Dis’ability’ is more ability
Can you imagine how life would be without our ability to see? Can you imagine yourself not being able to see, what would you do? Would you still have dreams and if you did have dreams, would you have the passion to pursue them? What if you cannot see and you cannot move, what would your answer be. Think about these questions for a moment and then read the below story with a open heart and mind.
Patrick Henry Hughes participates in the march band for his Louisville University football team every year, however, he cannot see the band or march by himself, he was born without eyes and crippled. Thanks to his Dad, Patrick John Hughes, who is always with Patrick to be his eyes to see and be his legs to move in the march band. People who come to watch the football match are all moved to watch this ‘impossible’ undertaking being made possible and they leave the stadium with their hearts filled with a new sense of possibility. Patrick never fails to astonish people who watch him perform in the band. Patrick can play piano and trumpet like a charm.
# Patrick playing piano
Patrick’s parents were devastated when Patrick was born blind and crippled, his tightened joints meant that he can never straighten his arms. His Dad overcome the pain of his son’s disability when Patrick started playing with the piano keyboard when he was only one year old. His Dad decided that if Patrick is not playing the football, he will make him a piano player, a passion Patrick seem to have born with. By the time Patrick was 2 years old he was already playing requests. He played all the ‘old school’ in his grade school and in high school he was playing blues. At the University, Patrick was already famous for his piano and trumpet skills. University asked him to be part of the marching band, Patrick laughed at the idea of him being in the march as he could not see or move. His Dad decided to become Patrick’s eyes and legs for the band and so began the chapter of Louisville marching band at which blind and crippled Patrick plays music while his Dad makes the formation with him on the wheel chair.
#Patrick and his Dad during the march band
When asked to describe his disability, Patrick says “not disabilities at all, more abilities“. Patrick says “God made me blind and unable to walk, big deal, he gave me the musical abilities and a great opportunity to meet new people”. Words may fall short to praise his attitude towards life. As Epictetus puts “It’s not what happens to you but how you react to what happens that matters”, and Patrick made it true in every sense of the word.
If we think dreams can wait then our dreams are not strong enough to create the passion. If our dreams are strong enough they create the passion and when we decide to pursue our passion the obstacles will dissolve themselves and new possibilities will show up. If we still see the obstacles, think about Patrick. Are our obstacles bigger than what he is going through? It is not what happens…
This story would be incomplete without the mention of Patrick’s father whose selfless love and undeterred WILL made his son’s dream a possibility and in the fulfillment of his son’s dreams he found his own. Patrick is his father’s hero and to Patrick his Dad is his hero.
#Patrick and his dad
Patrick’s father is an example of many parents in this world who love their kids unconditionally and accept them for what they are, no matter how the world perceives their kids, in return all they ask is the warmth of being loved. Patrick’s Dad says “a father could not ask for any more in a relationship than the relationship that I have with Patrick”.
What Patrick demonstrates through his life is that the ‘ability will come by itself if you go on to sing the song of your heart‘. In his Dad’s words: “when people see Patrick play on the field they see new possibilities that they never imagined”, and Patrick is truly a inspiring reminder of the POSSIBILITIES.
* Story & Photo credit source: http://www.patrickhenryhughes.com