This past weekend, I watched the movie ‘Soul Surfer’ with my daughter. If you haven’t seen it, rent it! It’s a movie about Bethany Hamilton, an up and coming surfer that was attacked by a shark while surfing. Yes… the movie was very well made, and very inspirational. And, after the week I had, inspiration was exactly what I needed.
I was coming off of a very difficult 10 days of long hours, closing delays, people unable to move in because people DIDN’T move out, people that were mad at me because one owner decided not to rent to them because they had no income, etc. There were a lot of things going on that were out of my control, but I felt like I had to fix it all! And, in doing so, I completely exhausted myself and my husband.
Well, I sobbed my way through the whole movie. Mind you, there were sad tears, happy tears, laughing tears, big tears, little sniffles, tears of triumph, tears of joy, and at one point, tears for NO REASON! I felt like I was watching one long Hallmark commercial, and I just couldn’t stop! I’m pretty sure Rachel looked up a time or two and chuckled at me. But, oh the relief and joy I felt when it was all over.
This young girl’s indomitable spirit just hit a note with me. Yes, she lost her arm to a shark attack. She didn’t understand why such a bad thing could happen, or how she would ever make anything good of it. But she had an amazing spirit, and some amazing people perfectly placed in her life to help. And, just when she felt like giving up, she had a milestone that made her realize she could go on. And she did. She inspired a lot of people who have roadblocks of one kind or another. She inspired me.
You see, I’ve seen a lot of people lately that are in bad shape for one reason or another. In fact, lately, with this real estate market, I see more people that are struggling than people that are not. And I spend the good part of my day encouraging people to just hang on and we’ll keep trying. And by the end of the day, I’m totally spent. And, with this market, there are days that I feel the same way they do. But it’s not in my nature to give up. So, seeing someone else conquer their disabilities always inspires me to fight past mine and to count every single blessing I have.
There’s a line in the movie where her father tells her that a good surfer can just feel the wave and know that something big is coming. They have to get very quiet and just feel it. I paused the movie and explained to Rachel that I completely understand that. I come in from running every day and sit in my sunroom for some quiet time. I use that time to just be still and listen to what God is bringing my way. I recharge, but I also listen. And it’s in those quiet moments that I am reminded that I can handle whatever is coming today.
Sometimes, the best way to remember that you can get through your own challenges is to see someone else win theirs. And when you see someone like this precious girl, Bethany Hamilton, lose her arm, and fight back to find the good in it, it makes you realize that your problems aren’t so big. There are people out there that face bigger obstacles than we do every day and never give up. Seeing someone else work through their challenges gives you hope. Working through your own takes courage. So, get in touch with your inner Bethany, and push through. You just never know… when you find your own strength… you may inspire someone else to find theirs.
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