We're a huge believer of the Livestrong organization. Check out the latest blog entry of one of their editors, Adam Bornstein. Good inspirational piece that will hopefully be an entry point into a time of reflection for the Holy Week. Hope it speaks to you as it did me. May we come back from the holiday with greater fervor for life and renewed spirits! Advance happy resurrection, everyone!
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Your Comeback
Of all the lessons I’ve learned in my life, the most powerful was unexpected. It wasn’t a moment of insight after a stupid mistake (I’ve had many), or some brilliant allegory shared by my parents (those could fill an entire book). My most prized lesson came from someone I never knew—and it came with a warning: Don’t be George Gray.George Gray
by Edgar Lee Masters
I have studied many times
The marble which was chiseled for me --
A boat with a furled sail at rest in a harbor.
In truth it pictures not my destination
But my life.
For love was offered me and I shrank from its disillusionment;
Sorrow knocked at my door, but I was afraid;
Ambition called to me, but I dreaded the chances.
Yet all the while I hungered for meaning in my life.
And now I know that we must lift the sail
And catch the winds of destiny
Wherever they drive the boat.
To put meaning in one's life may end in madness,
But life without meaning is the torture
Of restlessness and vague desire --
It is a boat longing for the sea and yet afraid.
George Gray is a poem written by Edgar Lee Masters about missed opportunities and the difficulty of responding to challenges. The first time I read the poem, I was going through my own personal storm. I was laid up in bed recovering from a broken back. The situation would have been bad enough, but this was the second time I was suffering from the debilitating injury. My doctors weren’t optimistic, and most of them told me I’d have to completely change my lifestyle.
And I did—but not by accepting a pessimistic fate.
Rather than wait for the storm of life to blow me in any direction, I took control and decided to shape my own destiny. I worked harder and used doubt and passion to fuel me towards the future I desired. After all, setbacks are merely a temporary state of mind. Nothing really ends unless you stop moving. So it’s up to you to find a way, a will, and a heartbeat to fight back and create the life you want.
LIVESTRONG.COM was built on the same premise after cancer survivor and Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. But our site has transformed into something much larger than one individual. It’s a growing community of health, hope, and perseverance. Just look at our most recent Facebook contest. Thousands of unsung heroes have submitted inspirational pictures that prove life’s obstacles are really just veiled moments that lead to greatness.
We’ve packed this newsletter with all you need to overcome your own personal setbacks or struggles. Whether you’re searching for motivation or want to know The Truth About Losing Baby Weight, we have the information for your new beginning. As for the rest of your journey, we advise that you learn from George Gray and enjoy the process. That alone will take you one step closer to your destination.
- Adam Bornstein
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