I am absolutely inspired by this man's hope. And his courage.
I first learned of his remarkable achievement a few years ago, and it's one of those stories that keeps on speaking to me.
I love that hope spurred him on and energised him to achieve the unimaginable. At any point, he could have felt he was beyond learning. At 92? Well, yes. That does seems reasonable. Quite reasonable even. At 82? Well, yes. That also seems reasonable. At 72? Mmmmm. Reasonable? at 52? at 42? Many of us sign off from new challenges well before we are 92. And many of us feel it's quite a reasonable thing to do.
However. Hope must have never quite died for Jim. So, when his long held hope met with motivating despair, Jim Arruda Henry didn't accept that 92 was a reasonable age to sign off. Instead, he stepped up, and embraced the challenge of learning to read.
A daunting challenge, some would say. Yet Henry mastered reading as a 96 year old, and went on to write a book.
As a 98 year old.
Gulp.
That's courage, hope and determination made real.
I recall this story when I'm feeling a bit flat. A bit lacking in hope and motivation. Remembering the marvel of Jim's achievement reminds me that brand new ventures and challenges can be successfully tackled. At any time in our lives.
What do you hold in your heart as the thing you hope for? What is the dream you hold for yourself? The dream that just quietly keeps speaking to you?
Why not fight against The Call of the Reasonable? Why not dare to ignite The Quiet Hope you've held in your heart?
Let's see where our hope can take us!
http://abcnews.go.com/US/98-year-man-learned-read-wrote-book/story?id=15145577