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Excuses?

by Shelly Kneupper Tucker on July 3, 2009

On a hot, lazy Sunday afternoon, I plopped on the bed to watch television. I would have liked to exercise, because I’m carrying ten pounds that I want to lose. But, it was too darned hot to move (in the winter, my excuse is that it’s too cold). Although I wanted to work on organizing my house, I just didn’t know where to start. It would have been nice to work on a few blog posts, so I wouldn’t have to rush during the week, but I was too drained to think. My yard needs work, but I’d get a heat stroke out there.

I’m pretty good with excuses, aren’t you? Most of mine revolve around being old, and tired, and full of no coffee.

As luck would have it, the television was tuned to the local PBS station, and I didn’t have the remote control near me. Changing channels would have required moving, so I watched Wayne Dyer. His program was entitled, “Excuses Begone!” Hmmm.

Don’t you just hate it when the Universe has that kind of synchronicity?

In the course of the program, Dr. Dyer brought to the stage a young man named Dan Caro. When Dan was only two years old, he was burned over seventy percent of his body. Because of those burns, he lost his right hand, most of his left hand and is severely scarred. With the help of doctors at the Shriners Hospital, Dan survived, and at thirty years old, he lives a full and active life. He recounted that it took him seven years just to develop the strength and coordination to be able to tie his own shoes. I don’t know about you, but me? I would have settled for Velcro!

That Dan Caro survived his injuries at all is a miracle … but wait … there’s more.

Dan decided to become a musician! That’s right. He had a passion for music, and decided not to let anything get in his way. At the age of twelve, he strapped drumsticks to his arms and over the course of the next few years became quite talented. In fact, in the New Orleans area, Dan is a well known and well respected musician who drums for many of the jazz greats. He is also writing an inspirational book and is a keynote speaker. But, that young man is a darned good drummer.

You don’t believe me? See for yourself.

Dan had plenty of EXCELLENT excuses for just sitting back and not doing anything with his life. But, he didn’t take the easy road. He is the “good” that I want to share on this Only The Good Friday.

Suddenly my excuses seem so lame.

What’s good in your world today? Leave me a comment, or tell me that you wrote a post, so I can add you to the blogroll. Y’all have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend, and when you get a chance please visit some of my friends who also post about “the good” on Fridays.
RV Poetry; Candid Karina; All My Great, or Not So Great Adventures; Inside Mo’s Mind; Thorne’s World; Down River Drivel; Duward Discussion; Ramblings of an Unstable Mind; Insightful Nana; Newbie Lifeline; Everyday Tarot; West of Mars; Life’s Journey; Round Circle; Barbara’s Travels; Blog of Revelation; Desert Diva; Blogjem

Other posts you might enjoy:

  1. Like The Pied Piper
  2. Eight Things I Wish I Knew In College
  3. Thursday Thirteen #10—Excuses
  4. Come Heck Or High Water — Or Snow Flurries — Only The Good
  5. New Life. Only The Good Friday.


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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }

Kitty Krueger July 3, 2009 at 7:58 am

Inspired and humbled. Thanks for the perfect perspective. Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend!
Kitty Krueger´s last blog ..Food as communion means I think I need new plates My ComLuv Profile

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Kathy-Insightful Nana July 3, 2009 at 8:38 am

What an inspiring story. Thanks for the reminder that “old and tired” aren’t good enough excuses. As the 4th of July weekend approaches, I’m reminded that a lot of folks set aside excuses to uphold and preserve freedom. Thanks to all brave those people.
Kathy-Insightful Nana´s last blog ..My Country ‘Tis Of Thee – “Only The Good” Friday My ComLuv Profile

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Jessica The Rock Chick July 3, 2009 at 9:45 am

Wow. I haven’t been using it as an excuse because so far I’ve kept up doing everything I need and want to do, but my back is killing me again and I was just thinking of using it as an excuse to maybe forego all of my usual 4th of July activities this year and lounge on the couch instead. It is kind of exhausting, but I’m not going to do that now because if I don’t go and take the kids, they won’t be able to do these things, either. Hooray for inspirational people! What an amazing story!
Jessica The Rock Chick´s last blog ..Baby Girl My ComLuv Profile

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karina July 3, 2009 at 10:13 am

I love wayne Dyer. Just listening to him speak always inspires me to be a better version of myself, you know? And this guy Dan? Wow, what an inspiration! Thanks for this post shelly! Always with the good! ;-)

I didn’t post this week, taking a short bloggy hiatus, but I did post last week and forgot to come in here and link, so: http://candidkarina.blogspot.com

;-)

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Barb - WillThink4Wine July 3, 2009 at 10:30 am

Dang. Now I *really* need to get off my rear end and shampoo those carpets this weekend, don’t I?
Barb – WillThink4Wine´s last blog ..friday funny My ComLuv Profile

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lola July 3, 2009 at 12:36 pm

Have a happy 4th july. :)
Tomorrow will be 50 years since I receive my first communion.
Hugs!
lola´s last blog ..Carta de una hija solicitando ayuda para su padre My ComLuv Profile

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Sheila Atwood July 3, 2009 at 1:30 pm

There are areas of my life that I carry a big pack of excuses for….Thanks for the post and video. It has given me a big reminder to take a closer look at my lame excuses.

Have a great Independene Day.

Sheila
Sheila Atwood´s last blog ..Declaration Of Indepence-Only The Good Friday My ComLuv Profile

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Thorne July 3, 2009 at 2:50 pm

Very true. I always have an excuse (and a good one, too!) to avoid anything I don’t wanna do. *sigh
Right about now though, I’m wishing I’d have come up with a better excuse not to go ahead with phase 2 of the Anti – Pioneer Woman Head Change. Hahahahaaaaa… (yes, that is the sound of hysteria). I’m thinking “You might be the anti – pioneer woman if… your bangs are bright orange from a DIY head change”!!!

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Robin July 3, 2009 at 3:13 pm

Wow. He is incredible. And very inspiring.

Thank you Shelly.
Robin´s last blog ..Old City Window redux My ComLuv Profile

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Diane July 3, 2009 at 6:11 pm

I tried 3 times to get the video to play, but it kept saying ‘an error has occurred – please try again later’, so I will.

I have a friend who was severely burned while in the navy; he’s had 53 operations, and now is able to hold a full-time job. He reminds me not to make ‘excuses’, not by telling me not to do so, but by being the example of those who can rise to the occasion and battle through the hardest of trials.

I remember when my dad lost the use of one of his arms; he spent the rest of his life on the couch – complaining. One day I told him he should take a drive with me; I took him to a cemetery so he could see a one-armed man mowing the entire cemetery. Sadly, it only angered him – it didn’t inspire him………….
Diane´s last blog .. My ComLuv Profile

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Shelly Kneupper Tucker July 3, 2009 at 6:23 pm

Diane, you can follow this link if it won’t show on my blog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVvC1bGe1Xc

I’m sorry your dad wasn’t able to overcome his resentment. It’s easy enough not to, so he can’t be blamed for it. We have to “practice” to achieve optimism, sometimes.

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Jamie July 3, 2009 at 10:56 pm

He is amazing. It really does pull you up short when procrastination is so easy and then you see someone who has faced real challenges.

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lola July 4, 2009 at 4:50 am

Have a happy 4th. July
Yesterday I left a comment but I don´t know why it didn´t appear.
Dan is a very good example of self- improvement.
Hugs!
lola´s last blog ..Carta de una hija solicitando ayuda para su padre My ComLuv Profile

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Ellie July 4, 2009 at 10:12 am

Happy 4th of July!
Ellie´s last blog ..Happy Independence Day! My ComLuv Profile

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Martha Giffen July 5, 2009 at 7:58 pm

Oh my gosh! That was the most inspiring post! I don’t know how I ended up over here but I love your blog :) And, thanks for the reminder that there be “no more excuses”!
Martha Giffen´s last blog ..Independence Day Motivation My ComLuv Profile

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