Almost: Musing from one who has defied the odds
I saw him from across the room, walking toward me, and my heart leaped with anticipation.
Just before I noticed him, I had been the guest speaker at the fraternity’s father-son dinner, sharing my life story of goals and my change of goals after surviving being shot in the head during my college years at the same university. I also spoke to them of present day goals and the changes of life direction and how one attempts to overcome obstacles.
I thought the talk had gone very well. The fathers, as well as the sons, were very receptive, asking me many questions. Then, as we were about to leave, I saw a businessman, with his son in the fraternity walking toward me. I thought, rather, I knew, what he was about to do: he was going to ask me to go to Dallas to motivate and inspire his very large company.
As he came even closer my heart began to race. “Mike,” he said, “thanks for a great talk…” I was so happy – sort of on a “high” waiting, expecting the invitation to come to Dallas. However, I’ll never forget what he said instead as he continued, “…but you’re parked behind us and we are late for our next event. My son and I have tickets to see Jerry Seinfeld perform in concert.”
I was crushed. I thought he was coming over to make arrangements for me to speak in Dallas at his mega company. What was I going to do? What could I do? Well, I did the only thing I could think of doing – I MOVED MY CAR!
There are times in life when we are “certain” we know what’s about to happen, only to be disappointed. I call those times “the almost ones.” My life, as well as everyone else’s life, is full of those “almost ones.” I almost was on “20/20” with Diane Sawyer, but I was not; I almost was on “The Today Show,” but I was not; I almost had many speaking jobs – but for some reason or another they fell through. I have learned that’s o.k. It happens. It’s part of life. The key is to “push on.” It doesn’t really matter how many times you get “knocked down”. What really matters is how many times you get up.
Years ago, I was at work at the hospital. A boy was brought into the ER. He was in a coma after having been in a car accident. The family was going crazy, trying to get their son, their brother, to just “wake up.” Nothing they did helped and nothing the doctors did helped.
However, out of frustration the father shouted, “WAKE UP…WAKE UP! YOU JUST WON THE LOTTERY!” But this too did not seem to help. But the family did not give up. They “pushed on”– encouraging him every day and expressing their love for him–but he still remained in a coma.
Then, one day, six weeks later, their son and brother “woke up.” He opened his eyes and began speaking. The first thing he said was: “Where is my money from the lottery?” That family “pushed on.”
As I said, “Everyone has some obstacles in life.” The key to overcoming ‘obstacles’ in life or disappointments is in ‘pushing on,’ and ‘getting up’. Sure, life has challenges, but life also has many great fulfillments and achievements and accomplishments.
But I need to stop writing now because I have to prepare for my appearance on “60 Minutes.” (One can always hope!)
©2014 by Michael Jordan Segal, MSW; all rights reserved
Shot in the head during a robbery, Michael Jordan Segal defied all odds by first surviving and then returning to college. He then earned two degrees with honors, married his high school sweetheart, Sharon, and became a father to their daughter Shawn. Mike is a social worker in Houston and an author (currently he has two book projects he’s working on: an autobiography-possibly entitled A SHOT OF INSPIRATION and an anthology of his short stories — he has a CD/download available on his web site of 12 of his best stories, read over light music, entitled POSSIBLE). He also is a popular inspirational speaker sharing his “recipe” for recovery, happiness, and success before conferences, businesses and seminars. Please visit: www.InspirationByMike.com and make sure you check him out on YouTube.
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