Does your life look different than you imagined it would?
In 2008, Katherine + Jay Wolf (Hope Heals) were newlyweds and parents to their six-month-old son when the unimaginable happened: Katherine suffered a massive brain stem stroke.
After a rare, life-saving surgery, Katherine spent nearly two months in a coma-like state. With her faithful husband Jay by her side, Katherine had to relearn how to breathe, talk, eat... and eventually thrive.
This couple is a tremendous example of finding hope in the midst of the storm. Today, Katherine + Jay Wolf remind us that suffering isn’t the end of our story, but the beginning of a new story.
Listen to our conversation on ep. 258 of the Live Inspired Podcast:
Apple Podcast: apple.co/2yEEmN6
Spotify: spoti.fi/3gqesOl
My website: bit.ly/3c9GrhT
Super grateful my friend - and expert on happiness Shawn Achor - loved In Awe. With all the difficulties of the day, why not capture a bit more joy and awe?
Check out www.ReadInAwe.com.
Fox News picked up my op-ed yesterday about lessons we can learn from my grandpa and “The Greatest Generation.”
In case you missed it:
John O'Leary: Memorial Day lesson — Greatest Generation didn't just survive, they did this
fxn.ws
One conversation with my grandfather nearly 20 years ago altered my understanding of him, his generation and what real success looks like.Have you noticed it is frequently the people who say the least about themselves who have the most incredible stories to share?
On this Memorial Day holiday I wanted to share one such example of a heroic, humble servant who never needed to tell you how great he was.
I only met Bill Skinner one time.
On December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor was attacked and the United States entered World War II. The following morning, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served until the war ended in 1945. He fought in some of the most famous, most significant, and most costly battles during the war. He returned home a military hero.
And he never once spoke about it.
Bill considered himself lucky. Unlike more than 400,000 of his fellow service members, Bill lived. He came home.
Bill never wore nor spoke of his medals. He never discussed his service or bragged about his adventures. He never viewed himself as worthy of praise and was quick to point out that his brothers he left behind in North Africa and Europe were the real heroes.
About 10 years ago, I visited Calvary Cemetery with a friend of mine from college. It’s a huge cemetery where a friend of ours is buried.
It was the middle of the summer, it was terribly hot, and we got lost. The place was desolate. Countless headstones covered the grounds, but almost no visitors. On this oppressively warm July day, we noticed in the distance one man. He appeared older and was bent over. A few flags were by his side, grass clippers were nearby, and he was scrubbing a gravestone.
The man was Bill Skinner.
Every month since returning home from Europe six decades earlier, Bill would come to this cemetery, put new flags near the headstones of his fallen brothers, clip the grass by hand around those stones, and scrub any dirt or bird droppings off of it. He’d wipe his sweat, occasionally his tears, and then move on to the next stone, the next friend, the next fallen brother, the next hero.
Just like his activities during the war, Bill did this quietly. He told no one. Had it not been for this chance encounter, he would have died with no one knowing that he spent not only four years serving our country, but the following six decades serving those that he considered the true heroes.
So on this #MemorialDay, take pause and remember why we really have this day off of work. Give thanks for our incredible opportunities present in our lives today. And remember the ultimate sacrifice that provided these amazing freedoms.
In a world where we too frequently celebrate people based on their physical beauty, social following or professional successes, Bill Skinner reminds us what a true hero looks and acts like.
Friends, let’s celebrate the heroes who served our country. In the comment section please share one family member or friend who served and tell me a little about them. Let’s celebrate their service and life because although death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.
As an 7x Olympic medalist, Shannon Miller understands the integral importance of community support.
Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2LPgMjU
Spotify: spoti.fi/3e7CNpY
My website: bit.ly/2Xgzczl
