today I’d like to share with you lessons from mr. C and who would you say is mr.
from mr. C and who would you say is mr.
from mr. C and who would you say is mr. C well he’s my son his very existence is
C well he’s my son his very existence is
C well he’s my son his very existence is an example of someone who dares to defy
an example of someone who dares to defy
an example of someone who dares to defy let me tell you about him
let me tell you about him
let me tell you about him he was born at 24 weeks weighing one
he was born at 24 weeks weighing one
he was born at 24 weeks weighing one pound doctors gave him only a few days
pound doctors gave him only a few days
pound doctors gave him only a few days to live and he spent the first eleven
to live and he spent the first eleven
to live and he spent the first eleven and a half months of his life in a
and a half months of his life in a
and a half months of his life in a neonatal intensive care unit there were
neonatal intensive care unit there were
neonatal intensive care unit there were lots of times where we weren’t sure if
lots of times where we weren’t sure if
lots of times where we weren’t sure if he was going to make it but over and
he was going to make it but over and
he was going to make it but over and over again he defied the odds he was a
over again he defied the odds he was a
over again he defied the odds he was a true example to me of what resilience
true example to me of what resilience
true example to me of what resilience was about and keeping trying and I said
was about and keeping trying and I said
was about and keeping trying and I said to myself if mr. C can’t keep trying I
to myself if mr. C can’t keep trying I
to myself if mr. C can’t keep trying I know I can to one of the things that he
know I can to one of the things that he
know I can to one of the things that he also taught me is that we have to
also taught me is that we have to
also taught me is that we have to remember that when we overcome obstacles
remember that when we overcome obstacles
remember that when we overcome obstacles in our life in the past that should give
in our life in the past that should give
in our life in the past that should give us encouragement for any obstacles that
us encouragement for any obstacles that
us encouragement for any obstacles that we may have in the future any new ones
we may have in the future any new ones
we may have in the future any new ones another very important lesson that I
another very important lesson that I
another very important lesson that I learned from him is living in the
learned from him is living in the
learned from him is living in the present so many times we can be so
present so many times we can be so
present so many times we can be so future-focused that we really miss the
future-focused that we really miss the
future-focused that we really miss the opportunity to learn and be present in
opportunity to learn and be present in
opportunity to learn and be present in the area where we are currently when you
the area where we are currently when you
the area where we are currently when you live in the present you don’t have time
live in the present you don’t have time
live in the present you don’t have time to worry very much because you’re solely
to worry very much because you’re solely
to worry very much because you’re solely focused on where you are now
focused on where you are now
focused on where you are now you don’t worry you really pay attention
you don’t worry you really pay attention
you don’t worry you really pay attention and enjoy where you are you also don’t
and enjoy where you are you also don’t
and enjoy where you are you also don’t stay angry very long if something has
stay angry very long if something has
stay angry very long if something has bothered you if he trips if he falls or
bothered you if he trips if he falls or
bothered you if he trips if he falls or something frustrates him he doesn’t stay
something frustrates him he doesn’t stay
something frustrates him he doesn’t stay mad for very long and that certainly was
mad for very long and that certainly was
mad for very long and that certainly was an important life lesson here I was
an important life lesson here I was
an important life lesson here I was thinking that we were going to be doing
thinking that we were going to be doing
thinking that we were going to be doing all of the teaching to him and here he
all of the teaching to him and here he
all of the teaching to him and here he was teaching us another very important
was teaching us another very important
was teaching us another very important lesson for mr. C I never will forget
lesson for mr. C I never will forget
lesson for mr. C I never will forget going to a therapist office and
going to a therapist office and
going to a therapist office and completing a parent questionnaire that
completing a parent questionnaire that
completing a parent questionnaire that talked about what are the things that
talked about what are the things that
talked about what are the things that your child can do normally I felt very
your child can do normally I felt very
your child can do normally I felt very sad because most of the forms either he
sad because most of the forms either he
sad because most of the forms either he couldn’t do the things or he was very
couldn’t do the things or he was very
couldn’t do the things or he was very delayed and actively doing them but this
delayed and actively doing them but this
delayed and actively doing them but this particular day someone had added a
particular day someone had added a
particular day someone had added a question and it said what’s the best
question and it said what’s the best
question and it said what’s the best thing about your child I got an
thing about your child I got an
thing about your child I got an opportunity to tell them what the best
opportunity to tell them what the best
opportunity to tell them what the best thing about mr. C was and the best thing
thing about mr. C was and the best thing
thing about mr. C was and the best thing about him is his laugh he has the best
about him is his laugh he has the best
about him is his laugh he has the best laugh I mean he falls over laughing when
laugh I mean he falls over laughing when
laugh I mean he falls over laughing when he’s really excited about something and
he’s really excited about something and
he’s really excited about something and it taught me that life doesn’t have to
it taught me that life doesn’t have to
it taught me that life doesn’t have to be perfect in order for it to be good
be perfect in order for it to be good
be perfect in order for it to be good and so many times we’re waiting on
and so many times we’re waiting on
and so many times we’re waiting on things to be absolutely perfect before
things to be absolutely perfect before
things to be absolutely perfect before we enjoy ourselves he recently just had
we enjoy ourselves he recently just had
we enjoy ourselves he recently just had his first haircut at a barbershop all
his first haircut at a barbershop all
his first haircut at a barbershop all these years I’ve been cutting his hair
these years I’ve been cutting his hair
these years I’ve been cutting his hair that was a major milestone and so it
that was a major milestone and so it
that was a major milestone and so it taught me that we have joy and we
taught me that we have joy and we
taught me that we have joy and we celebrate along the way we don’t have to
celebrate along the way we don’t have to
celebrate along the way we don’t have to wait until we’ve reached the highest
wait until we’ve reached the highest
wait until we’ve reached the highest milestone but we celebrate those steps
milestone but we celebrate those steps
milestone but we celebrate those steps along the way so celebrate when you’re
along the way so celebrate when you’re
along the way so celebrate when you’re moving forward achieving and overcoming
moving forward achieving and overcoming
moving forward achieving and overcoming your obstacles another very important
your obstacles another very important
your obstacles another very important lesson that I learned from him is that
lesson that I learned from him is that
lesson that I learned from him is that if we focus so much on what we don’t
if we focus so much on what we don’t
if we focus so much on what we don’t have and what we can’t do that we really
have and what we can’t do that we really
have and what we can’t do that we really miss the blessing and the lesson in
miss the blessing and the lesson in
miss the blessing and the lesson in where we currently are we can’t enjoy it
where we currently are we can’t enjoy it
where we currently are we can’t enjoy it because we’re so focused on what we
because we’re so focused on what we
because we’re so focused on what we don’t have I had to learn especially
don’t have I had to learn especially
don’t have I had to learn especially with mr. C when people would ask me is
with mr. C when people would ask me is
with mr. C when people would ask me is he doing this is he doing that I would
he doing this is he doing that I would
he doing this is he doing that I would answer
answer
answer yet it’s very important that we make
yet it’s very important that we make
yet it’s very important that we make sure that we don’t define where we are
sure that we don’t define where we are
sure that we don’t define where we are and where we start and our environment
and where we start and our environment
and where we start and our environment define where we can go and who and what
define where we can go and who and what
define where we can go and who and what we can be where we are is just that
we can be where we are is just that
we can be where we are is just that point in time but who knows where we can
point in time but who knows where we can
point in time but who knows where we can go so when I think about challenges in
go so when I think about challenges in
go so when I think about challenges in my life and if I can say am i doing it
my life and if I can say am i doing it
my life and if I can say am i doing it yet I remind myself and I’m gentle and
yet I remind myself and I’m gentle and
yet I remind myself and I’m gentle and say not yet one of us to seize favorite
say not yet one of us to seize favorite
say not yet one of us to seize favorite characters is Shrek we’ve used threat
characters is Shrek we’ve used threat
characters is Shrek we’ve used threat for everything a reinforcement to help
for everything a reinforcement to help
for everything a reinforcement to help him eat to walk to learn how to go up
him eat to walk to learn how to go up
him eat to walk to learn how to go up and down steps and there’s a scene in
and down steps and there’s a scene in
and down steps and there’s a scene in the original shrek movie where donkey
the original shrek movie where donkey
the original shrek movie where donkey and Shrek are talking to each other and
and Shrek are talking to each other and
and Shrek are talking to each other and shrek is very frustrated and angry and
shrek is very frustrated and angry and
shrek is very frustrated and angry and being very very short with donkey and
being very very short with donkey and
being very very short with donkey and he’s saying to him he said well I’m not
he’s saying to him he said well I’m not
he’s saying to him he said well I’m not the one with the problem it’s other
the one with the problem it’s other
the one with the problem it’s other people he said they don’t like me they
people he said they don’t like me they
people he said they don’t like me they judge me before they ever even know me
judge me before they ever even know me
judge me before they ever even know me how many times do we do that we make
how many times do we do that we make
how many times do we do that we make judgments about people and their
judgments about people and their
judgments about people and their abilities based on whether they have a
abilities based on whether they have a
abilities based on whether they have a disability or not based on skin color
disability or not based on skin color
disability or not based on skin color based on socioeconomic status sexual
based on socioeconomic status sexual
based on socioeconomic status sexual orientation and what have you but one of
orientation and what have you but one of
orientation and what have you but one of the things that mr. C made very clear to
the things that mr. C made very clear to
the things that mr. C made very clear to me I could not judge him by where he
me I could not judge him by where he
me I could not judge him by where he started he may have started out weighing
started he may have started out weighing
started he may have started out weighing one pound and us not knowing whether he
one pound and us not knowing whether he
one pound and us not knowing whether he was going to make it but he defied those
was going to make it but he defied those
was going to make it but he defied those odds so I can’t do that with other
odds so I can’t do that with other
odds so I can’t do that with other situations in my life either I can’t let
situations in my life either I can’t let
situations in my life either I can’t let where I am define where I’m going to be
where I am define where I’m going to be
where I am define where I’m going to be and what the situation maybe in the
and what the situation maybe in the
and what the situation maybe in the future now here we are almost 17 years
future now here we are almost 17 years
future now here we are almost 17 years later that little tiny kid that started
later that little tiny kid that started
later that little tiny kid that started out so small that we didn’t know if he
out so small that we didn’t know if he
out so small that we didn’t know if he was going to make it he enjoys videos he
was going to make it he enjoys videos he
was going to make it he enjoys videos he likes playing challenger baseball he
likes playing challenger baseball he
likes playing challenger baseball he loves creating ceramics history i think
loves creating ceramics history i think
loves creating ceramics history i think i have my house covered with ceramics he
i have my house covered with ceramics he
i have my house covered with ceramics he loves his family and his caregivers as i
loves his family and his caregivers as i
loves his family and his caregivers as i said he really
said he really
said he really xvideos especially shrek and most
xvideos especially shrek and most
xvideos especially shrek and most importantly we love him too today I’ve
importantly we love him too today I’ve
importantly we love him too today I’ve shared with you several of the lessons
shared with you several of the lessons
shared with you several of the lessons that I’ve learned from him but all of
that I’ve learned from him but all of
that I’ve learned from him but all of this came from a boy who doesn’t say a
this came from a boy who doesn’t say a
this came from a boy who doesn’t say a word now I’ll leave you with the
word now I’ll leave you with the
word now I’ll leave you with the question do you live your life in such a
question do you live your life in such a
question do you live your life in such a way that without saying one word others
way that without saying one word others
way that without saying one word others learn something from you something
learn something from you something
learn something from you something valuable something that makes them or
valuable something that makes them or
valuable something that makes them or the world better because that’s the
the world better because that’s the
the world better because that’s the principal lesson that I’ve learned from
principal lesson that I’ve learned from
principal lesson that I’ve learned from mr. C he lets his life speak for him
mr. C he lets his life speak for him
mr. C he lets his life speak for him keep speaking mr. C and we’ll all keep
keep speaking mr. C and we’ll all keep
keep speaking mr. C and we’ll all keep listening and learning and daring thank
listening and learning and daring thank
listening and learning and daring thank you
you
you [Applause]
”
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