Lost Both Arms in an Accident – So How Can He Play Piano So Incredibly?

These two videos tell some of the story of Nick Vujicic, a mid-twenties Australian man born with no limbs–no hands and no feet. You can imagine the trauma that caused for his family and friends and for him personally, especially as he entered school and had to endure the taunts of children.

Despite what may seem to be his “unfortunate lot in life,” Nick has found a way to make lemonade out of the “lemon” life seems to have given him. Instead, he counts it a blessing to have no limbs, but to still be a witness to God’s love and provision.

I encourage you to enjoy these two videos. You’ll likely find inspiration for the seeming “crosses” in your own life. His life without limbs has become a life without limits. Enjoy.

I receive Karen Wright’s ezine, Waking Up. In this week’s ezine was the following article, which expresses a sentiment I have also long known to be so–it’s much easier for us to make peace with “what is” and get on with our lives than to fight it, causing ourself far more grief and frustration than justified. I encourage you to read and heed Karen’s message for us today, Learning to Love ‘What Is’.

You can learn more about Karen Wright at her website, www.wrightminded.com.

Now, here’s Karen’s message for us.

Karen Wright

Somewhere in our past – probably our long-ago past – we learned that if we resisted something it would go away. I envision a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. Kicking and screeching at that ear-shattering decibel that small children have mastered. Then a frustrated parent gives up whatever combative position they took. Just get a bit of peace. And the child learned the lesson — if I don’t like what’s happening, resist it with all my might and it will stop.

We may not be given to throwing temper tantrums as adults, but the operative belief still lingers — resist what you don’t want and it will end. It matters not that we’ve lived a lifetime unable to replicate that early-learned lesson. Somewhere deep inside, beyond any wisdom or reason, that two-year old’s mind is confident of its logic.

Anger, jealousy, resentment, frustration, regret. No matter how it shows up on your face or in your voice, what you’re feeling is the pain of resisting what is.

“I hate the rain!”

“She shouldn’t be doing that.”

“I shouldn’t have been fired.”

“Why can’t they make up their minds?”

Resistance to what IS. So, what’s wrong with that? Well, good question. After all, resistance is a pretty popular reaction to life’s less-than-lovely situations. Besides the fact that resistance fails to undo what is, it succeeds at making you miserable. Nice masochistic two-for-one return!

The more you resist what is, the more pain you feel. It would seem that our conscious adult mind would catch on to this losing game. But, old beliefs die hard. Particularly beliefs that operate under the mind’s radar. No awareness – no choice.

I think we resist what we don’t want because we’re not sure what else to do. Certainly accepting it can’t be right! That makes no sense at all. If we accept it, that’s the same thing as making it okay. And then it will never change. Or so the mind concludes.

But, perhaps we’ve been to quick to settle for this either/or polarity. (Either I resist or I accept) Like most things in life, this isn’t an either/or choice — it’s a process. Acceptance isn’t the end of change; it’s the beginning.

Accepting what is is the only sane choice in the moment. What is IS! You can’t close your eyes and wish it away. Not on this planet! If we replace the word accept with acknowledge, it might give us a bit more wiggle room to play with this idea.

So, acknowledging that it’s raining on my Hawaiian holiday isn’t going to make the sun come out, but it’s also not going to send me into depression. A good first step. Instead of fighting with my feelings and spoiling my entire vacation, I can say, “Okay, it’s raining. I’d rather have sun, but since it is what it is, how can I still have a good time on this vacation that I’ve spent the last year saving and planning for?”

Now, my actions can actually have some positive outcomes. I can free up my previously emotionally-hijacked mind to get creative about how to get the most from my holiday. Martyred depression can turn into a fun exploration of possibilities.

The process is clear:

1. Get real – what is IS! You can’t wish it away.

2. Remember your real desire – to experience the feeling of joy.

3. Decide, given what is, how to still feel that joy.

A rained-out holiday might not seem like much of a disaster compared to the situation going on in your head right now. A husband who’s leaving. A parent who’s dying. A job search that’s turned up exactly zero. But, no matter what the situation, the most effective way to deal with it doesn’t change. You still have two choices. Resist and suffer. Or accept and choose again.

Learn to love what is so that you’re never its victim again. Hanging onto resistance only disables you. When you accept what is, it frees up your creative energy to work toward real solutions.

In Joy & Partnership

Karen

You can learn more about Karen Wright at her website, www.wrightminded.com.

Ginny Dye, the founder of 5 Million For Change, Together We Can Change the World, and the former My Power Mall, believes that there’s more good happening in our world than bad, despite the mass media best efforts to the contrary. And so do I. Perhaps you do, too.

If you want to be part of the solution instead of part of the problem, Ginny invites you to participate in her free online social community, 5 Million For Change. Add your spark to what others are doing and be an inspiration as well as be inspired by others. I did, and so can you, if you wish.

This brief movie shares her view and invites you to join us.

http://www.5MillionForChange.com