Thankfulness and a Positve Outlook
When I first met Dave Hopkins he ran marathons, played guitar, sang and worked with Junior High students at a camp. Energy and activity poured from him. He was also a detail oriented person. This made it very easy for Dave to be critical. Often he said that it was a challenge to have a positive outlook and that "every day you choose to develop a critical spirit or a thankful spirit." It was by daily choosing to be thankful that Dave could see the world positively.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) became a part of Dave's world a few years after I met him. At first the impact on his energy and activity was minimal. As he learned to live in this new reality he continued to say "every day I choose to develop a thankful spirit rather than a critical spirit." And he did. I could see him struggle with both his disease and being critical. And I watched him choose thankfulness.
As the MS progressed Dave could no longer run so he started riding a bicycle. He lost the ability to play guitar but he could still write and sing. He could no longer keep up with the Junior High students but he could pass his experience and wisdom along to others. Each day he chose to be thankful for what he could do rather than focus on what he could not.
Over the next 10 years Dave lost the ability to ride a bike or walk. Eventually he was confined to a bed. His ability to sing and even talk diminished as the disease progressed. He could no longer work and interaction with others become more challenging. Still he shared with whoever would listen the importance of developing a thankful spirit.
Dave's powerful impact and influence in the lives of others became obvious at his memorial service. Hundreds of people from all over the country showed up to pay their respects. Thousands of messages arrived from friends, acquaintances and even strangers who only knew of Dave by his music or his reputation, all sharing stories of the difference Dave made in their lives. From the stage dozens of friends shared their experience with Dave. The common theme among the messages and from the stage was that Dave was a thankful man. That, above all his other interactions and accomplishments, is what most impacted people.
Dave proved that thankfulness and a positive outlook are skills that can be worked on. You can daily choose to develop these competencies and it will impact your ability to manage yourself and influence other.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) became a part of Dave's world a few years after I met him. At first the impact on his energy and activity was minimal. As he learned to live in this new reality he continued to say "every day I choose to develop a thankful spirit rather than a critical spirit." And he did. I could see him struggle with both his disease and being critical. And I watched him choose thankfulness.
As the MS progressed Dave could no longer run so he started riding a bicycle. He lost the ability to play guitar but he could still write and sing. He could no longer keep up with the Junior High students but he could pass his experience and wisdom along to others. Each day he chose to be thankful for what he could do rather than focus on what he could not.
Over the next 10 years Dave lost the ability to ride a bike or walk. Eventually he was confined to a bed. His ability to sing and even talk diminished as the disease progressed. He could no longer work and interaction with others become more challenging. Still he shared with whoever would listen the importance of developing a thankful spirit.
Dave's powerful impact and influence in the lives of others became obvious at his memorial service. Hundreds of people from all over the country showed up to pay their respects. Thousands of messages arrived from friends, acquaintances and even strangers who only knew of Dave by his music or his reputation, all sharing stories of the difference Dave made in their lives. From the stage dozens of friends shared their experience with Dave. The common theme among the messages and from the stage was that Dave was a thankful man. That, above all his other interactions and accomplishments, is what most impacted people.
Dave proved that thankfulness and a positive outlook are skills that can be worked on. You can daily choose to develop these competencies and it will impact your ability to manage yourself and influence other.
Comments