Saturday 16 March 2013

Inspiration.

On my evening walk this week I listened to a podcast that hit a nerve for me. There were so many bits that I wished I could memorise while I was walking. I didn't have the time to write it all down when I got home (I didn't really have the time for the walk, but I did it anyway).
Have you ever had the feeling that you had all of your dreams in your hands but them have to watch them slip through your fingers? No matter how much you tried to snatch it all up, it all slipped away anyway. Despite all of the hard work you put into that dream, all of the adversity you had to face, it just slipped away. But you discover, in the end, that it wasn't that important after all.

Here's the link if you want to listen too...
www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2012/11/...

and here is a clip with Richard Fidler, it's the short version with all the most important bits:
James Doty M.D 'A fortunate life' at Mind & Its Potential 2012 ...

It is a good story.

Here's the blurb from the ABC site:

James R Doty is professor of Neurosurgery at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
When all his investments paid off some years ago, James was seriously rich; he owned a multi-million dollar apartment, a Tuscan villa and even his very own island in New Zealand.
When his investments crashed, James was left with just one parcel of shares, still worth millions. But as a philanthropist he'd promised to give those shares away, and he did.
James has now set up a centre at Stanford University for research into compassion, working with scientists to examine the neural bases for altruism and compassion.
He is chairman of the Dalai Lama Foundation.

I am picturing the scenery as I walked and trying to jog my memory for the bits that were most important.

My favourite bits:

How do you get over the negative dialogue and realise that you can do anything that you want to do?
You can grow up and be angry for what you didn't have, or you can be grateful for what you do have.
Embrace the unknown and care for others.

I could give you more of my reflections but I will leave it to you to decide what you liked the best.

This is just a photo of a gift of some pretty washi tape for Campbell's pretty teacher. Just because she is lovely and she deserves it. I added it just because I am grateful for those who give to my children what that very special lady did for James. 


Did you listen?
What did you think?

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