Terry Fox: ” I guess one of the most important things I’ve learned is that nothing is ever completely bad. Even cancer. It has made me a better person. It has given me courage and a sense of purpose I never had before. But you don’t have to do like I did, wait until you lose a leg or get some awful disease before you take the time to find out what kind of stuff you’re really made of. You can start now. Anybody can.”
“Nothing is completely bad,” Terry said. And many of us would have found that to be true in our lives. The Bible says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
God made us all for a purpose, and he can use everything that happens to us—whether good or bad—to accomplish that purpose. But we must be willing to listen to his call.
Other-centeredness is a key to finding the good side in the hardships we face. Terry proved how looking beyond himself and his cancer, by focusing on what he could do for others, made his life truly worth living.
In his own words, “It took cancer to realize that being self-centered is not the way to live. The answer is to try and help others.”
Think of how meaningful your life would be if you were to use your life to be there for others rather than yourself alone. Living for your own benefit is like going down a dead end street, taking you no further than yourself and your needs. When you live for others, your life is shared with many. Even those in the future will benefit from what you do and from what you’ve done.
People with illnesses of all kinds are able to help others because they feel compassion for those who suffer like they do. This is especially true for those who live with mental health challenges. They are able to understand those with similar challenges in ways few others can. Think how valuable their lives would be to those who are too often misunderstood.
When Terry made the painful run to raise money for research, all he thought of was how he didn’t want anyone to suffer like he did. He decided to live with his focus on others instead of himself. And the good he did, extended past his own life. Years after he died, thousands have joined him in his run. Millions of dollars have been raised for the cause he started. His spirit lives on.
This has been Part 17 of the series A Voice of One Calling. Read Part 18 – Malala
Leave a Reply