Feel handicapped, do you?

What about an elderly Grandma Moses who started painting in her 70’s? What about Greta Thundy, the 15 year old who is the face of the climate change issue? What about being born with no arms or legs as motivational speaker Nick Vujicic? What about being dyslexic like Agatha Christie and Steve Jobs?

We all have our challenges and they can serve as our excuses for what we don’t do or as reasons to do what we can do. They can help us focus on what’s really important to us.

Many know that Beethoven, the great composer, was completely deaf by the age of 47, but wrote his most memorable works after he lost his hearing.

Can you imagine being aware that the sense most needed for your chosen profession was leaving you and you couldn’t do anything to stop it?

The Ninth Symphony is the best-known piece Beethoven wrote during the time he was completely deaf and it’s magnificent.

I had thought, “Imagine if Beethoven could do that when he was deaf, what he could have done if he could still hear.”

But a friend disagreed with me. She pointed out her belief that his deafness had focused him more completely. And he never quit composing music that he could only hear in his imagination.

We need to remember that we are who we are because of everything that has ever happened to us. We may wish and pray for an easy and smooth and better life. But instead of complaining and feeling sorry for our situation, we can let our challenges make us, not break us.

Challenges come to us to make us better, not bitter. There is wisdom in our challenges that we should be looking for!

What previously considered “handicap” will you see as a challenge and as an opportunity for you to grow?