Stemato.com - Stephen Tompkins’ Blog

I just received this email from Dale Carnegie Success tip of the week. I dont subscribe to many email newsletters but this one always has good stop and think about it qualities. I really liked this one so I thought I would share it here with everyone. In case you are not signed up for the Dale Carnegie Success tip I would reccomend it. It a great weekly email with stuff like this in it. Here is the sign up.

“Embrace things in your life that drive you to achieve, and start letting go of those things that do not. It is difficult to distinguish the category in which any of your activities belong, but paying attention to your choices and their consequences will sponsor the awareness you’ll need to make better life choices in the future. Although things that bring us happiness outside of work can be our greatest inspiration for professional success, often they are so simple, we cast them aside as inconsequential. Do not do this. Remember the small things that make you happy, and use them to battle things that loom much larger and stress you out. Consider these suggestions:”

• Fill your mind with thoughts of peace, courage, hope, and health
• Never try to get even with your enemies
• Expect ingratitude
• Count your blessings, not your troubles
• Try not to imitate others
• Create happiness for others

Its a good reminder as we all get hammered with work and social events for the holiday season to stop and remember the small things that make us happy and remember to show your appreciation for those folks. I often forget to do this but have been keeping focused on making those that make me happy know it.

I just wanted to say a few words about this past week and how I learned about strength. On Saturday morning, my mother called me to tell me my grandmother had fallen and was rushed to the hospital unconscious. At that point, we did not know anything other than she was in a coma and had a subdural hematoma (I had no idea what it was but its bleeding in the membrane of her brain).

Having spent many of my formative years living with my Grandmother, I did not hesitate to get on the first plane to come down to Savannah and see her. I talk on the phone about every two or three nights to her and could not imagine life without her. I left at 6 PM and arrived at 9:30 PM Saturday. The surgery was successful and removed all the clots in her brain. The doctor told us he could not give any information about how or if ever she would awake from her vegetative state.

The next day I went to the hospital to see her. It was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life. As I walked into the NICU, I could not imagine this person so close to me lay so helpless in her room. I broke down and started crying immediately.

Words can express many things but for me there are no words to express my feelings at that moment. I spoke to her briefly and said thank you for helping raise me to know the value of humility, humbleness and faith in your life. It took every bit of strength I had to tell her much I missed her and loved her and to keep fighting because I know she is stronger enough to come back. Tears in my eyes, I left the room thinking about her and life without her.

Today as I rode to the hospital, my sister called me to tell me that my grandmother had awaken from the coma. I could not fathom it at first but eventually it sunk in. It was the  best news we could have gotten.

When I arrived at the hospital, I walked to the NICU and my spirit was lifted. I saw her open her eyes and glance at my sister and then glance at me. She looked so happy and thrilled to see us. It immediately made me think about how strong she is to come so far in such a short period of time. I said to her, “Hi Nanny, I missed you.” And she looked at me while raising her hand to wave. It is truly nothing short of a miracle that she has awakened so soon.

Strength comes in all shapes and sizes, but my Grandmother, showed me the most amazing feat of strength I have ever seen.