Options

Isn't it great when you are in the middle of a difficult situation and discover an option that you didn't know that you had that opens up some new possibilities!! I am feeling encouraged!

This fall is proving to be very challenging for me. But just when I thought I was out of options and faced with a really unpleasant choice, I discovered an alternative path.... A temporary solution but hopefully I will find a permanent one soon.

My Sunday evening theraputic TV....

With the addition of a new show to the Sunday line-up a few weeks ago, I have realized that 3 shows that I regularly watch on Sunday night end up being really theraputic for me and help put me in the right mindset for the week.

60 Minutes
I inherited my penchant for watching 60 Minutes from my parents. For as long as I can remember, they have watched the show every Sunday night. I used to sort of watch it as a kid and even thought it was interesting then. The mixture of insightful investigative new and one of a kind entertainment stories just make it great thought-provoking television. Plus, I really remember the pride and comfort I took at seeing Ed Bradley on the show each week.

Extreme Makeover, Home Edition

Okay, this show always makes me cry --- like a snotting, blubbering cry. I don't know what it is, but I always cry at happy things. Each week, the lives of a deserving family who has faced or is facing serious struggles, is dramatically changed by the grand gesture of a brand new home, tailored to their specific needs built in a miraculous 7 days. I am always inspired by the love and perseverance that these families have and how gratified they are to have their struggle recognized and their lives improved.

The Big Give
How can you not be inspired by a giving reality show. The participants are going around to different cities on giving challenges --- being given money and a set amount of time to find deserving people to help. Some gestures are big, some are smaller but you can never underestimate the impact an act of kindness can have on the lives of the recipient.

I have actually thought about doing some community service and giving some of my time to help others a lot lately. I had intended to do something while I was out of work but didn't get to it unfortunately. Eventhough I have less time now, there is so much that you can gain by giving of your time. I am going to work to integrate something like that into my regular routine. Stay tuned for what I arrange to do soon!

Our disability - In the words of Patrick Henry Hughes

I was watching one of my guilty pleasures last night, Extreme Makeover Home Edition when I heard some very profound words from a young man who has overcome a lot of odds. There is something about giving these families a chance at a better life that sucks me in and almost every time I see a show I end up bawling at the end --- It never fails!

Yesterday, i watched the show as they built a new house for Patrick Henry Hughes and his family. Now, I had heard of Patrick before. He was in a story on CBS's Sunday Morning program sometime last year. See, Patrick was born without eyes and with only limited ability to straighten his arms and legs. He lives his life in a wheelchair. But despite this, he became a music prodigy. He can play a number of instruments, including the piano, and, with the help of his father who pushes him around into formation, is a member of the University of Louisville marching band, playing the trumpet.

I was expecting to get the normal teary emotional boost I normally get from the show but then, during the pre-construction interview, Patrick explained his viewpoint on his disabilities. He said that he actually views sighted people with the disability because, by not having sight, he is not distracted by physical appearance. He does not know what red, black, or yellow looks like. He only gets to know what a person is like on the inside and that is something that he considers as an advantage.

Wow! Such an eloquent point and a inspiring viewpoint.