I have always been amazed at how some people have the strength to overcome some of the most difficult situations in life.
I heard a story from a friend today that literally gave me chills.
She told me of her uncle who was told after an illness that he would never walk again. This news came to him only six short months ago. However, in an apparent determination to not let his sickness take over his life, he took part in a marathon recently. During the event, he traveled 25.5 miles in his wheelchair. At the last half-mile, he stood and walked the distance to cross the finish line.
In my opinion, looking this challenge in the eye and not backing down makes him a hero.
Heroes such as this come in every age, shape and color. Whether it be battles with illness or injury, personal adversities or simply making the decision that things are just not working the way they are going and it’s time for a change, people conquer some amazing feats every day.
Single parents, those who suffer a job loss and have to start over, those who lose a loved one and have to learn how to face each day without them — these are all heroes as well. Hardships can come in all forms, but those who choose to fight instead of backing down are the ones who will make a difference in their own lives.
Life can seem to throw you a curve ball when you least expect it. You may be going through each day thinking you have the perfect life and nothing could possibly get in the way. Then when you have your chance to step up to the plate, the ball coming toward you sometimes takes a turn that you just can’t seem to hit.
While some may let that curve ball hit them in the face, others stand up and fight with all of the courage and strength they can muster. This is not always the easiest thing to do. In fact, standing up for the fight can be the most difficult task you’ve ever faced.
But when those times hit, I can’t imagine just sitting back to let adversity take over my life. I’ve always been one to choose my battles instead of living in a world of conflict, but I also can’t just let go of a situation without a fight when it’s something I believe in.
Thank goodness there are many others who are just as stubborn as I can be when it comes to taking on the difficulties of life. Imagine if my friend’s uncle had heard his diagnosis and truly believed there was nothing he could do. He could easily have taken the news as being written in stone, never challenging himself to take his life back from the disease that attempted to take control.
Hearing this story made me think of a young man I know who was recently diagnosed with leukemia. Still in high school, he should be looking forward to hanging out with his friends and simply being a teenager. He has, however, had to take on a fight. He is now fighting for his life.
Strong in faith, he and his family are determined that he will overcome his illness. He faces tests and treatments that most of us couldn’t even fathom with a joke or a laugh to keep himself and those around him in good spirits. He is taking his life back from the disease that threatened to take it from him. He, like my friend’s uncle, is a hero.
Some people take on an unbelievable amount of strength in some of the toughest times of their lives. They make the very best of a bad situation and will themselves to do things that others say can’t be done. When others give up on them, they refuse to give up on themselves.
These people are the ones who are truly blessed. They can see the difficulties that lie down the road, but yet they face them head-on instead of giving up. They make the best of things that would make some cover their heads and cry. They understand that we’re all only given one life and we have to make the most of every moment — good or bad.
When our time here is over, we should be able to look back and know that we did all we could do to live the life God intended for us.
Just like country music singer Gary Allan said in a song, life ain’t always beautiful — but it’s a beautiful ride.
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