Quitting Offends All Who Fought For You

Imagine my surprise finding wonderful life advice and inspiration from a blog dedicated to the technical and marketing aspects of blogging.  I typically visit CopyBlogger for advice on how to improve blackgirlgrown, improve my writing, and expand the reach of my little address on the Internet. 

A posting by Copyblogger associate editor Jon Morrow caught me completely off guard, yet right on time. 

Jon encourages us all to persevere despite challenges through the story of his birth. 

In brief, Jon wasn’t supposed to live past his second birthday because of a neuromuscular disorder. The doctor basically condemned Jon to death. But his mother refused to give in, or give up. She fought for him when he couldn’t fight for himself.

As Jon tells it:

Over the next 16 years, I had pneumonia 16 times. But I never died. It sounds strange to say it, but my mother wouldn’t let it happen.

She orchestrated a team of more than a dozen doctors. She slept in a chair beside me in the hospital, sometimes for as many as 30 days in a row. She pounded my chest and back every two hours to loosen the mucus, covering my chest and back with bruises.

Today, at 27 years old, I’m one of the oldest people in the world with my type of SMA, and people tell me it’s a miracle. And I agree, it is. But the miracle isn’t just me. It’s a mother who fought like only a mother can to keep me alive.

Though “disabled’ by most people’s definition, Jon goes on to chronicle how he has channeled that humility and “don’t quit” attitude into everything that he does (start-up companies, approaching venture capitalists,   in spite of the disbelief and soft bigotry of low expectations by others.

Why?

It’s not a matter of persistence or strength or attitude, as some people think.  It’s a matter of shame.

How could I possibly look my mother and father and all of the others who have sacrificed so much for me in the eye and tell them, “I can’t?” I couldn’t bear it. The shame of dishonoring their sacrifice by giving up would poison my soul.

This is an incredibly powerful statement. And reminds us that it’s not about us. None of us make it by ourselves. Damn, some of us are making it in spite of ourselves.

Known and unknown acts of grace bless our every step and our dreams are worth pursuing no matter what those with our “best interests” in mind may think.

Survival and thriving don’t come without a fight. And the fight is worth fighting if only to pay the debt back to our parents, supporters, and ancestors.

Thanks Jon for the reminder.

My attempt at a summary doesn’t do Jon’s post full justice.  Please read it in its entirety.

More Services