How America Can Rescue Tragedy for Triumph

June 4, 2020September 26, 2023Posted by Steve Blaising4 Comments

This tragedy, the brutal murder of George Floyd, is horrific.

And then we watched mobs. . .

beat old women
shoot police officers
steal everything in sight

tragedy turned into trauma — Looting in New York after George Floyd death/Bryan R. Smith/Getty Images

How many innocent Americans have they hurt?

How many have they murdered?

How do we put our society back together?

For some reason, Tyler Perry popped into my head.

No, not Madea. Tyler Perry.

Turn tragedy into triumph — Tyler Perry turning tragedy into triumph/Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock

Tyler was born into the tragedy of a raging alcoholic father.

Abuse swarmed him and his mother day and night.

He didn’t even finish high school, so he cornered a GED.

And yet Forbes listed Tyler Perry as the highest paid man in entertainment by 2011.

“My childhood was a story of discouragement, belittlement and unthinkable abuse, and yet I rose above.” Tyler Perry, Higher is Waiting

More than ever, folks in America are growing up in abusive homes.

I did. That’s why I admire Tyler Perry. He navigated abuse for 21 years before leaving home.

Racism and inequality are bad enough, but pile on abuse, and success is much harder.

Tyler Perry overcame all three.

Tags: Anxiety, Fear, Suffering

Run to the Land of Beginning Again

April 5, 2020December 3, 2023Posted by Steve Blaising4 Comments

Let’s run from all the madness in the world.

War
Loss
Loneliness
Fear
Suffering
Death

“I wish there were some wonderful place called the land of beginning again where all of my heartaches and all of my woes could be dropped like a dirty old coat at the door and never be put on again.” Author Unknown

So, why not run to the Land of Beginning Again.

Run and begin again — Land of Beginning Again/Chris Abadie/Lake Athens, TX

You can enter right where you are, even in the middle of suffering.

Tags: Crises, Fear, Suffering

Cancer Survivor Defies Diagnosis in Iron Man Triathlon

February 3, 2019August 22, 2023Posted by Steve Blaising4 Comments

Isabella de la Houssaye was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer in 2018.

The disease took a big toll as she struggled to walk after chemo.

Nine months later, she completed the “world’s most difficult sporting event.”

Cancer survivor finishes race — Exceptional willingness to thrive months after cancer diagnosis/The Daily Advertiser

Here are three takeaways for your performance in big scary moments.

Tags: Anxiety, Fear, Suffering

Searching for Happiness but Finding a Miracle

July 23, 2018June 7, 2023Posted by Steve Blaising14 Comments

Every summer at Lake Athens, happiness unfolds with special needs and foster kids at a water sports camp.

Skiing With The Galilean ignites joy in those suffering with loss.

water camp ignites happiness — Jack Bryan, center, defies the constraints of Leigh Syndrome at SWTG/Photo by Renae Bryan

I experienced this recently with these precious folks.

You can too.

Tags: Happiness, Suffering

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