Wednesday, January 21, 2009

How do you want to be remembered?

I received an email from my wife today (she does that from time to time as we sometimes work opposite shifts) and usually she sends me some funny joke or video. But today, she sent me a video about Nick Vujicic, a motivational speaker.
Boring stuff.
Nick Vujucuc, is far from being boring as he was born with no limbs. Yes, that's right! No arms and no legs.
The video was Nick giving a speech at a school assembly about having faith to overcome challenges and setbacks that pop up at the most inopportune time. How we deal with those setbacks mark us as one that a) never surrenders or b) quits in the heat of the moment.
I was thinking that here was a man that could sit there and whine or complain how he got the short end of the stick and wallow in self pity but instead he arose from the challenge and took what cards he was dealt and made the best of what some would call a bad situation.
How does this relate to scouting?
Well, the scout law states that a scout is brave and cheerful.
Bravery comes from be courageous enough to never give up and never give in to things that may seem impossible, improbable, or unattainable.
It is too easy to admit defeat, give up, avoid the difficult challenges and the price we pay in doing that is the label that attaches itself to you as being a quitter.
Cheerful comes into play in that if you can remember that challenges you have conquered in the past may give you the incentive to move on and face the new problem before you.
A positive attitude can make all the difference between succeeding or never even trying.
For me, I want to be remembered as a person that tried, dared to dream, reached for higher goals, and never accepting for second best.
I have never met Nick but he has reaffirmed my drive and determination to improve myself and whenever I feel like bagging the next challenge; I will remember Nick, a person that never gives up, believes in himself and has the faith to persevere.
For me, Nick Vujicic, gave me a whole to reason to "Do My BEST."

My old Scoutmaster once told me, "When you fall... get up... get up again... and again... and again.
I will always be there to encourage you and help you. If you give up. I will do the same."
So when I am long gone, I hope that my friends and relatives will remember me as a guy that never gave up, never surrendered, and and always tried to do his very best.

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