A few weeks ago a beautiful young lady came to Ocean Grove to talk about her life, and her mission. Her name was Bethany Hamilton. You may know her name if you are in the surfing circuit, and even if you are not, because she also was also the subject of the movie "Soul Surfer".
My daughter was quite excited to go see her speak at the event that afternoon. In fact, we went earlier than scheduled, hoping to catch a glimpse of Bethany surfing the waves, before her big talk at the Great Auditorium. Unfortunately, we missed her, but were able to see her walk by us. As she glided by, we all stood a little taller and breathed a little easier. I was not sure what it was, but I was quite curious how she was able to move our energy upward.
My daughter sat with her friends, and as Bethany came on stage, I watched the girls all
sit upright in their seats. They clearly were absorbing in all that she had to say. Bethany's words were uplifting and contagious as she spoke in her own style and authentic mannerisms. Her amazing story unfolded, from her young days in Hawaii, to the shark attack that claimed her arm, to her overcoming her obstacles and learning to move forward in light and love.
What I loved most about her and the message she delivered was that it was inspirational. Bethany intentionally did not just talk about herself, but about everyone speaking words of the power to overcome. She dwelled little on the obstacles in her life and instead spent much of her time on the solutions and the beauty that is before you every day. Her faith was deep and that beautiful foundation is what kept her strong through her tough times and motivates her every day.
"We are here to share our stories of overcoming and how powerful that is. I am here to encourage you that life is more that just yourself, but we are meant to share our experiences and to understand, and know, that we are all okay." I was blown away by her words. It was fantastic to listen to and really hear this lady in her twenties have so much depth into connection and inspiration for all.
When her talk was over and I was reunited with my daughter, I asked what she thought
and she said, " it was good." There was not much more said as we walked out of the beautiful auditorium, she was ready for lunch with her friends. I knew there was more to her thoughts than she was allowing me to enter, but I let it go, understanding that all will happen in good time.
The next morning, my daughter woke us and said she wanted to go surfing. She had never asked to go surfing alone before. I knew this was about far more than surfing, but I choose to keep that to myself. You see my daughter had only been surfing twice in her life, both times with friends. Deep down I knew she really wanted to surf, but she was scared. Not just a little frightened, but her anxiety runs high when she is in the water. I knew that if she conquered this fear, that other fears in her life would tumble down like a domino effect.
As my daughter walked out on the cold sand that morning, and then into the ocean, I thanked Bethany for her inspirational talk. Her words connected with my daughter and left an impression on her soul. Inspiration can conquer fear.
You can never know how you touch another soul. Keep your message going for all to hear, if you touch one life, you have done amazing work!
Thank you
Lucie Dickenson is an inspirational blogger, wife, and mom to three unique and wonderful teenagers. Through her writing and in her personal life, she loves to inspire others, finding what makes their heart sing, so they can live in their truth every day.
www.theinspirationallife.com
Comments