Adversity

Just as I was sitting down to check my e-mails and get ready to write, Gary, my boyfriend, called. He attended first day of The Conference on World Affairs at CU Boulder today. It is a yearly week long conference that has been going on for 38 years. It is free.If you feel so moved to check it out there are speakers and musical presentations all week on campus at CU. One panel Gary told me about was called, See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil.
It was a panel about triumphing in the face of adversity.The see no evil presenter was a blind musician and photographer. The hear no evil presenter was a deaf author and the speak no evil presenter was Rodger Ebert. He is a well-known film critic who starred in the show At The Movies. I remember watching it and enjoying it years ago. They would rate movies as thumbs up or thumbs down. Rodger Ebert developed throat and thyroid cancer and came close to dying several times. He had many surgeries and the last one designed to try to save his voice, left him completely unable to talk. So, although he is no longer a film critic who uses his voice on television, he says that the experience has enriched his life incredibly. His wife was also on the panel and she spoke about when he first lost his voice he was so depressed and despondent that he wouldn't even watch a movie. She said that their love has deepened and grown out of their sharing in his recovery process.
Gary said the love was palpably passing between them and was so moving to him. I am so grateful to have a partner who cares so deeply about people and the power of the human spirit.
Rodger Ebert has a special computer which speaks for him. He types what he wants to say and then it speaks it.He is grateful to have the computer, even though it is slow and challenging to have a conversation. He said that not being able to talk himself has made him a much better listener and a better writer. Rodger says his wife's love helped to bring him out of depression to a place of gratefulness for being alive.The other presenters also echoed Rodger's sense of letting go of attachment to life as they had known it and opening to being present in the moment.
I appreciate hearing about Rodger Ebert's triumph over adversity. I just returned from visiting my mother who has Alzheimer's. I need some more time to digest my visit and to think about the adversity of her disease and how it has empowered my life. I know my hearing loss has made me a much better listener and more compassion toward other's adversities. How has the adversity in your life made you a stronger person. What has it taught you about yourself? Is there any way you are grateful for it?