"freedom to choose one's attitude in any given situation" Victor E. Frankl

It has been such a week!

I have a new granddaughter!

and a wrecked car! (yes, I am okay and no, it was not my fault... but it is still wrecked.)

And before all of this, there were the intensives and graduation...

The intensives were incredible in so many ways to so many students! AISU knows how to do things right!

And graduation- well, I've been to more than 16 graduation ceremonies in the last 16 years, and this year I was privileged to hear the VERY BEST graduation speech I think I will ever hear from a most OUTSTANDING young man. 'Mike' (not his real name) is in a wheelchair from a form of MS. He is an excellent student with such a big heart. I have never heard him speak an unkind word to anyone or about anyone.

He started out by giving the background for Victor Frankl, a concentration camp prisoner during World War II who went on to write "Man's Search for Meaning" about his experiences. Victor had everything taken from him during his time in the camp- except Victor discovered that they could not take away his choice of attitude.

“Forces beyond your control can take away everything you possess except one thing, your freedom to choose how you will respond to the situation.” 
― Viktor E. Frankl

'Mike' then told his own story. He used to be able to do so much. Then came the day he could no longer dress himself, feed himself, take care of so many things for himself... and he is losing his ability to use his hands. Doctors say he may live for another 5-7 years. And yet this brave young man sat on the stage looking at the graduates and said that he can still choose his attitude. He can choose to look forward to the things he can still do! And so can all of us!

What a powerful message!!!

This is what I need to remember in my life, now more than ever. With Luke's health challenges, car wrecks, and so many other unexpected happenstances in life, I need to choose to look forward and remember my blessings!