Recently I met an incredible person.
Dorothy Rossetti was riding her bike in 1998 when a 3-ton tree fell
on her, crushed her vertebrae and left her paralyzed from the waist
down. She was giving a presentation on overcoming adversity and coping
with change.
I was riveted as Dorothy from her wheel chair described the ordeal
and then described how she went about reordering her life. I listened
as she talked about the importance of establishing goals, ordering
her priorities, and then engaging the battle to, in her words, regain
her life.
One of Dorothy’s goals was to regain the use of her legs. Seeing
her in the wheel chair, I figured, that was still a goal she was working
on. And as she described the ordeal of hours of physical therapy,
the hours of physical activity she engaged in with the use of modified
equipment, and then how her friends and family had supported her through
the ordeal, I started thinking this woman is going to accomplish her
goals. And then I thought, … “Wouldn’t it be amazing
if this woman got up out of her wheel chair and walked?”
You guessed it. At the end of the presentation, she looked at the
audience and said: You know, I’ve said a lot of things today,
and they are things you’ve probably heard other speakers say.
But I want to let you know that this is a speaker that walks her talk!”
And with that she wheeled her wheel chair to the back of the stage,
picked up her walking canes, and proceeded to take several steps.
Folks, I lost it and so did the rest of the audience as we gave her
a rousing standing ovation.
As I walked out of the presentation, I was humbled and candidly,
a bit embarrassed as I reflected about some of the “challenges”
that I face. Next to Dorothy and others I know, they’re little
molehills.
Dorothy’s presentation helped me remember a classic little book
that a teacher shared with me. “As A Man Thinketh,” by James
Allen is an inspirational book that you can read in an hour, but it
can have a lifetime impact when practiced. One of the central themes
of the book is that, as a man thinks, so he becomes. In other words,
your attitude really does make a difference. I encourage you to pick
up a copy and read it.
After the presentation, I went up and talked to Dorothy. And it was
a delightful conversation. As it turns out, Dorothy writes an inspirational
column that is published in newspapers around the country. If you
want more information about Dorothy, or you want to get a lift from
reading some positive articles, go to her web site at RosemarieSpeaks.com.
It’s a click that will brighten your day.
All the best,
----Mike Regan
Overcoming Adversity and Coping With Change.