You Are Blessed

It was just an ordinary January night, very, very cold, inNashville, Tennessee. I was invited to a party, a get-together on a Sundayevening, with some very special friends—several of them bordering on family.

So I went, and I was going to meet some new people I hadnever met…which, like in your city, probably isn't any big deal. We embracethat opportunity. But little did I know what I was going to find.

The couple I met, Jim and Cindy, had met each other whenthey were five and six years old, respectively, back in their neighborhood. Itwas a few years later, when they were in their late teens, that they wereintroduced again, fell in love, married.

Now we're looking at them, fast-forward, something like 25years later. So what is distinguishing about this couple? Just this: they bothhave cerebral palsy.

He has it, apparently, worse than she does. He takes a lotmore time. But here's what I want to tell you that I saw. I just happened tobe, for lack of a better word, the dude assigned to security and greetingpeople—not the bouncer, because it wasn't that kind of party.

But I'm monitoring the door and they drive up. First of allthey came out with a family, then I see a lady get out, and she's obviously gotan issue, a disability—that's what they call it. And then I see the man, and he'shelped by several others…and it's excruciatingly slow.

This guy measures progress in inches. Bless him, bless him, bless him. But I'm going to tell you, he wasn'tabout to accept any help. He didn't need it. All he needed was patience and a littleattention. And I'm telling you, that guy—talk about making a person feel grateful!I was there for him any minute if he needed it, which he didn't. But he had toclimb up two steps to get to the porch, and it was a major, massive production.Now, he took it in good heart. I was there in HoloMagic, watching what wasgoing on.

He would not let me help, but he was grateful that I was there if the need came up. And the wife; sure,she told me, "He's the one who takes more time." We got him in,guided down, got him in a good, comfortable spot, and had a good visit, a good party.

The blessing is to look at this and appreciate it. Thiswhole philosophy I'm promoting is an attitude of gratitude—but every now andthen you get a special slice. You're striding down the road… and then you seesomeone who has such a different capacity. And you see the pride and theindependence that they have, too.

Then you see, again, how many reasons you have for livingand contributing to this world—how blessed you are. And you can thank whateverform of higher power you feel comfortable thanking right now, because you are blessed.