Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
– Helen Keller
Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world. - Helen Keller
Helen Keller (1880-1968) overcame being both deaf and blind to become a famous author, lecturer, and activist.
Further reading: Honor your being
Discovery and adventure, rather than fear
Life's burdens are lighter when I laugh at myself. - jlh
May your spirit soar
Dot, the lady in the beach wheelchair photo, had the most amazing effect on any person she met. If she locked eyes with anyone, watch out .. miracles always happened.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I was tired and when taking her out, was conscious of the fact that, without fail, if she locked eyes with anyone, my outing would take a lot longer. One time, simply buying her a takeaway drink, a lady locked eyes from several tables away.
I was so tired “ I thought oh no “ .. and I quickly stepped in front of Mum to break the magnetic effect of her eyes .. Too late,the woman came all the way over and her opening line was “ Could you tell your Mother that she is absolutely beautiful”.
My lighthearted response was based on the number of encounters we had had in similar circumstances and how beautiful each one had been. I joked that I couldn’t do that or she’d get a swell head !
Less than 2 weeks before she died, I took her with me to hospital .. I was the one needing surgery. Waiting for the lift, I turned around for a moment to press the lift button. I turned back and saw a fellow in his 50’s winking at her with a smile that came from his soul .. good heavens, that is something that only happens to young, beautiful women .. and yet here was a 76 yo woman, an absolute skeleton
weighing maybe 33 kg, gaunt in the face, with her hands permanently clenched, unable to speak and this man had instantly recognized her spirit (as many, many others did) and paid her the ultimate compliment ..
Testament to the beauty of her soul was being driven by a taxi driver months previous and on the day of her funeral, he turned off his meter, stopped taking cab jobs and came to the funeral of a virtual stranger.
Life is really a daring. The article is written in a great way in order to show the people who believe in daring.Thanks for sharing some new information here. I like this site and it is very informative and hence people who will come across this site will gain lot of information about it.
ReplyDeleteJonathan,
ReplyDeleteWithout being aware of it, you have reposted this page today which is one of Dot's grand-daughter's birthdays .. amazing coincidence .. the odds are astronomical ..
Thank you ..
Dot continues to surprise and inspire me even from the "other side" ..
Sylvia
Author/instigator of Dots Amazing Adventures
As a further note, the coincidence with Helen Keller is astounding in that Dot's maternal great-grandmother was also blind. She was born in England in 1833, married at age 31 and raised 5 boys.
ReplyDelete