“Sometimes in Tragedy we find our life’s purpose” Robert Brault
A young 12 year old boy is just waking up in a downstairs room of a home in sunny Southern California. As the bright intensity of the sun streams through a window, this young kid can’t keep his eyes shut any longer. He thinks to himself, “maybe this time when I open them I’ll be able to see the beauty of my backyard through the window”. As the boy pushes a button on a remote control to raise his bed up into a sitting position, he says a quick prayer and then opens his eyes. The only thing that appears in front of him is a grey blob intensified by the bright sunlight coming through the window. An almost automatic response of tears and immense frustration takes hold, and the little boy shakes with the fierce intensity of his sobs.
With a long sigh, he wipes the tears from his face and reaches for the night stand where he knows his hearing aid is stored. After securing the device on his ear and turning it on, he calls out to see whose awake and can help him get to the bathroom. A wave of helplessness overcomes this 12 year old boy as he longs for nothing more than to get up and do his business alone, on his own. The next minute he hears his dad enter the room and his eyes fill up again with tears of gratitude.
That young boy is me. I was diagnosed with Bacterial Meningitis in February 1998, and after 3 months in a coma and nearly two more recovering in the hospital, I had finally been able to go home. Two months free from the hospital, I was still as blind as a bat and could not get out of bed on my own.
During the first year of my recovery, I needed help with everything from going to the bathroom, taking a shower, and even getting dressed. The frustration and overwhelming helplessness I felt is too complex to put into words; but at the same time, the degree of gratitude I felt for the selflessness and care of my immediate family was much greater.
Your close family members, whether that consists of our birth parents and siblings, aunts or uncles, grandparents, cousins, or foster parents are usually the greatest influencers in our lives. When I came home from the hospital totally blind, hearing impaired, and extremely weak, I was pretty helpless on my own. My family definitely stood in the gap for me!
The reality is that, though you may not have discernable disabilities that impact your normal day to day lives, everyone needs help from those around us at one time or another. The main influencers in our life are usually the ones who know us the best, love us the most, and are in the best position to assist us in life’s journey. No matter how independent you are or want to be, you can’t navigate this life by yourself.
I encourage you to take a step back and express your love and gratitude to those people you are close to, and who have been the big influencers in your life. If any of them are no longer around, raise your eyes heavenward and thank God for them.
My gratitude grows each day as I work to share my story and my message of hope and encouragement. In the tragedy of this story I have found my life’s purpose, and God has truly blessed my life with wonderful influencers along the way. I pray the same for you. Always remember that the best is yet to come!
Drew Hunthausen
The No Excuses Blind Guy
Go to www.DrewsInspirations.com to get a copy of my free guide “The 5 Keys to Living a No Excuses Life Filled with Joy, Peace, and Prosperity”.
Helping inspire folks to be “their best” in life and become all they were created to be, is why I became an inspirational and motivational speaker. I am based in Southern California, and am open to booking speaking events anywhere a car can drive me or a plane can fly me, and the finances will permit. My desire and mission is to share my story and message to help you live a life blessed with a positive attitude, an abundance of gratitude, and no excuses!
If you think I might be a good fit to speak at your next event, please visit www.drewhunthausen.com/speaker to set up a booking.
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