This Wonderful Life

Happy Monday! A couple of Mondays ago my son got the chance to attend a Saints football game at the Superdome in New Orleans. He was very excited to go because he has been a Saints fan his whole life. This game turned out not to be just a normal Monday night football game. This game was the 20th anniversary of the first game played back in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. Several of the key players from that team were honored on the field before the game including Steve Gleason. Steve Gleason is someone we have talked about in my house since the kids were little. He had an amazing play in that first game back in the Superdome. The play became an iconic symbol of New Orleans’ resilience and recovery, and is commemorated by a “Rebirth” bronze statue outside the Superdome. 

Steve Gleason was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. Over the last fifteen years his team has raised over 40 million dollars that has been used for equipment, technology and care services for ALS patients. Two years ago he wrote a memoir using his eyes, as that is the only way he can communicate.

Around the release of his book I had read an interview that he gave and I had saved some quotes from that interview.  Last week’s reminder had me dig them out and they became my message for my classes. 

Steve Gleason insists he is ‘the luckiest man on the face of the earth’.He shared that losing control of everything made him realize the one thing he somewhat had control of is his mindset.

“It’s like I’m investigating what can people do to move from fear to freedom, from suffering to strength, from loss to love or from hell to heaven. This body may be a prison, but my mind is free.” 

“I find the truth that we all have a timeline absolutely beautiful. Live like today is the last day you will be able to move, talk and breathe on your own. How would your perspective shift? Will you be more appreciative and less concerned about achievement or material success knowing this is your last day of moving? If I were to request anything from people it would be practice living with a timeline. Please fully appreciate and truly love this wonderful life.”

As we moved in our bodies this week it truly was a reminder and a celebration of what incredible things our bodies do for us every day. Off the mat, we also have the opportunity to connect to gratitude for “this wonderful life”. This wonderful life does not mean its perfect. We have aches and pains in the body and sadness, heartache, fears and frustrations in our lives but living is so much more than all of that. Steve is living proof of that. 

For me, this was the reminder I needed to pull my mind out of my own daily struggles. I am very grateful to Steve for sharing his wisdom. I felt so much lighter this week as I repeated Steve’s words to my classes and to myself; “If I were to request anything from people it would be practice living with a timeline. Please fully appreciate and truly love this wonderful life.”  That’s what I wish for all of you this week; live on a timeline and love your life. It’s a practice and I am practicing right along with you.