But a wonderful life it’s been. Lines from a Matthew West song. (Have you figured out yet that I love music?). Lines about Ron. Ron with debilitating ALS. “Life ain’t always wonderful, but a wonderful life it’s been”. Do we think like this. Or, like many, do we think it’s terrible? Think we have it worse than anyone else? Think we are always suffering? Positive. Be positive. There is always good. Always. We, sometimes, just have to nudge it to the front. Don’t let it be “shy”. Straight to the front. My father taught, and lived, something that is such a help during my cancer battle. Although my Dad battled severe MS for years, without a doubt, every day – at least once, he would say “Someone has it (life) worse than I do”. And he believed it. Knew it. If he fell 3 times in a day, he “knew” that some one out there probably fell 4. The last few years of his life, when I saw Dad, he typically had bruises and cuts. Arms. Face. Hands. From a fall. But never, ever, did he let me focus on that. He didn’t care that he was bruised – battered – sore. He cared that I was there to see him. Alway focusing outward. Always. So, although the bar was set enormously high, I’ve tried. Tried to carry on his attitude. With true heart. And guess what. When we take the spotlight off of our problems – they shrink. Maybe not in intensity. Immediately. Maybe not in degree. Immediately. But in focus. Yes, quickly. So, when they don’t consume our every thought – they become less overwhelming. Easier to deal with. And – easier to focus outward. On others. Thank you Dad.
Here are the lyrics. The video is immediately after.
“Wonderful Life”
Ron from Houston, Texas
Spent three years fightin’ ALS
If you knew all that he’s been through
You’d hardly say he’s blessed
But smilin’ through a phone call
He said “Let me tell you, friend
This life ain’t always wonderful
But what a wonderful life it’s been”
It’ll send you flyin’ high
It’ll bring you to your knees
It’s the heartbreak and the happiness
And everything between
It’s the laugh until it hurts
It’s the hurt until you cry
Can’t have one without the other
It’s how you know that you’re alive
In this broken and beautiful
Gone mad and magical
Awfully wonderful life
It’s a mountain and a valley
It’s a cradle and a grave
It’s a blessing and a battle
And it’s on any given day
It’s messy and imperfect
It’s a thief and it’s a gift
Yeah, this life ain’t always wonderful
But what a wonderful life it is
It’ll send you flyin’ high
It’ll bring you to your knees
It’s the heartbreak and the happiness
And everything between
It’s the laugh until it hurts
It’s the hurt until you cry
Can’t have one without the other
It’s how you know that you’re alive
In this broken and beautiful
Gone mad and magical
Awfully wonderful life
This wonderful life
It’s a wonderful life
Ron went home to Jesus
Got the call the other day
I sat and cried and thought about
The words I heard him say
I know there is a Heaven
Waitin’ for us after this
This life ain’t always wonderful
But this life ain’t all there is
No, this life ain’t always wonderful
But this life ain’t all there is
So let it send you flyin’ high
Let it bring me to my knees
Bring the heartbreak and the happiness
And everything between
Let me laugh until it hurts
Let me hurt until I cry
And when it comes my time to go
I’ll smile and wave goodbye
To this broken and beautiful
Gone mad and magical
Awfully wonderful life
It’s a broken and beautiful
Gone mad and magical
Awfully wonderful life
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