J. I. Packer, 89, On Losing Sight But Seeing Christ

Here's an interview with J.I.Parker, 89 years old, who has gone blind due to macular degeneration. I'm truly touched by the thoughts and lessons he glean for us.

J. I. Packer, 89, On Losing Sight But Seeing Christ

Article by: Ivan Mesa

“Over Christmas macular degeneration struck so that I can no longer read or write.” 

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that causes the loss of vision. For many who have appreciated and benefited from James Innell Packer’s writing ministry—the author of more than 300 books, journal articles, book reviews, dictionary entries, and forewords—this will come as especially saddening news. 

Packer, 89, will no longer be able to write as he has before or travel or do any regular preaching. While for now he still retains peripheral vision, it’s doubtful he will ever regain the ability to read. (Justin Taylor explains this as well.)

“God knows what he’s doing,” Packer recently told me in a phone interview. Rather than being paralyzed by fear or self-pity, Packer is confident that “this comes as a clear indication from headquarters. And I take it from him.”

Whether his response stems more from the British stiff upper lip or decades’ worth of sanctification, Packer is living out a truth he has long believed and proclaimed: God is sovereign and good in all things. “He knows what he’s up to,” Packer notes. “And I’ve had enough experiences of his goodness in all sorts of ways not to have any doubt about the present circumstances.” He adds, “Some good, something for his glory, is going to come out of it.”

The rest of my conversation with Packer is transcribed below.

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Is losing the ability to write, read, and preach especially hard?

No, in the days when it was physically possible for me to do these things I was concerned, even anxious, to get ahead with doing them. Now that it’s no longer possible I acknowledge the sovereignty of God. “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away” (Job 1:21). Now that I’m nearly 90 years old he’s taken away. And I won’t get any stronger, physically, as I go on in this world. And I don’t know how much longer I’ll be going on anyway.

Has this been a hard trial emotionally?

Emotionally, it doesn’t make an impact on me because after all I’m nearly 90, and I would have had to stop those things soon anyway because my strength would not have continued. God has been very good to us, and none of us has been struck as so many people of our age by any form of dementia. We’re both blessedly free of that. You recognize this is a mercy and be thankful.

Ecclesiates is a book of the Bible you have especially treasured and have gleaned much wisdom from over the years. You’ve said Ecclesiastes cured you of youthful cynicism. On this side of life what has the old sage taught you? Does the final chapter of Ecclesiastes—chapter 12—hold any more special resonance at this stage of life than, say, 40 years ago?

The author of Ecclesiastes has taught me that it is folly to suppose that you can plan life and master it, and you will get hurt if you try. You must acknowledge the sovereignty of God and leave the wisdom to him. 

It tells me now what it told me 40 years ago, namely, that we wear out, physically we come apart. You get old, and getting old means the loss of faculties and powers you had when you were younger. And that is the way God prepares us to leave this world for a better world to which he’s taking us. The message of Ecclesiastes 12 is “Get right with God as early in life as you can; ‘remember the creator in your days of youth’ (Eccl. 12:1). Don’t leave it until some time in the future when you’re not likely to be able to handle it well at all.”

What role does calling play in these latter days of life for you?

All that I can say is that as one’s powers of mind and body diminish so one’s understanding to what one can do—should do—in fulfillment of one’s calling has to be adjusted in terms of I can’t do that anymore. And Christian realism kicks in at that point. God doesn’t call us to do what is no longer within our power to do.

Is heaven and eternity much on your mind?

In positive terms, the essence of eternity as I conceive it—as it lies before me as my destination—is quite simply the joy of being with the Lord.

Here in this world he gives us things to do, and we affirm our identity as his children by tackling the tasks that he gives us. There, the relationship we have with him is closer (closer in terms of realization than ever it’s been in this world). So that’s where I envisage the emphasis being in eternity and as one who is in God’s hands all along the line I wait to see how it will actually work out.

The person who meditated for half an hour every day, without fail it seems, was Richard Baxter, the 17th-century Puritan who lived in pain with various painful physical conditions that in his day could not be cured. But with pain he lived in peace because of the strength of his hope, the hope of glory.

Is there any specific thought of our eternal future in God’s presence that especially grips you now?

I have to say no rather than yes. Any part of God’s revelation may come alive for me in a new way as a pointer to and integral element in my hope. There’s no limiting what of his revelation may have that impact at any particular time. When you walk with God there are moments when he gives you special delight, an especially deep sense of peace and pleasure in being his child—well, those things have happened to me and they happen, I think, to all other real Christians. There’s nothing special about that.

Is there any physical sight that would be hardest to forego if you were to entirely lose your vision?

Again, the answer for me would be no. I think I could learn to live without any of the sights I’ve ever seen.

It’ll be no surprise to many that you have spent decades meditating on and memorizing God’s Word. What does your pursuit of these spiritual disciplines translate into in this stage of life?

I find it more possible to concentrate on God himself and his plans, purposes, and performance than I used to do. I suppose that all these things have rooted themselves more deeply in my mind and heart. And I trust there’s less superficiality than there used to be.

I have nothing striking to report; steady advance, I believe, into the realization of the reality of all that the Bible talks about—all the realities, I mean, of the experience of communion with God.

I’m not a spectacular person as far as I understand it. And I don’t think my experience of the Lord’s grace has been spectacular. I’ll say it’s been steady and I thank God for that.

How do you evaluate the Young, Restless, Reformed, and what word of encouragement and exhortation would you offer this fledgling movement?

Remember that what God plans, what the whole economy of grace is shaped for, is the perfection of a church that will be the bride of Christ and, in a grand sense, the image of Christ. And God is not in the business of individualism. There is a distinction that not all evangelicals pick up between individualism and individuality. Being a Christian ripens and extends your individuality, but individualism is a form of sin and, it seems to me, still a temptation for the Young, Restless, Reformed folk. And the vital movements of Reformed Christianity—with their rediscovery of the doctrines of grace and the life of grace—all of that needs as yet to have the individualism squeezed out of it, and as it matures that’s what’s going to happen. The folk involved in these movements need to be very clear all the time that God’s purpose is a church that celebrates his glory. If for the moment we are giving our time non-churchly or trans-denominational movements, well, that should be seen as step, a venture, towards churchliness rather than towards individualism. Individualism, no. Churchliness, yes.

Overall, would you say you’re encouraged?

Yes, I don’t see how any Christian under any circumstances can’t be encouraged who focuses on God. I don’t see how any Christian can be discouraged, because God is in charge—God knows what he’s doing, all things work together for good for those are called according to his purpose (Rom. 8:28), and our hope is in Christ. Those things don’t change, and those are the things to focus on.

Going back to the centrality of the church, I suppose the Puritans are instrumental in bringing back our attention to the church.

The Puritans were churchly to their finger tips. They were intensely individuals. They made as much of Christian individuality as any community of believer have ever done, I think. But they were churchly. It was all for the building up the church as the body of Christ and as the goal of all of God’s purposes of grace.  I still think we need to learn—learn it for the first time, perhaps.

The great thing, which the Puritans saw as central, is communion with God, which they understood as communion with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They weren’t marked by the imbalance that you so often see even among Puritans supporters in these days—I mean people focusing on Christ to the exclusion of the Spirit, or on the Spirit to the exclusion of Christ. The Puritans, I think, were wonderfully balanced. Their published work expresses it and is very maturing. There is the same relation to the goal of godliness as proper coaching and physical training is to producing a player for role that he is called to play.

What would be your final words to the church?

I think I can boil it down to four words: “Glorify Christ every way.”

10 Things I Learnt from the Nicest Man in Britain

Hello Friend ..

I came across this inspiring article about the "Nicest Man in Britain".

Luke Cameron (left) started his daily good deed challenge last January in memory of family friend Maura (right), who passed away in October 2013

He is Luke Cameron, 27. He ..

• Challenged himself to do a good deed every day of 2014
• Beat thousands of candidates to be given the 'Nicest Job in Britain'
• The philanthropist spent 2015 helping 45 different charities over 52 weeks

Over the last 12 months, he has driven some 30,000 miles - and spent countless hours volunteering - to help each worthy cause with fundraising schemes.

The British Heart Foundation, the YMCA and the Donkey Sanctuary are just three of the charities he has helped. He has also been able to help give valuable time to lesser-known causes.

When Luke Cameron decided to do a good deed every day for a year in 2014, he could never have anticipated how much it would change his life.

The 26-year-old from Cheltenham made the decision after a close family friend died from cancer in 2013.

He started writing a Good Deed blog and logged every kind gesture he made on the site, which has now amassed thousands of followers.

He said:

'In a world of taking selfies with your "besties" and Instagramming pictures of your new handbag and Rolex watch, we forget to think about anyone else but ourselves. 

'Our generation has forgotten to care about others, because we are too self-obsessed to even care what others are going through.'

SOME OF LUKE'S GOOD DEEDS:

Good Deed 345:
One of my colleagues is on crutches after snapping his Achilles Heel. So today I grabbed his lunch for him and took it to his desk so he didn't have to hobble around getting it.

Good Deed 341:
I baked a load of mini lemon drizzle cakes today and sent them around to friends and family.

Good deed 258:
A small but helpful deed today. Carried down my elderly neighbour's trash. Bin day tomorrow.

Good Deed 256:
I was with a colleague today, explaining about doing good deeds. She was a little skeptical about the whole thing, so while she was away from her desk, I left the money for her lunch.
Maybe I can change her opinion of random kindness.

Good Deed 244:
Today I helped somebody in need. I stopped my car on the way home as there were a couple with a map. I gave them directions to the centre of town. They were very grateful

Good deed 242:
While walking the dog, I noticed a load of litter over the field at 7am - clearly the morning after the night before.
It was a few glass bottles and shredded cans. So I carefully picked them up and disposed of them.

Good Deed 221:
I got up at 5.30am to help a friend move house today. I hired a van yesterday and drove around two hours to Exeter to load up and remove everything from a 3 bedroom house.

Lessons I Learnt about Doing Good:

1) Be kind. It starts from the heart.

2) Be willing to get my hands dirty.

3) Be humble. People may ridicule me.

4) Be adventurous. It means doing things I've never done before.

5) Be bold. Sometimes I have to do it alone.

6) Be-lieve that even little acts of kindness mean a lot to others in need.

7) Be alert and observant. My eyes will be opened to see the need in others.

8) Be other centred. Look out for the interest and needs of others and not just my own.

9) Be steadfast. It is so easy to give up.

10) Be loving. Again it comes from the heart.

Do good .... all the time!

In memory of Dr Richard Teo - Thoughts of Life, Wealth, Success & Happiness

What is the purpose of life?

This is a question which means different things to different people. Below is the transcript of the talk of Dr. Richard Teo, who is a 40-year-old Singapore millionaire and cosmetic surgeon with a stage-4 lung cancer but selflessly came to share with the D1 class his life experience on 19-Jan-2012. He shared his thoughts of Life, Wealth, Success & Happiness. May you find the true purpose of life.

Hi good morning to all of you. My voice is a bit hoarse, so please bear with me. I thought I'll just introduce myself. My name is Richard, I'm a medical doctor. And I thought I'll just share some thoughts of my life. It's my pleasure to be invited by prof. Hopefully, it can get you thinking about how... as you pursue this.. embarking on your training to become dental surgeons, to think about other things as well.

Since young, I am a typical product of today's society. Relatively successful product that society requires.. From young, I came from a below average family. I was told by the media... and people around me that happiness is about success. And that success is about being wealthy. With this mind-set, I've always be extremely competitive, since I was young.

Not only do I need to go to the top school, I need to have success in all fields. Uniform groups, track, everything. I needed to get trophies, needed to be successful, I needed to have colours award, national colours award, everything. So I was highly competitive since young. I went on to medical school, graduated as a doctor. Some of you may know that within the medical faculty, ophthalmology is one of the most highly sought after specialities. So I went after that as well. I was given a traineeship in ophthalmology, I was also given a research scholarship by NUS to develop lasers to treat the eye. 

So in the process, I was given 2 patents, one for the medical devices, and another for the lasers. And you know what, all this academic achievements did not bring me any wealth. So once I completed my bond with MOH, I decided that this is taking too long, the training in eye surgery is just taking too long. And there's lots of money to be made in the private sector. If you're aware, in the last few years, there is this rise in aesthetic medicine. Tons of money to be made there. So I decided, well, enough of staying in institution, it's time to leave. So I quit my training halfway and I went on to set up my aesthetic clinic... in town, together with a day surgery centre.

You know the irony is that people do not make heroes out average GP (general practitioner), family physicians. They don't. They make heroes out of people who are rich and famous. People who are not happy to pay $20 to see a GP, the same person have no qualms paying ten thousand dollars for a liposuction, 15 thousand dollars for a breast augmentation, and so on and so forth. So it's a no brainer isn't? Why do you want to be a gp? Become an aesthetic physician. So instead of healing the sick and ill, I decided that I'll become a glorified beautician. So, business was good, very good. It started off with waiting of one week, then became 3weeks, then one month, then 2 months, then 3 months. I was overwhelmed; there were just too many patients. Vanities are fantastic business. I employed one doctor, the second doctor, the 3rd doctor, the 4th doctor. And within the 1st year, we're already raking in millions. Just the 1st year. But never is enough because I was so obsessed with it. I started to expand into Indonesia to get all the rich Indonesian tai-tais who wouldn't blink an eye to have a procedure done. So life was really good.

So what do I do with the spare cash. How do I spend my weekends? Typically, I'll have car club gatherings. I take out my track car, with spare cash I got myself a track car. We have car club gatherings. We'll go up to Sepang in Malaysia. We'll go for car racing. And it was my life. With other spare cash, what do i do? I get myself a Ferrari. At that time, the 458 wasn't out, it's just a spider convertible, 430. This is a friend of mine, a schoolmate who is a forex trader, a banker. So he got a red one, he was wanting all along a red one, I was getting the silver one.

So what do I do after getting a car? It's time to buy a house, to build our own bungalows. So we go around looking for a land to build our own bungalows, we went around hunting. So how do i live my life? Well, we all think we have to mix around with the rich and famous. This is one of the Miss Universe. So we hang around with the beautiful, rich and famous. This by the way is an internet founder. So this is how we spend our lives, with dining and all the restaurants and Michelin Chefs you know. 

So I reach a point in life that I got everything for my life. I was at the pinnacle of my career and all. That's me one year ago in the gym and I thought I was like, having everything under control and reaching the pinnacle.

Well, I was wrong. I didn't have everything under control. About last year March, I started to develop backache in the middle of nowhere. I thought maybe it was all the heavy squats I was doing. So I went to SGH, saw my classmate to do an MRI, to make sure it's not a slipped disc or anything. And that evening, he called me up and said that we found bone marrow replacement in your spine. I said, sorry what does that mean? I mean I know what it means, but I couldn't accept that. I was like “Are you serious?” I was still running around going to the gym you know. But we had more scans the next day, PET scans - positrons emission scans, they found that actually I have stage 4 terminal lung cancer. I was like "Whoa where did that come from?” It has already spread to the brain, the spine, the liver and the adrenals. And you know one moment I was there, totally thinking that I have everything under control, thinking that I've reached the pinnacle of my life. But the next moment, I have just lost it. 

This is a CT scan of the lungs itself. If you look at it, every single dot there is a tumour. We call this miliaries tumour. And in fact, I have tens of thousands of them in the lungs. So, I was told that even with chemotherapy, that I'll have about 3-4months at most. Did my life come crushing on, of course it did, who wouldn't? I went into depression, of course, severe depression and I thought I had everything. 

See the irony is that all these things that I have, the success, the trophies, my cars, my house and all. I thought that brought me happiness. But i was feeling really down, having severe depression. Having all these thoughts of my possessions, they brought me no joy. The thought of... You know, I can hug my Ferrari to sleep, no... No, it is not going to happen. It brought not a single comfort during my last ten months. And I thought they were, but they were not true happiness. But it wasn't. What really brought me joy in the last ten months was interaction with people, my loved ones, friends, people who genuinely care about me, they laugh and cry with me, and they are able to identify the pain and suffering I was going through. That brought joy to me, happiness. None of the things I have, all the possessions, and I thought those were supposed to bring me happiness. But it didn't, because if it did, I would have felt happy think about it, when I was feeling most down..

You know the classical Chinese New Year that is coming up. In the past, what do I do? Well, I will usually drive my flashy car to do my rounds, visit my relatives, to show it off to my friends. And I thought that was joy, you know. I thought that was really joy. But do you really think that my relatives and friends, whom some of them have difficulty trying to make ends meet, that will truly share the joy with me? Seeing me driving my flashy car and showing off to them? No, no way. They won’t be sharing joy with me. They were having problems trying to make ends meet, taking public transport. In fact i think, what I have done is more like you know, making them envious, jealous of all I have. In fact, sometimes even hatred. 

Those are what we call objects of envy. I have them, I show them off to them and I feel it can fill my own pride and ego. That didn't bring any joy to these people, to my friends and relatives, and I thought they were real joy. 

Well, let me just share another story with you. You know when I was about your age, I stayed in king Edward VII hall. I had this friend whom I thought was strange. Her name is Jennifer, we're still good friends. And as I walk along the path, she would, if she sees a snail, she would actually pick up the snail and put it along the grass patch. I was like why do you need to do that? Why dirty your hands? It’s just a snail. The truth is she could feel for the snail. The thought of being crushed to death is real to her, but to me it's just a snail. If you can't get out of the pathway of humans then you deserve to be crushed, it’s part of evolution isn't it? What an irony isn't it?

There I was being trained as a doctor, to be compassionate, to be able to empathise; but I couldn't. As a house officer, I graduated from medical school, posted to the oncology department at NUH. And, every day, every other day I witness death in the cancer department. When I see how they suffered, I see all the pain they went through. I see all the morphine they have to press every few minutes just to relieve their pain. I see them struggling with their oxygen breathing their last breath and all. But it was just a job. When I went to clinic every day, to the wards every day, take blood, give the medication but was the patient real to me? They weren't real to me. It was just a job, I do it, I get out of the ward, I can't wait to get home, I do my own stuff. 

Was the pain, was the suffering the patients went through real? No. Of course I know all the medical terms to describe how they feel, all the suffering they went through. But in truth, I did not know how they feel, not until I became a patient. It is until now; I truly understand how they feel. And, if you ask me, would I have been a very different doctor if I were to re-live my life now, I can tell you yes I will. Because I truly understand how the patients feel now. And sometimes, you have to learn it the hard way. 

Even as you start just your first year, and you embark this journey to become dental surgeons, let me just challenge you on two fronts. 

Inevitably, all of you here will start to go into private practice. You will start to accumulate wealth. I can guarantee you. Just doing an implant can bring you thousands of dollars, it's fantastic money. And actually there is nothing wrong with being successful, with being rich or wealthy, absolutely nothing wrong. The only trouble is that a lot of us like myself couldn't handle it.

Why do I say that? Because when I start to accumulate, the more I have, the more I want. The more I wanted, the more obsessed I became. Like what I showed you earlier on, all I can was basically to get more possessions, to reach the pinnacle of what society did to us, of what society wants us to be. I became so obsessed that nothing else really mattered to me. Patients were just a source of income, and I tried to squeeze every single cent out of these patients. 

A lot of times we forget, whom we are supposed to be serving. We become so lost that we serve nobody else but just ourselves. That was what happened to me. Whether it is in the medical, the dental fraternity, I can tell you, right now in the private practice, sometimes we just advise patients on treatment that is not indicated. Grey areas. And even though it is not necessary, we kind of advocate it. Even at this point, I know who are my friends and who genuinely cared for me and who are the ones who try to make money out of me by selling me "hope". We kind of lose our moral compass along the way. Because we just want to make money. 

Worse, I can tell you, over the last few years, we bad mouth our fellow colleagues, our fellow competitors in the industry. We have no qualms about it. So if we can put them down to give ourselves an advantage, we do it. And that's what happening right now, medical, dental everywhere. My challenge to you is not to lose that moral compass. I learnt it the hard way, I hope you don't ever have to do it.

Secondly, a lot of us will start to get numb to our patients as we start to practise. Whether is it government hospitals, private practice, I can tell you when I was in the hospital, with stacks of patient folders, I can't wait to get rid of those folders as soon as possible; I can't wait to get patients out of my consultation room as soon as possible because there is just so many, and that's a reality. Because it becomes a job, a very routine job. And this is just part of it. Do I truly know how the patient feels back then? No, I don't. The fears and anxiety and all, do I truly understand what they are going through? I don't, not until when this happens to me and I think that is one of the biggest flaws in our system. 

We’re being trained to be healthcare providers, professional, and all and yet we don't know how exactly they feel. I'm not asking you to get involved emotionally, I don't think that is professional but do we actually make a real effort to understand their pain and all? Most of us won’t, alright, I can assure you. So don't lose it, my challenge to you is to always be able to put yourself in your patient's shoes. 

Because the pain, the anxiety, the fear are very real even though it's not real to you, it's real to them. So don't lose it and you know, right now I'm in the midst of my 5th cycle of my chemotherapy. I can tell you it’s a terrible feeling. Chemotherapy is one of those things that you don't wish even your enemies to go through because it's just suffering, lousy feeling, throwing out, you don't even know if you can retain your meals or not. Terrible feeling! And even with whatever little energy now I have, I try to reach out to other cancer patients because I truly understand what pain and suffering is like. But it's kind of little too late and too little.

You guys have a bright future ahead of you with all the resource and energy, so I’m going to challenge you to go beyond your immediate patients. To understand that there are people out there who are truly in pain, truly in hardship. Don’t get the idea that only poor people suffer. It is not true. A lot of these poor people do not have much in the first place, they are easily contented. for all you know they are happier than you and me but there are out there, people who are suffering mentally, physically, hardship, emotionally, financially and so on and so forth, and they are real. We choose to ignore them or we just don't want to know that they exist. 

So do think about it alright, even as you go on to become professionals and dental surgeons and all. That you can reach out to these people who are in need. Whatever you do can make a large difference to them. I'm now at the receiving end so I know how it feels, someone who genuinely care for you, encourage and all. It makes a lot of difference to me. That’s what happens after treatment. I had a treatment recently, but I’ll leave this for another day. A lot of things happened along the way, that's why I am still able to talk to you today. 

I'll just end of with this quote here, it's from this book called Tuesdays with Morris, and some of you may have read it. Everyone knows that they are going to die; every one of us knows that. The truth is, none of us believe it because if we did, we will do things differently. When I faced death, when I had to, I stripped myself off all stuff totally and I focused only on what is essential. The irony is that a lot of times, only when we learn how to die then we learn how to live. I know it sounds very morbid for this morning but it's the truth, this is what I’m going through. 

Don’t let society tell you how to live. Don’t let the media tell you what you're supposed to do. Those things happened to me. And I led this life thinking that these are going to bring me happiness. I hope that you will think about it and decide for yourself how you want to live your own life. Not according to what other people tell you to do, and you have to decide whether you want to serve yourself, whether you are going to make a difference in somebody else's life. Because true happiness doesn't come from serving yourself. I thought it was but it didn't turn out that way. With that I thank you, if you have any questions you have for me, please feel free. Thank you.

Click on the visual below to get to a video of Dr Richard Teo speaking on another occasion to dental undergraduates. He spoke on the same theme but added, among others, his views on what it means to be a good doctor. Watch it here on youtube.


Before you go, there are 2 important questions we all have to answer.

#1: What do you really want to get out of life?

#2: What can you offer the world that no one else can?

Wishing you the best of a purpose driven life.

City of Joy

 

Finished reading this marvelous book ... a masterpiece. In one of the poorest and most crowded slums of Calcutta rise great saints like Mother Teresa and also unknown ones like Stephen Kovalski who lived in a shack without light or ventilation, infested with rats and cockroaches. He made his home there to care for the poorest of the poor. His neighbors were a community of eunuchs, a leper colony, the local mafia head …

A Thought: Patience & Persistence.

The people who succeed in life are the people who are willing to do what they don’t feel like doing. The are not mastered by their moods, they are mastered by the Master, and they establish their goals and plans according to God’s will.

Model of Courage - Flo Hyman

Flo Hyman was arguably the best women's volleyball player to ever play the game. Standing at 6'5”, Hyman not only stood tall, but also stood out. Known for her aggressive defense, powerful hitting and endless determination, Hyman also was recognized for her selfless attitude, bright smile and contagious energy. At the age of 31, her life came to an end as a result of heart failure due to a genetic disorder called Marfan's Syndrome, a rare disorder of the connective tissue that affects the formation and functioning of the heart.

Hyman grew up in Long Beach, Calif., and started playing volleyball in high school. She later joined a club team and her play earned her a college scholarship and an invitation to compete for the U.S. national team, which was based in Pasadena, Texas. She was an All-American at the University of Houston from 1974-1976 and began her career with the national team in 1974. She played a key role in establishing the United States as a world power in volleyball. From 1974 up until the time of her death, Hyman competed in every major competition that the USA team qualified for, including the 1977 and 1981 World Cups and 1978 and 1982 World Championships. Her team qualified for the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow and the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, where they went on to win the silver medal.

Famous for her strength and power, Hyman also earned the nickname "Clutchman." Her 6'5” frame and quick arm swing produced a 110mph spike. She received the Best Hitter award at the 1981 World Cup games and was selected to the All World Cup Team, which consisted of only six women in the entire world. Because of this, Hyman will always be considered one of the most dominating athletes to ever play the sport. Olympic teammate Rita Crockett once said, “There has been nobody even to compare to her. Even to this day I've never seen anyone better.” At the time of her death, U.S. Olympic Committee official George D. Miller said, “She was the finest female volleyball player in the world.” Arie Selinger, national team coach and 1984 Olympic coach called her “The Goddess of Volleyball.”

"To be true to one's self is the ultimate test in life. To have the courage and sensitivity to follow your hidden dreams and stand tall against the odds that are bound to fall in your path. Life is too short and precious to be dealt with in any other fashion. This thought I hold dear to my heart, and I always try to be true to myself and others that I encounter along the way.” --Flo Hyman

Model of Courage - Helen Adams Keller

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us”.- Helen Keller

Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama on June 27, 1880. When she was nineteen months old, her life changed dramatically. She fell ill suddenly and the doctors did not expect her to live. Miraculously, the fever subsided but Helen’s illness had taken away her sight and hearing.

Helen grew up to be a very difficult child, terrorizing her family with her bad behaviors and temper tantrums. Looking after her has became too much of a challenge for them.

However, the situation changed on 3 March 1887. It was the day when Annie Adams Sullivan, a 21 year-old graduate, from the Perkins School for the Blind, was engaged to become her governess and teacher.

Annie taught Helen how to finger spell through repeated use of the manual alphabet with finger movements. But Helen was unable to understand what her teacher was trying to tell her. She also did not understand what the finger movements meant. Unable to express herself, Helen continued with her temper tantrums and screaming.

The epiphany came for Helen Keller on 5 April 1887. On this fine summer day, Annie brought Helen to a water pump. As the cold water splashed over Helen’s hand, Annie repeatedly spelt out the word “water’’ onto her hand.

Something about the coolness in the water may have brought out the meaning of the finger movements within Helen as she suddenly realized what her teacher has been trying to reach out to her.

In 1900, Helen started attending classes at Radcliffe College and Annie followed along. She industriously spelt lectures and notes onto her pupil's hand. When Helen completed her course four years later, she became the first deaf and blind person to graduate from a college.

At the same time, Helen has begun her writing career. Famous books included her autobiography, “The Story of My Life” and others such as “The World I Live In” and “Out of the Dark”.

After graduation, Helen and Anne traveled the world, giving inspirational lectures and sharing her experiences and beliefs to enthralled crowds. She was best remembered as an advocate for people with disabilities and she campaigned tirelessly, raising money to alleviate the living and working conditions of those who are blind and deaf-blind.

Besides writing many books and articles on blindness, deafness and socialism, Helen also appeared before state legislatures and international forums. Her effort brought the world's focus on problems about the blind as well as creating awareness on the need for preventive measures.

Despite the broad range of her interests, she founded Helen Keller International in 1915. It is a non-profitable organization, supporting and doing research on prevention of blindness. At the same time, Helen also gave her support to the programs conducted by Helen Keller Services for the Blind as well as Helen Keller National Center for the Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults.

In 1964, Helen was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian award. A year later she was elected to the Women’s Hall of Fame.

Helen Keller continued tirelessly with the good work until her death on 1 June 1968. She has been described as “the woman who showed the world that there are no boundaries to courage and faith; and her spirit will endure as long as man can read and stories can be told of”.

Helen has proven that people with disabilities or inconveniences are not born to die and they not only can be independent but at the same time, have similar abilities to give endless contributions towards society as normal human beings.

Are you sometimes plagued with countless problems and difficulties that make you feel like it is the end of the world?

When facing such challenges, image yourself as Helen Keller, shut out in a black hole where you are not able to reach out to anyone.

Be touched by Helen’s never-ending spirit and courage. Never give up on your beliefs and preserve till the end.

If Helen is able to get out of her black hole and get ‘reborn’ again, so can you.

Courage: 10 Truths You Should Know

We are all leaders in one way or another. Whether you are the Chief Executive of an organization or a mother managing the children and household, you are a leader. And there are all kinds of leaders. However, a common characteristic of all great leaders is their willingness to be different and unconventional. This takes courage. Just being a leader doesn't mean that one has courage, but courage can make one a more effective leader and experience the extra-ordinary life.

Defination

So, what is courage? I found an interesting definition. 'Courage: The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc. without fear or bravery.'

Here are 10 truths about courage you should know:

1. Courage begins on the inside.

Courage is the energy of the truth in your heart. Courage is born of love and compassion. Courage is the ACTION of obeying your conscience.

2. Courage is never giving up, keeping at it no matter what.

Courage enables a person to stand firm and get through difficult situations. It is unconditionally sticking to your stance that you think is right and positive.

3. Courage is contagious.

When a leader demonstrates courage, it encourages others to want to follow. Courage will inspire commitment from the followers.

4. Courage is not the absence of fear.

Courage is feeling the fear and doing what you need to do anyway. Courage is the act of facing your fears. Courage overcomes the fears.

5. Courage creates strength.

Every time you have the courage to face your fears, you become a stronger person.

6. Courage is about choice.

It is choosing to be bold. To act courageously, one needs to know what the right choice is. Be clear about your dream and vision

7. Courage begins things.

C. S. Lewis once said that the virtue of courage is a prerequisite for the practice of all other virtues. So, courage is a precursor for Faith, Love, Change, Persistence, Authenticity, Trust, Service and every other virtue.

8. Courage is the virtue that makes us willing to pay that price.

Cowardice makes us say, "The price is too high; I will not pay it. It is too hard. I will seek the easier, less costly choice." So, courage may require a heavy personal price or sacrifice.

9. Courage is maturity and wisdom.

The opposite of courage, cowardice, means real death. A coward has no personality and no ideals.

10. Courage is something we need every day.

We need it to do even the simplest things, but especially when we face serious problems and dangers.

How can you strengthen your courage and risk taking ability? Here are some suggestions.

Go and do something that you are afraid to do. This might be white-water rafting, bungee jumping, or some similar activity.
Stop avoiding confrontation.

Take a giant step - we often get stuck in our comfort zone. Remember: It’s not about not being afraid.

Move ahead in spite of your fear/despair.