Today's Affirmation

"Every day is a celebration.  Every meal is a feast."

 

Today's affirmation is credited to my Uncle Joe McCabe, whom we have always called "Coach" because for 50 years he was a physical education teacher and wrestling coach.  Coach is, without a doubt, the most consistently positive and upbeat person that I have ever known.

 

I know that he will not mind if I tell a little bit about his story because his life is an inspiration.  He is now in his 70's and still going strong.  I love that!

 

He was born into very sad circumstances, and when he was about 2 years old, he and his siblings were placed into foster care.  He was eventually placed with a farming family whose priority was to get the work done on the farm.  There was not a lot of love there.

 

When he was ready for high school, he wanted to play sports and to wrestle, but the family would not allow it.  Eventually he went to another farming family who told him, yes, he could wrestle and play sports, but the farm chores had to be done.

 

During his high school years as an athlete, a coach saw the great potential in him and encouraged him to go on after high school to college.  College is expensive and the family couldn't/wouldn't send him. 

 

He took a job at a paper mill and started to put the money away, but unfortunately, the mill closed and he couldn't earn the money.  He did what many poor, young men did...he went into the service.  He became a United States Marine (Semper Fi!).

 

Once again, just like his high school wrestling coach, his superiors saw something of great value in him, and his military career was blessed with good fortune.

 

After this, and because of the G.I. Bill, he was able to attend college.  In the meantime, he married, and began having children.  It was a great sacrifice for his young family, but he finished his college education.

 

One more time, just like his high school wrestling coach, his superior officers in the Marines, a young high school principal saw his potential and gave him a chance.  Since that time, he has been a p.e. teacher, wrestling coach, foster parent, business owner, mayor of his town, a race horse owner, and one of the luckiest people when it comes to jackpots.

 

The reason I wanted to tell his story is because it is a story worth telling, and I wish I had the time and the space to do his story greater justice.

 

His life was a life of challenges.  But he had an inner drive to move out of his circumstances.  He pushed on.  He forged the path that would lead him to what he wanted out of his life.  He did not allow the poor circumstances in which he grew up to defeat him.  He kept his eyes to the future.  He blazed the trail for his own success.  Of course, there were people along the way to recognize that he had something, something special, and these people gave him a chance.  And that chance was all he needed-that and hard work.

 

There are so many lessons I can draw from the course of his life.  First, motivation is intrinsic; either you have it or you don't.  Motivation is born from a deep desire to overcome challenges, not succumb to them and fall into despair and self pity.  He never viewed his life as if it "owed" him anything.  He worked hard to achieve what he received.  He has that indomitable spirit.

 

Also, I have never known him to be bitter or angry or resentful about any of his experiences.  He has always maintained a attitude of positivity and gratitude, and he has paid that forward to others in his life. 

 

He has done great good, and that is worth respecting. How many lives has he touched?  How many young people did he steer in the right direction?  How many lives changed for the better because he was their teacher or coach? 

 

His life is also a lesson in being given a chance.  Maybe those who offered him the opportunity to make something of his life had no idea what a great service they were doing for this young man, but they were willing to take a chance and give a chance-it paid off.

 

Today's affirmation is reflective of Coach's belief, his attitude, his entire way of life.  He is always grateful, has always been grateful, for all that has come into his life.  He views every day, not as drudgery, but as a reaffirmation of life, as a celebration!  He views every meal, every morsel of food in his mouth, regardless of how meager or how luxurious, as a feast!

 

"Every day is a celebration.  Every meal is a feast."  reminds us to rejoice in all that we are given, to be gracious and grateful for all we are given.  It reminds us that overcoming is an active process of forging pathways and treading those pathways without losing sight of the end result.

 

So, today, let this blog entry be a testament to my Uncle Coach, to motivation, to hard work, to an indomitable spirit, to seeing the specialness within others, and to giving others a chance. 

 

And..............let every day be a celebration, and let every meal be a feast!

In Love and Light,
robin