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EmailOn Christmas day my husband and I watched the biography about Dr. Hunter Patch Adams. I had seen the movie many times before, and even quoted him in a paper I had written last year; somehow on this Christmas day there was something very magical and yet heart wrenching that was drawing me to this Doctor.
The way he has touched the lives of those around him, was unbelievably inspiring. I knew that I had to write to him and somehow someday find a way to bring him to Long Island. Not for me, but for the many people I hoped he might touch. I sent an e-mail to Dr. Patch, and felt encouraged in my heart that I would hear from him.
When I didn’t hear from him, I had a sense that something went wrong in the delivery of the e-mail, I did not for one minute think he had ignored my correspondence.. Immediately I went to work writing another letter, but this time I would not take it to chance that it would reach the good Dr. So this time I sent it snail mail.
On Jan 18, 2008 I received a hand written letter from Dr. Patch with two autographed books, (you can find the hand written letter on the 3rd page of this edition of the newsletter). I was so touched by the readiness of this great man to reach back out to me. He wasn’t full of himself as so many who shine in a spot light often start to do. After 37 years he was still writing his own letters and cared enough to do it in a timely manner. WOW!! How awesome!
So what is the point? Oh sit tight I am going to take you all over the page with this. There is so much to learn from this wonderful gesture of kindness from Dr Patch. First-he really does walk the talk. That is vital in any and all callings in life. He not only is on the road 300 days a year, he takes time and pays attention to the so called “little” people.
In one of the books that he autographed to me, he wrote,”For Deb-Chase your wildest dreams” Chase my dreams? This is something I want to pass on to everyone that will read this. Listen to Dr. Patch? It doesn’t matter that we are in our 30’s or 60’s, everyday we re-invent ourselves. Either we can reinvent ourselves for positive growth or as a means of depleting what we have been freely given-our LIFE.
I really want him to come out and speak to us. But without financial means to bring him to Long Island what was I thinking? I was just thinking I need to connect to this man, and we need him out here. How ironic that he writes to chase my dreams!! As now, Dr. Hunter Patch Adams speaking to New Yorkers has become one of my wildest dreams!
So what is holding that dream back? That foul word I have so much trouble reckoning with, the “M” word. Money!! But I am putting this down in writing as a testimony to the belief that I will someday see this happen.
Dr. Patch has been a tremendous inspiration to many and continues to be a voice calling for better care in the treatment of those in poor health, whether it is mental or physical health.
-He wrote that he never gets discouraged. How many of us surrounded by sickness can say that? There is a great deal of power in that statement. It is realizing that things happen for a reason & great tasting lemonade comes from sour lemons in our lives.
I once knew someone who used to call them self “a mental defective”, and they never really did get well. How could she ever recover? She couldn’t see that she was anything more than the mental illness that gripped her mind. She had stopped believing in what she could achieve and allowed society to dictate what she believed about herself and thus became her illness.
She stopped chasing the dream!! And what did this life once offer you might ask? At one time she was very well read, well liked, could sing with the voice of a song bird, and had the face of an angel. That came to a crashing halt as she became less and less of who she was, and took on the persona of what her illness was & she let go of the dream! The moral of the story, as they say, is keep the dream alive.
—Chase your dreams!
While you are running after the dream you won’t be able to see the ugliness on the ground. Your eyes are fixed looking up at the sky. You aren’t stopped by the roadblocks because you can’t see them. And when you stumble over them, you pick yourself up and run faster and harder towards that prize.
What did I get from Dr. Patch? I got a prescription for encouragement, and a shot of refreshing belief that dreams do come true.
Just recently my husband and I entered a dance contest. We did this for the FUN of it. When we won and were chosen to go to the finals it became a reality that we might win the competition! And so in four days we worked and learned a routine that we would perform before 1500 people, and more then 3400 people would see on closed circuit TV.
It became a momentary dream that we would dance well and maybe even win. We saw a goal and worked hours every day. And yes we WON! How does this apply? Find the dream that you believe in, work hard, trust that God doe not make junk and chase your wildest dreams!
We are only limited by our lack of confidence and determination to achieve our dreams.
I grant you there is always hard work that precedes the finish line, but the benefit of knowing you can do it when you put your heart into it is the reward. It is truly the journey. The strength to pick ourselves up and continue on when it seems all but impossible is the real test of who we are. We determine who we are, no one else! Others may think they know who we are, but we are the final word. At the end of the day what is your dream for tomorrow? Are you chasing the dream, or are you sitting back watching life happen to others, while only resenting you were in the race of your dreams. You are already a winner, so chase your dream!