“Believing we can accomplish what we can imagine, is a necessary first step toward the success of our efforts. Adversity is a natural piece of everyone’s life puzzle. Never invite defeat in advance, by not believing you can succeed…no matter what the challenge.” ~Jack Costantino, Pres., TFU~
Why does this three year old believe he can lift an object cemented to the ground by a combination of gravity, and…well…cement? In the case of Lucca Thomas Costantino, our Great Grandson…my guess is…that no one told him he couldn’t or that it wasn’t possible. Believing in his objective of relocating this stone and tile fire pit to another part of his backyard is all he needed. He just walked up to it and began the task. He didn’t ask for help, or an opinion or permission for that matter, it was simply in his way and needed to be moved.
I’m not proposing that all things are possible just because we wish them to be so; but, we don’t discover the difference until we make the attempt. It may be clear that the process of discovery is implicit in the grimace, grunt and groan of Lucca’s expression. Although it would make a fun ending…he didn’t move the object; but it wasn’t for his lack of belief or failing to do his best to make it happen.
More then 15 years ago our beautiful Cousin Phillip had his first bout with cancer. As always this devastating and cruel disease causes great concern; and although there have been medical advances, the reflexive fear of a bad prognosis is unavoidable. Over the next 15+ years, virtually without the mercy of a break in between, there were four additional cancer diagnosis in other parts of his body.
Through it all, Phillip demonstrated the extraordinary power of his own will and belief, by continuing to live his life, as normally as possible. In his last year he moved back to the northeast from Florida to be closer to family. We lost him on July 24th…almost to the day of an annual family reunion celebrated by the same group in the same place for over 40 years.
Phillip believed from the beginning that he would survive far beyond the predictions, and succeeded in beating the odds…every time. Equally important was his belief in the importance of living each new day as the gift it was…to the max. At the end he planned and shared each possible moment with those he loved and who loved him. He traveled to visit everyone he could while he was still able, and they traveled even further, from Europe and the Middle East, to spend last important moments with him.
Although he was a cancer patient, he refused to be a cancer victim. He insisted on continuing the journey of his life no matter the destination.
He believed it was possible. He walked up to the challenge of this immovable object and willed it forward an inch at a time for 15 + years. Gravity or cement or cancer couldn’t change that.
Our Great Grandson Lucca Thomas and Cousin Phillip remind us that…
…believing we can accomplish what we can imagine, is a necessary first step toward the success of our efforts. Adversity is a natural piece of everyone’s life puzzle. Never invite defeat in advance, by not believing you can succeed…no matter what the challenge.
~Jack Costantino~