For all the People Who Were Feeling Down

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-02-2004
For all the People Who Were Feeling Down
4
Sun, 02-20-2005 - 10:52am

How strong is your faith? Do you see setbacks as a minor blip on the radar
screen of life? Or, do you tend to lose all hope when faced with a
challenging situation? If you've been working hard on a goal, feel
frustrated by the fact that you're not where you want to be, or if you're
faced with a difficult time in your life, take heart. The direction of
your life can change in a moment.

Yesterday the New England Patriots played the Pittsburgh Steelers in a
pivotal game to determine which team would go to the super bowl. The star
quarterback for the Patriots, Drew Bledsoe, had been injured early in the
season and has spent much of this year sitting on the sidelines watching
his replacement Tom Brady, take the team to this championship game. Even
though Drew's injury had healed, Brady's track record of success allowed
him to continue being the lead quarterback.

Throughout the year, when interviewed by the press, Drew has always
maintained his optimism and commitment to bringing the team to the super
bowl, in spite of what must be enormous disappointment at not being able
to play. He kept his energy focused on what he could control -- his
attitude. During yesterday's game, life for Drew changed in a moment. Tom
Brady was injured and suddenly Drew was brought in to play. After throwing
two short, complete passes, his third pass was a touchdown!
Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, he was the hero -- back on top of the
game.

Each one of us lives within the context of a Divine flow of energy. There
is always a bigger game plan even though we may not be able to see the finish line.
When things don't go the way you want, it might mean that you
need to surrender and sit on the sidelines for a while, create a new
winning strategy, or strengthen your commitment to your goal. While it's
important to honor your feelings of anger, frustration, or disappointment,
always remember that the worst setback may be the perfect next step to
align you with exactly where you need to go.

The only way to build faith is to act without knowing the end result. If
you could see the future you'd understand why things happen as they do.
For now, you'll need to keep the faith, trusting that you'll end up
exactly where you're supposed to go.

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-18-2004
Sun, 02-20-2005 - 5:04pm
Too funny, I just opened an email from cheryl richardsons newletter and the same thing was there. I was just curious, is that where you found it? Have you read any of her books, she is an amazing lady. Thanks for sharing the story with us.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-02-2004
Sun, 02-20-2005 - 6:20pm
That is where I got it from...I subscribe to her newsletter and have read one of her books. I just thought it fit in with what people were feeling yesterday, so I copied it on this board.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-13-2004
Mon, 02-21-2005 - 12:08am

Thanks for that ... I was probably one of the pity party posters you were trying to cheer up. I've decided to adopt the idea of the Racal Flatts song "Broken Road" ... it fits perfectly with the idea that every time we stumble, fall, and get up to travel on ... we're only traveling down God's blessed broken road that leads to our destiny.

Sappy. Sorry. But still ... even in the depths of pity, I find that in looking up, I find a star to guide me. For now, it seems that it's all of you.

Thanks from the bottom of my heart.

~~h~~

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2004
Mon, 02-21-2005 - 12:50pm

This was actually several years ago, and Drew has had several more ups and downs that he's come through beautifully, I think. He was traded to the Buffalo Bills after that season that you speak of, where he's been playing merely adequately, while Tom Brady continued to lead the Patriots to a trifecta of Super Bowl wins; including this year's.

Bledsoe has continued to be a class act despite seemingly getting repeatedly bonked on the head... here in Cleveland, we're even hoping he'll be our next quarterback (word is that now the Bills are releasing him, too) and can redeem himself by beating the pants off his old protege, Tom Brady...!!

Just gotta keep drivin' on!

Tracy