I am sitting here in front of my computer and it is quite early for a Sunday morning but I am in my warm bathrobe with a steaming cup of coffee in my favorite cup. This story has been with me all night and so it is time to put it to print. Many of you know we are doing an event called, Stories of Hope on November 9Th, 7PM at Prince of Peace Church. This universal idea of hope is with me everywhere I go and I see it in everyone and everything. Yesterday, another story of hope was told that acted like a beacon of light to all who heard it. My son is in graduate school to be a physical therapist and yesterday we were invited to an open house and celebration of the program and its students. .It was a wonderful day, starting out with tours of this state of the art facility. I have to admit I was fascinated and my son had to keep reminding me to keep my hands off the equipment. However I did get to experiment in the bio mechanics lab which was a lot of fun.
The afternoon was a contrast to what we had seen in the morning. The morning was all about the academics and the highly supplicated tools that are used with patients. But the afternoon really showcased the human spirit in each of us to be the best we can and sometimes skill is only a small part of that. You can all the knowledge and skill but you all need spirit in your work. That afternoon, 8 scholarships were given out for $8,000.00 each for a total of $64,000.00 dollars by one man. No, he was not rich but he made a commitment to his wife's passion for her life and work.
His wife, Cindi, had been a physical therapist with an commitment to the people she worked with beyond what most people had ever seen. Every where she went she carried a passion for life that extended beyond her and reached every person she met. She died of lung cancer just weeks after being diagnosed at the age of 35. It was not only her husband who wanted to keep her passion for life and excellence in her job alive. Her friends suggested it as well. The scholarship started small with $1,000.00 but a few years ago it was gifted with a million dollar donation. It came from her neighbor an elderly gentleman who looked a lot like a homeless man. This did not matter to Cindi, they became friends. When she died he was devastated and vowed to keep her spirit alive. When he died years later. he left this tremendous gift.
I looked around the room and saw people wiping the tears away, viably moved by what they had heard. What we had experienced in this story was about the power of the human spirit and our capacity to let it move to a new perspective. The people in the room were richer for what he shared, and the students had a idea of the impact they might have with the people their work will affect. I urge you today to keep your ears and heart open to all the hope that is around you and let it move and inspire to to a life where everything is possible. Invite friends and family to an evening of hope and inspiration!
Stories of Hope
November 9th, 7PM
Prince of Peace Church ~ Burnsville
Call 898-6200 for more information or go to
Blessings,
Sandy
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