From Ted Kennedy, Jr.'s eulogy for his father (thanks, John):
"...But today I'm simply compelled to remember Ted Kennedy as my father and my best friend. When I was 12 years old I was diagnosed with bone cancer and a few months after I lost my leg, there was a heavy snowfall over my childhood home outside of Washington D.C. My father went to the garage to get the old Flexible Flyer and asked me if I wanted to go sledding down the steep driveway. And I was trying to get used to my new artificial leg and the hill was covered with ice and snow and it wasn't easy for me to walk. And the hill was very slick and as I struggled to walk, I slipped and I fell on the ice and I started to cry and I said "I can't do this." I said, "I'll never be able to climb that hill." And he lifted me in his strong, gentle arms and said something I'll never forget. He said "I know you'll do it, there is nothing you can't do. We're going to climb that hill together, even if it takes us all day."
Sure enough, he held me around my waist and we slowly made it to the top, and, you know, at age 12 losing a leg pretty much seems like the end of the world, but as I climbed onto his back and we flew down the hill that day I knew he was right. I knew I was going to be OK. You see, my father taught me that even our most profound losses are survivable and it is what we do with that loss, our ability to transform it into a positive event, that is one of my father's greatest lessons. He taught me that nothing is impossible..."
"There is nothing you can't do".
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3 comments:
Nothing? Serious, nothing???? I need to remember that more often. What a word.
I've been saving this to read when I had a quiet moment. Wonderful. It made me cry. I'm going to remember this.
A great number of the people in this world, from all backgrounds, from all cultures, from all walks of life, both rich and poor, medically challenged and healthy are silently suffering for one reason or another, but fortunately, those very people and the world is also filled with those who are learning to cope with their lives and overcoming the adversity, hardships and struggles and dealing with their troubles & difficulties in a most efficient & responsible way. You are not alone and there is hope for you yet. The obstacles & road-blocks we face are generally "only" temporary and I believe that God never gives us more to endure than we can actually handle. With all the many demands, responsibilities and expectations and so much pressure, from our busy and chaotic schedules to our family, friends and strangers that expect far-to-much from us, its understandable why we are a Society of stress-out, anxious, worried and fearful bunch. There are a multitude of challenges that plague us more then ever before and at times many of us didn’t believe we could make it through. Some-times the hardest & most difficult part in dealing with an overwhelming problem is acknowledging it. When you recognize your problem, you’ve taken a huge step forward in its recovery. Often-times, the things we do in life seem completely insignificant, and we don’t think about the consequences of our actions. You must learn to love yourself, have hope and a greater faith and believe that God has an important and meaningful purpose for you. Remember if you don’t love yourself, you won’t be able to receive the unconditional love from others. The art of self-loathing is an alley without an exit, and if we continue to keep going down the road of negativity we then find ourselves in the darkness of our own creation. Therefore; we need to turn around, show ourselves, and learn to love ourselves. Hold on to what's most important, you, because we only lose in life when we don’t love ourselves and don’t appreciate how beautiful & wonderful life can be, on the other side of what we’re ultimately going through. More than likely, you will find situations in your life where you will have to do and face those things that you probably didn't deserve. Everyone somehow at sometime, deals with unwanted troubles, how we deal with them makes the difference between each & every one of us. So whatever your problem may be, your suffering from things past or your current situation, remember that everything passes and nothing remains forever. You could be the very person you "still" want to be, and your experiences will give you the necessary courage & the strength to live the life you always dreamed about. ... I love you! David Harrison Levi
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