~*~“I'm not afraid of storms for I'm learning how to sail my ship.”~ Louisa May Alcott~*~
Whale Beach
Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the "courage to lose sight of the shore."- Andre Gide, French Author (1869-1951), Jan 6, 2003
I am home, sick with fever and having a sore back. But I decided to battle on being inspired by Jessica Watson's recent successful 210 days feat out in the wide blue otherwise calm and stormy ocean sailing around the world on her own, unaided and alone. Her fortitude in confronting her own trials early on in her life out in the sea amidst the roaring negative speculations from doomsayers, unfazed, is something that would give me a push to shed off a "down moment" and write something today which I haven't done in a long long time.
For the sake of clarification, having brought Jessica Watson's name in this blog in somewhat related light, she is the youngest sailor who circumnavigated the calm and ferocious three-fourth parts of bodies of water that comprises this planet earth called our "WORLD". By no means, she possesses that true blue "Australian Adventurous Spirit" even in her young tender years. A dreamer. A conqueror. A winner. And she won the world's heartfelt admiration and become a household name for INSPIRATION. Take note troubled teenagers and adults out there! There is so much indeed we can make of life other than opting for a dark, hopeless and purposeless life. And I hope by re-quoting a phrase "to make a difference" which Jessica certainly did say in one of the TV Interviews I just watched this morning news - will not sound redundant.
In the meantime, I can tell you that she takes about 40 pages in the Google Search Engine where everybody suddenly loves this brave and courageous girl that sent the blog-world churning in addition to her own. So come along, gambol with the media frenzy and Google her name and you will see what I am talking about.
After watching the morning news on the TV, I thought I would turn my computer on and write away what I wanted to write. Each time I plan of writing something, my thought will always end up in epic length proportion instead of just scribbling a random notion.
When my computer finished cleaning up spams and cleared out all spywares, I checked my email first where I found this heart rending inspirational topic that melt my emotion enough to reduce me to tears. I am re-posting it here in full with due credit to the person who submitted this very touching piece that answers to the name Jan via this link: Inspirational Quotes to which I am an active subscriber. This could be a forward that is circulated around the internet world. Like me, I hope you will like this story too.
One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house.
However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water.
She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”
“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.”
He said….. “Then I thank you from my heart.” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.
Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease. Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.
Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.
After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval.
He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill.
She read these words…..
“Paid in full with one glass of milk”
(Signed)
Dr. Howard Kelly
Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: “Thank You, God, that Your love has spread abroad through human hearts and hands.”Conclusion:
To what significance this story is related to Jessica's story? Simple.
At the time, Jessica had made her dream known to her parents, they did not only gave her a meal and a glass of milk when she was feeling the hunger of determination to fulfill her youthful dream, but they gave her their all: support, encouragement and love. Those people (the neighbour in the above story) involved in Jessica's dream and personal project of sailing the world on her own at the age of 16 were far too generous to take the risk in putting their own input: advice, education, instruction, food, time, material, and financial. Above all, they took her seriously without tinge of doubt of her capability and ability that she could do it.
The result?
These people ( Dr Howard Kelly) have grossly benefited from Jessica's success. I need not explain anymore.
Jessica's story also have brought tears of joy in my eyes when she finally and triumphantly Sailed into History!
Cheers!
