I was going through stacks of 40 year-old medical reports my parents had safeguarded.
They had to do with the accident, prognosis (it wasn’t good), and eventual recovery I endured at age five; stemming from a 30-ft bridge fall, triple skull fractures, and coma.
Of the many, one doctor’s name was mentioned more than the others - Dr. Allen Kingman, neurologist.
I was staring at his office’s paperwork.
I knew his name. I knew his phone number. He saved my life.
I needed to call him and express my gratitude for what he had done. (Thanks to him and the heroic efforts of the surgical team at Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital, not only did my family get to celebrate my sixth birthday when I pulled out of the coma. they now had a lifetime of holidays to look forward to. I’m 47 now.)
This week I did.
While I learned that he had since passed away, as his son (Dr. Thomas Kingman, neurologist) told me about his dad (my hero), I wept as I expressed my thankfulness for the skills and life-saving instincts of his father.
As you might imagine, the call was appreciated and moving for him.
But the one who was really moved, was me.
Gratitude is the gift that gives to everyone. (Click to Tweet this.)
- As we enter the spirit of Thanksgiving, who can you reach out to - a coach, a teacher, a prayer partner, a pastor, a leader, a friend, who has made a difference in your life?
Find them. Connect with them. Share with them.
You don’t have to wait for a death-defying or hair-raising event to trigger a thoughtful gesture. You can do this today. Right now.
Even if the person is no longer around (as it was in this case), reach out to someone who can receive the blessing of your words and gratitude.
Tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone. If you have something to say to someone, take action immediately, open your mouth, and speak words of life-giving power.
The world and you will be better for it.
If you’d like to read more about the accident, injuries, and recovery, I talk about it in detail in my latest book, “Finding your Voice”. Click to get it on Amazon. You can also get the audio book for free at Audible.
Joel, Pei, Bubba, and Happy
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