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I know later this morning (later this week) you will listen to an inspirational and challenging graduation address. For now, I would like to introduce you to an inspirational and challenging young man: Patrick Henry Hughes. I met Patrick at a conference in Chicago; he didn’t play for the Chicago Bulls, Chicago Bears, or the Chicago White Sox. Patrick was born with no eyes, and a tightening of the joints, which left him crippled for life.
However, as a child, he was fitted with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. His mom said, “I could hit any note on the piano, and within one or two tries, he’d get it”. By his second birthday, he was playing requests (“You Are My Sunshine”, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”). His father was ecstatic. “We might not play baseball, but we can play music together”.
Today, Patrick is a junior at the University of Louisville. His father attends classes with him and he’s made nearly all A’s, with the exception of 3 B’s. He’s also a part of the 214-member marching band. You heard it right…the marching band! He’s a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father do it together. They attend all the band practices and the half-time performance in front of thousands. His father rolls and rotates his son around the field to the cheers of Patrick’s fans. In order to attend Patrick’s classes and every band practice, his father works the graveyard shift at UPS. Patrick says, “My dad’s my hero”.
But even more than his unbelievable musical talent, it was Patrick’s “attitude of gratitude” that touched my soul. On stage, between songs, he talked to the audience about his life and about how blessed he was. He said, “God made me blind and unable to walk. BIG DEAL! He gave me the ability…the musical gifts I have…the great opportunity to meet new people”.
When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered for over five minutes. It gave me giant goose bumps!
My life was ready to meet Patrick Henry Hughes. I needed a hero, and I found one for the ages. If I live to be a hundred, I’ll never forget that night, that smile, that music, but most importantly, that wonderful “attitude of gratitude”.
I shared Patrick’s story with a lot of my friends and received a letter from them regarding Patrick. He said, “Ron, I don’t know who said this, but I think you will like this quote”. “Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain”. I thought…that’s it. We all face adversity in our life, however it’s not the adversity, but how we react to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our lives.
Graduates, I leave you with two thoughts and pray that you will take them with you wherever you go.
First, during tough times, and we will all have them, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves or can we, like Patrick Henry Hughes–with gratitude in our hearts–learn how to dance in the rain.
Second, it almost sounds too simple to feel important, but one word “gratitude” can change your attitude, and thus your life. As another wise person said, “When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives, but are grateful for the abundance that is present…we experience heaven on earth”.
God Bless You All.