A Daily Dose of Motivation are mental food for our mind. You need to feed it everyday so as to keep it in TOP condition. 
Zig Ziglar is famous for saying: "People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily."
 

I remember sitting in a quiet hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky, staring out the window. That evening, I was set to speak for the Kentucky Association of School Administrators. Normally, I’d be energized before a keynote. But that day? I was drained. My travel schedule had kept me from exercising, and mild vertigo had been throwing my balance off. Speaking on stage while the room might spin was not exactly my idea of fun.

The presentation was at 7:00 PM, but they invited me to come an hour earlier for a special performance. I figured it would be a nice warm-up for the evening. I had no idea I was about to witness something that would completely shift my perspective.

Meeting Patrick Henry Hughes

Then he started to sing. His voice carried a depth that made you stop and really listen. I could feel that this wasn’t just talent. It was something more, something that radiated from his entire being. And that smile… it was the kind of smile that stays with you long after you see it.

About ten minutes in, the stage lights dimmed. A short film began to play, and I learned the truth behind the music.

Patrick had been born without eyes and with joints so tight he would never walk. Fitted with artificial eyes as a baby, he spent his life in a wheelchair. But before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. His mother said, “I could hit any note on the piano, and within one or two tries, he’d find it.” By the time he turned two, he was playing requests like *You Are My Sunshine* and *Twinkle Twinkle Little Star*.

His father, while realizing they would never play catch in the yard, found a different bond through music.

Beyond Talent: The Power of Gratitude

His father pushes and rotates his wheelchair during halftime shows while the crowd cheers. To make this possible, his dad works the graveyard shift at UPS so he can be there for every class and every practice. When Patrick talks about him, he simply says, “My dad’s my hero.”

But it wasn’t just the music or the dedication that struck me. It was Patrick’s “attitude of gratitude.” Between songs, he would speak to the audience: “God made me blind and unable to walk. Big deal! He gave me the ability to play music, the chance to meet wonderful people, and so many blessings.”

When the performance ended, Patrick and his father stood side by side. The crowd rose to their feet and applauded for over five minutes. I had goosebumps. I realized I had just met a real-life hero.

The Lesson That Stays With You

“Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass. It is about learning how to dance in the rain.”

That’s exactly what Patrick does. And it’s what we all need to do. Life will throw storms our way. Some will pass quickly, others will linger. We can’t control the weather, but we can control our response.

Do we wallow in self-pity? Or do we embrace gratitude and move forward anyway?

Gratitude has the power to shift our mindset and our life. As author Sarah Ban Breathnach wrote, “When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that is present, we experience heaven on earth.”

Patrick’s story is living proof. His life shows us that no matter the challenge, we can choose joy. We can choose to focus on the gifts we do have. And when we do, we learn not just to survive the storm, but to truly dance in the rain.

Relevant read:
Learning to Dance in the Rain : Mac Anderson and BJ Gallagher 

Quotes for the day:

"Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose."
*-- Lyndon B. Johnson

"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self." 
*-- Aldous Huxley 

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person.  Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us."
*-- Albert Schwietzer

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