A Thought for Today
by Bob Fisher
DETERMINATION
While riding on the back of his father's wagon on a cold winter day
in Michigan, Michael Dowling fell from the rig and hurt himself so badly
that he was unable to move. The snow was blowing and the wind was howling
so that his father did not notice his son was missing until he arrived
at his home. In haste he retraced his steps and found his son badly frozen.
It must have been hours or perhaps days before the young man received medical
attention, because to save his life he had to have both legs removed, an
arm had to come off and so did his other hand. Michael was left just a
stump. But he was not defeated. With steal-like determination the young
man got an education. He learned how to walk on two artificial legs and
use hands that were made of levers and metal. With his determination and
a brilliant mind, he rose to be the President of a large influential bank.
During the First World War Michael Dowling volunteered to visit
and encourage wounded servicemen. In his travels to serve he came to London
England. One evening he was scheduled to speak before an audience of men
who had lost legs, eyes, arms and other body parts, but worst of all many
of them had lost hope. They met in a large hotel. The lobby was crowded
with men who were suffering because of their wounds.
Michael Dowling came onto the mezzanine floor above the crowd.
He was introduced only as the president of a large bank in America so the
wounded soldiers were shocked when he began his talk and he told them that
their problems weren't so bad. As he continued in this vain the soldiers
began to boo him. He went on and the crowd became angry and there was a
threat in their mood.
Michael walked to the head of the stairs and started down as
though to intimidate his audience. He stopped on the third step down, and
took off his right leg. The crowd became silent. Another couple of steps
and he took off his left leg. Then he removed his arm and finally flipped
his hand off. The crowd that had watched in stunned silence broke into
cheers of approval.
Then he told them his own story and finished by saying, "I am
now the president of one of the largest banks in America. I am married.
I have a wife and four children." The lesson was obvious. If he could do
it with his handicap, so could they.
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