Playing Your Music

Playing Your Music

"Love is the fuel that overcomes the fear of penalty and moves the obligation of duty into opportunity to serve others. Love is energizing and love never ends."   Edie Varley

There is a singular attribute that permits individuals, families, and organizations to overcome adversity, grow together through it, and reveal to the rest of us what significance really is.  Certainly characteristics like determination, willpower, diligence, vision, and courage play important roles.  Beneath those brawny traits, though, exists the common denominator freeing the others to flourish: Love.  Love transforms the individual into an alchemist able to transform brokenness into unity, despair into hope, and deficiency into perfection.  Love allows us to rise above our challenges - and it frees others to rise above theirs, too.

 

Patrick Henry Hughes understands the power of love.  He entered this world with more challenges than most.  Born without eyes, and with arms and legs that would never fully function, Patrick was destined to spend his life in total darkness.  He'd spend his life, seemingly, unable to significantly contribute or live a normal life. 

 

Striving for 'normal,' however, is the greatest roadblock to change, to significance.  Fitting in and being like everyone else means we'll never play the music we're intended to play.  Patrick never cared about being normal. He cared much more about loving his many gifts, loving his passion for music, and loving the life that is perfectly his own.

From a young age Patrick enjoyed a deep love of music.  Although unable to see or walk, he learned to play the piano; by age TWO he was taking requests!  He steadily improved on both the piano and trumpet to such a degree that he was invited to be part of the University of Louisville marching band!

But how could a wheelchair bound, blind trumpet player possibly join a marching band?  You see, this isn't just about the love a young man to play his music perfectly, but also the story of a father's love that allows his son to shine.       

 

Patrick's dad loves his son.  His Dad, Patrick John, encouraged him to chase the musical dream, to continually grow as a person, to never make excuses, and when the opportunity came to join a university marching band, to chase that dream too.  Dad works the night shift in order to go to class with Patrick, help take notes, take him to daily practice for the marching band, and push the wheelchair that allows him to march instep with the rest of the band.  Dad doesn't sleep much (in fact, I have NO idea when he sleeps!), but love allows each of us to discover strength we never knew we possessed, ability to impact we never knew we had, and the potential to change the world only available to those who are aware enough of who they are that they become able to serve others with all they have.

 

Today, as you move toward the end of your day, the week and the year, take a moment is reminding yourself who the individuals you love are.  Think of the moments in your day and through your work when you find meaning.  Consider the opportunities available to you to serve, be more engaged, and do even more through your life - through your love. 

It is through love that you not only accept the instruments you've been given, but choose to play them as perfectly as you can.  In the orchestra of life, it is less about which instruments you're given (or dwelling on the ones you may not have received) and much more about what music you choose to make with them.  

 

John O'Leary |www.RisingAbove.com

 Ignite Life. Impact Others. Fulfill Potential.