Message 348

“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy”
This was said by a woman named Nightbirde

I waste a lot of time watching the short movie reels on facebook but Tuesday I saw three that changed my perspective on everything. This, this wasn’t wasted time.

Nightbirde (the author of the above quote) was performing on America’s Got Talent. At the time she was on, she had a 2% chance of survival with active cancer. She said “Two percent is not 0%. Two percent is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is,”

She sang a song called “it’s ok”. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house – nor in my house. I was also impressed by the fact she went to the audition alone. She had courage oozing out of every pore.

Hers is the first verse of her song :
I moved to California in the summer time
I changed my name thinking that it would change my mind
I thought that all my problems they would stay behind
I was a stick of dynamite and it was just a matter of time, yeah
Oh, dang, oh, my, now I can’t hide
Said I knew myself but I guess I lied

The second was a performance by a young girl (I think she was 18 or 19) who had endured many years of bullying. The bullying led to self harming. She used an eraser on her skin trying to erase herself from everything. But there she was up on stage. The courage she showed standing up there risking ridicule and rejection was overwhelming.

These third was a young woman who had a speech disability but it disappeared when she sang.

They all stood up in front of the judges, the audience and millions of others watching on tv. Tell me again what you’re afraid of?

These three young women represent the strength and courage I aspire to. Following on Frank Somma’s concept of having a motto for the year, I don’t know how I’m going to put it into words yet but I know these women will be my role models in everything I do in 2026. I hope I can come up with a motto that fits.

You have the strength and courage Dig deep and pull them out whenever you feel scared or nervous. You’re not being bullied, people most likely don’t make fun of the way you talk and you probably have more than a 2% chance of survival so what’s holding you back?