Try?

In writing my best-seller, When Life Throws You Lemons…Make Cranberry Juice!, and in living life in my skin the past few years, I have learned a lot about determination. Not determination to succeed, but determination to try. I know, I know–Yoda said “Do or do not; there is no try.” I use that on my kids when they say they’ll try to get the dishes done, Trying is, however, a pretty brave thing to do. Trying something difficult that you don’t already know you’ll succeed at is really how great feats get accomplished. I’m not advocating you go out and try to tightrope walk over the Grand Canyon, but why not try something where failure does not equal death!

Ok, I’ll go first.  I was asked to be the subject of a patient profile for Care Meridian, the last rehabilitation facility I stayed at.  I agreed to meet with the writer, even though meeting new people-especially without Cindy there–was scary! We met for about two hours, and we even went up to the gym at Skyline College so that my trainer, Chip, could show her some of the exercises I do.  I didn’t get too tired, I didn’t fall, and I didn’t crash the car! She seemed to understand me pretty well, and she took some photos of me in action. I’ll know how successful I was at portraying my life when I read the article.  Next week I’m teaching my first lecture since my surgery. Succeed or fail, I’m determined to try!