Perspective

This is an article I read this morning:



I was reading the introduction to a book about William Penn, founder
of Pennsylvania. The introduction was written by James Scott Brady,
the man who was shot by John Hinckley Jr. in an attempt to assassinate
former President Ronald Reagan. His introduction was titled "On
Facing Adversity."

Here is the excerpt that inspired me. I hope it inspires others.

"To people who face and defeat daunting obstacles, "Ambition" is not
becoming wealthy or famous or winning elections or awards. Words like
"ambition" and "achievement " and "success" take on very different
meanings. The objective is just to live, to wake up every morning. The
goals are not lofty; they are very ordinary.

"My own heros are ordinary folks -- but they accomplish extraordinary
things because they try. My greatest hero is my wife, Sarah. She's
accomplished a lot of things in life, but two stand out. The first has
been the way she has cared for me and our son since I was shot. A
tremendous tragedy and burden was dropped unexpectedly into her life,
totally beyond her control and without justification. She could have
given up; instead, she focused her energies on preserving our family
and returning our lives to normal as much as possible. Week by week,
month by month, year by year, she has not reached for the miraculous,
just for the normal. Yet in focusing on the normal, she has helped
accomplish the miraculous." (page 8)