Nothing Could Stop This Man

After suffering severe burns on his legs at the age of five, Glenn Cunningham was given up on by doctors who believed
he would be a hopeless cripple destined to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. He will never be able to walk again,
they said. No chance.
The doctors examined his legs, but they had no way of looking into Glenn Cunninghams heart. He didnt listen to the
doctors and set out to walk again. Lying in bed, his skinny, red legs covered with scar tissue, Glenn vowed, Next week, Im
going to get out of bed. Im going to walk. And he did just that.
His mother tells of how she used to push back the curtain and look out the window to watch Glenn reach up and take
hold of an old plow in the yard. With a hand on each handle, he began to make his gnarled and twisted legs function. And
with every step a step of pain, he came closer to walking. Soon he began to trot; before long he was running. When he
started to run, he became even more determined.
I always believed that I could walk, and I did. Now Im going to run faster than anybody has ever run. And did he
ever.
He became a great miler who, in1934, set the worlds record of 4.06. He was honoured as the outstanding athlete of
the century at Madison Square Garden.
Jeff
Yalden
You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you dont try.

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Beverly Sills

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Out of a Jam

It was 1933. I had been laid off from my part-time job and could no longer make my contribution to the family larder.
Our only income was what Mother could make by doing dressmaking for others. Then Mother was sick for a few weeks and
unable to work. The electric company came out and cut off the power when we couldnt pay the bill. Then the gas company
cut off the gas. Then the water company. But the Health Department made them turn the water back on for sanitation
reasons. The cupboard got very bare. We had a vegetable garden and were able to cook some of its produce on a campfire in
the back yard.
Then on day my younger sister came skipping home from school saying, Were supposed to bring something to school
tomorrow to give to the poor.
Mother started to blurt out, I dont know of anyone who is any poorer than we are, when her mother, who was living
with us at the time, shushed her with a hand on her arm and a frown.
Eva, she said, if you give that child the idea that she is poor folks at her age, she will be poor folks for the rest of
her life. There is one jar of that home-made jelly left. She can take that.
Grandmother found some tissue paper and a little bit of pink ribbon with which she wrapped our last jar of jelly, and Sis
tripped off to school the next day proudly carrying her gift to the poor. After that, if there ever was a problem in the
community, she just naturally assumed that she was supposed to be part of the solution.
Edgar Bledsoe
Persons thankful for little things are certain to be the ones with much to be thankful for.
Clark

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Special Orders

Horror gripped the heart of the World War I soldier as he saw his lifelong friend fall in battle. Caught in a trench with
continuous gunfire whizzing over his head, the soldier asked his lieutenant if he might go out into the No Mans Land
between the trenches to bring his fallen comrade back.
You can go, said the Lieutenant, but I dont think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw
your own life away. The Lieutenants words didnt matter, and the soldier went anyway.
Miraculously he managed to reach his friend, hoist him onto his shoulder, and bring him back to their companys
trench. As the two of then tumbled in together to the bottom of the trench, the officer checked the wounded soldier, then
looked kindly at his friend. I told you it wouldnt worth it, he said. Your friend is dead, and you are mortally wounded.
It was worth it, though, sir, the soldier said.
How do you mean, worth it? responded the Lieutenant. Your friend is dead!
Yes sir, the private answered. But it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive, and I had the
satisfaction of hearing him say, Jim, I knew youd come.
From This Little Light of Mine
A true friend is the greatest of all blessings and the one which we take the least thought to acquire.
Franois, Due de La Rochefoucald

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