazing that as a mom you feel you need to teach your kids so much about the world but every now and then it’s they who teach you.
There’s a lot to be learned from our kids. They are perhaps the best examples of how to live in the present moment.
Seriously! More often than not I find myself being the student!
=-)
[...] there is such a thing) surgery that went… let’s just say, awry. (You can read more about it in Overcoming Challenges.) With the surgeon’s blessing we still enrolled him in school, but as he suffered more [...]