Success

The sweet taste of victory.  I am sure that it is different for each of us, but, in my world it was all about turning on a finished Multi Purpose Disc Sander and rounding the first corner on a scrap piece of wood.  It was so cool.  Part of the enjoyment was being able to think back through all of the challenges I had faced and overcome.  In life, I think that is a lot of what savoring success is all about - reliving the obstacles and knowing that we pushed and persevered to overcome them.

Sometimes this basic human equation gets lost in the daily shuffle.  It is forgotten that without struggles, victory can never truly be enjoyed.  Another part that sometimes gets overlooked is that a challenge to one person is never really understood by others.  Two good examples of this are my daughter and her friend.  My daughter has been through so much in the last couple of years: surgery, chemotherapy, physical therapy, all challenges that many people will never face and never understand.  I lived through all of it with Meg and I know that I really only understand it from the fringes.  She has felt it and has struggled and continues to struggle to overcome things that are thrown at her.  With every success comes the opportunity, even if only alone, to celebrate that another hurdle has been vaulted.  I am so proud of her it is impossible to put into words.  She is a phenomenal young lady and will make a difference in her world.

Now, I want to turn for a minute to her friend.  This young lady came to school in the Midwest because she found a good program.  She arrived with an Associate’s degree and needs two years to complete her Bachelor’s.  However, she came from an environment where English is not her primary language and her previous education allowed her to submit work in either English or Spanish.  Of course, this isn’t the case at the University.  Their expectation is that English is understood and will be used for every assignment.  On top of that she is far enough from home that getting back to see family is nearly impossible.  Arriving here may as well have been landing on the moon.  In the midst of all of this, she is doing well in her course work, and will more than likely finish on time.

These young women are already proving to be successful and as such have the drive to overcome things that lie in front of them.  This is what strengthens the soul and helps build young people who will change the world.

As for me, I have completed another project at the Toybox, and I can hardly wait to get started on the next one.  In the meantime though, I have a Plinko board to put together for the folks down at YESS.  This is the time of the year for their Duck Derby which helps to raise funds for the entire year.  I would encourage you to check them out. The work they do is phenomenal.  When they have a success, a child is in a better, safer place with opportunities for a brighter future than they had before.  If you are local to Des Moines, go to the Duck Derby on May 4th.  It is an awesome event.  If you are not local, get on their website and participate that way.

I guarantee getting involved will give you yet another opportunity to feel successful and to feel good about what you just did.  Thanks in advance.