Small Victories Have Lasting Effects

What do you see?

I was asked this question on March 17 of this year. I had undergone cataract surgery on my left eye. Prior to my surgery, I was effectively blind in that eye. I could see light and dark but that was all.

I responded that I could see everything. The colors were fresh and bright. The edges of the leaves were clear and sharp. When you have not seen the edge of a leaf from a distance in quite some time, it will amaze you at how it cuts the air around it and occupies that one area. To watch the movement of the leaves in the breeze. Watching an eagle fly on the heights or a sparrow flit from one place to another is a delight.

There are so many new things to be seen for the first time. That is NOT true. Rather, it is the appreciation of seeing everything again as if for the first time but this time APPRECIATING the beauty for the first time. Feeling that sense of AWE as if you had reached the top of a mountain or seeing the vastness of the ocean and the wonder of how small you can feel in that vastness. The power of the waves as the tide comes in or the strength of the wind when a storm is coming. These are just some of the feelings that came upon me when I realized I had been given an opportunity to change my perspective and my view.

It started me wondering, what else was I blind to? Was I blind in the way I treated others, especially my wife? Was I indifferent to the way I treated others? The questions seemed endless.

I needed to start doing an inventory of my life and how I interacted with others. Now that I have partial vision, it is time to review how I look at life and myself. I will have another cataract surgery on April 21.

When Does Awe End and Realization Begin?

I am still in a state of AWE at the renewal of my appreciation of the beauty that surrounds me each day. Have you ever watched the path of an ant and marveled at the path it took on its search for food and other things that are good for the colony. The sheer determination and work that is done by a solitary ant, puts us to shame! Watch a monarch butterfly, it flies and floats on currents that we can vaguely sense, either by touch or by the certainty that there is a force there guiding it on its path of harvest and fertilization of flowers. The wonder of a hummingbird with its various colors and hues of more just hovering in the air waiting and searching for a plant to catch its attention with a scent that we cannot smell but is irresistible to the hummingbird.

I keep waiting for the newness of sight to wane. I am still marveling at what I have not seen for the past few years. I suppose that in some way, I am looking for normalcy. That is a shame!!! Become a part of the BEAUTY that surrounds you. There is unlimited beauty waiting for you to find and to appreciate as part of a larger tapestry that has been woven for us to enjoy and to ADD to. The picture on the right is more than I could see before my first cataract surgery.

This picture better illustrates my vision after my first surgery. I am still amazed at the beauty of a single flower. When the flowers come in clusters or large bunches they are almost overwhelming. To be able to see each flower fully and appreciate the complexity of each petal that is made a part of a larger whole is simply amazing to me now. I can now see the definition of each petal and the nuances of color that each has to create a more beautiful whole.

I hope I never forget how wonderful such beauty is to each of us. Knowing the simplicity and beauty of such wonders should make us all more appreciative of how wonderful life is.

Doubling the Beauty of Each Day!!!!!

I had my second surgery for cataracts on April 21. It was a wonderful success. I thought after my first surgery that I could not see beauty any clearer than this. I WAS WRONG!!!! The beauty that is before me is more than double of what I could have imagined.

Imagine seeing the leaf on a tree about 30 feet away and seeing the edge of the leaf. The full definition of the leaf against a background of various shades of greens and browns with sunlight streaming through it. Being able to see the veins of the leaf and the coarseness of the leaf, even though the leaf is smooth.

Looking out and watching a Robin search for food or sit upon a limb to sing a song of thanksgiving for the life it has. Seeing a puff of fluff riding the currents of the wind and wondering where it came from and where it will eventually end up. Hearing the song of a whippoorwill about 30 minutes before dark and finding it perched upon a nearby branch. The ability to look at all of this and to be appreciative at having sight to see with.

Appreciation of Skill!

How often do we appreciate the skill of a surgeon? How often do we appreciate the skill of an entrepreneur?

Over the last two years I have come to appreciate the knowledge and skill of the doctors who have saved my life and now my vision. Knowing the doctors had the knowledge and skill to protect my life and restore my vision was a great comfort to me. I know that the doctors who have taken care of me are skillful and also give credit for their skill to a power that is greater than themselves. I am truly grateful to them for acknowleging that there is more to what they do than themselves.

A Short Recap of The Last Two Years

The last two years I have encountered several major problems that have prevented me from completing my training within Wealthy Affiliate and being consistent with establishing my businesses.

1. Major Heart Surgery (April 2019)
2. Guillain-Barre Syndrome (June 2019 through present)
3. Cataract Surgery (March through May).

Each of these were catastrophic in nature to me. The heart surgery, I was able to recover from quite quickly with no long term effects from. I was well pleased with the outcome.

The Guillain-Barre Syndrome was another story altogether. If it had not been for the insistence of my wife that something other than my heart was wrong then I would have died. It took me almost one and one-half years to regain enough control of my fingers to be able to type again. It took me eight months to learn to walk again and three months for me to be able to feed myself once again. I am still working on getting full sensation back in my hands and feet and I will prevail.

One of the main reasons for this post is the return to normal vision and being able to see to read and type. This is one of the most important aspects of our being able to start our own businesses and be successful.

Even though, I have had difficulties, I say to each of you who read this post there is hope.

PERSEVERE, INSPIRE, EDUCATE, LEARN, POSITIVITY are what you are called to do each and every day that you are here. Do not let obstacles prevent you from achieving your dream. Find a way to overcome that obstacle or go around, over or under it. Just get it out of your way.

Inspire others to achieve their goals. This may be by your posts at WA or throught Pm or other means but be a person who inspires others to become the best they can be.

Educate yourself and others around you on a variety of topics. You never know where your next inspiration will come from. When you help educate others, you learn even more about the topic and have a deeper understanding of the topic.

Always try to learn! This is not only about your niche but about life in general and helps you become a better person, coach, mentor, influencer or someone who inspires others.

Positivity helps you keep a firm grip on the best parts of life and can become an inspiration to others by your actions and reactions. That is not to say that you will not undergo hardships(you will) but that you have found a solution that is positive for the situation. Each hardship gives you and opportunity to grow and learn in a positive manner.

Please read, share and comment below.

Jerry