Life With No Air

Musical Inspiration for this BLOG:

Jordin sparks – No Air

(Meant to be played while reading)

Discoveries:

Today I discovered that dreams fuel our resilience but unfortunately everyone with a dream won’t wake up. What I mean to say is that many of us are daydreamers with cool plans, we stare off into the distance and concoct elaborate plans which conceptually are sound but sadly, instead of taking action we let our dreams remain just that, plans. How many times have you heard someone rattle off about a business idea, theory, notion or million dollar idea then take no action? Life is too short to make excuses. I feel you though, in one hand you have your dreams and in the other you have responsibility. Who says you have to choose? Why not juggle?  Don’t let car notes, mortgage payments, designer wardrobes, complacency and fear prevent you from unlocking your mind. Stop talking about it and be about it! Trust me, at the end of the day you’ll feel happy about the decision you made to set your heart to purpose. You’ll be proud of yourself because you’ll stop living life starting each sentence with axioms like “wouldn’t it be cool if  ,,,” and ‘One day I’ll,,,” because you’ll have traded them in for phrases with more resolution.

High Points:

I made it through another day. Seems like a simple notion on the surface but I am learning how to appreciate the little things much, much more. Last week I met a man in Dallas who received news that he was in Stage 3 cancer and that he could die any day. We share a coffee in a Starbucks and during the forty minutes we sipped java we shared some of the most profound dialogue. Perhaps that was my motivation for the earlier paragraph. Instead of asking him about how he planned to cope with the news, spend his remaining days and what radical new therapy was available the conversation was much darker. We spoke about his regrets, failures and all the things he took for granted. While I will keep my commitment to keep our specific discussion protected and private out of respect for this remarkably authentic man who was arguably the most self-effacing and transparent man I have ever met, I will highlight the most important thing I learned from him on that dreary imperfect day. We must be thankful for the bare minimums. We must appreciate the extreme basics that we feel we are entitled to like the ability to breathe, move, speak, think and reason. They are not guaranteed, to anyone. Let’s all heed his tutelage and appreciate life more. Miracles can happen, my new friend may receive his and go on living for years to come but according to his own approximation, he’ll be dead by Father’s Day. When we parted ways his last words to me were “embrace today,” powerful.

Themes for the Day

· Life is short

· Beauty is all around us
· Don’t wait til’ it’s too late
· Appreciate things with intrinsic value

Low Points:

Asthma is a dreaded life-long disease with no cure. Like many other debilitating ailments it prevents human beings from doing the things they love. In addition, all hopes of being staying fit, active, going places and enjoying life reduce and hang on the possibility that science or a New Testament miracle will happen during your lifetime. Due to certain physiological precursors or ingredients in the gene compilation gumbo certain people are plagued with asthma and go their entire lives suffering from airway constriction, shortness of breath and in some instances severe and sudden death. Many don’t know this but I suffer from asthma. Until recently through diet, exercise and a special combination of medications I have kept it under control. Sadly, my medications are no longer as effective. In fact, a few of my trusted (and cheap) over-the-counter prescriptions that I administered to myself are no longer available due to government regulations, restrictions or companies going belly up. I’m not afraid of much but asthma scares me. It never fails to truly deliver terror each day. Wear my shoes, imagine being afraid to catch a cold or get the flu because you know it means that weakens your immune system and lungs due to the phlegm and mucous that builds up inside.  See yourself scared to have long conversations and talk walks. Imagine the humility in having a phenomenal jump shot but passing up pick-up basketball games with your buddies because you might pass out and potentially die on the court like Hank Gathers. Think about the despair you have when the medicines your doctor prescribe don’t work for more than an hour or two so you wake up in the night gasping for air. Think about how difficult it is to walk from your car in the parking lot into the grocery store and back. You better not cut the grass or forget to turn on the air conditioner. Stay away from dairy because it aids in mucous production and can be bad for you. Oh yeah, and don’t eat or drink too much because it’ll reduce the size of space your diaphragm has to expand and provide much needed relief. Finally, see the sadness in your children’s faces or disappointment in your spouse’s eyes when you when you tell then that you can’t play with them because you are just afraid. Hate to write downer blogs because I know there is hope. I am going into my prayer closet, touch and agree with me for healing.

DAILY INSANITY:

Two Words: Fast Facts

Here are some shocking fast facts about Asthma -Every day in America:

·         44,000 people have an asthma attack.

·        36,000 kids miss school due to asthma.

·         27,000 adults miss work due to asthma.

·         4,700 people visit the emergency room due to asthma.

·         1,200 people are admitted to the hospital due to asthma.

·         9 people die from asthma.

 

John R Williams

Author/Radio Host/Filmmaker/Sales Professional/ Executive/CEO

Question of the day
If God gives each of us no more than we can personally bear why do some people receive more to bear than others?