Still, he did his job exceptionally well, trying
over and over to restart her heart. She finally regained consciousness.
Her family kept in touch with him, and he eventually
learned the woman had emerged from the ordeal permanently blind, paralyzed, and
unable to talk.
Jake brooded about his decision to save her,
wondering if he had thwarted nature’s plan, imposed a terrible burden on her
family, and traded eternal peace for years of suffering and indignity.
His painful doubts darkened his life for many years
– until the day he received this note from the woman’s son:
“Mom died last week, and I want to thank you for
giving me so many extra years with her. Although at first I felt only grief, I
came to find peace and gain strength from my time with her. Every day I’d hold
her hand and tell her about my accomplishments and problems. I could always
feel her strong pulse, and I came to know that she talked to me through her
heart. With every beat, she sent me love and encouragement. I treasured our
time together.”
Jake’s professional skill had restarted the dying
woman’s heart, and her son’s gratitude and willingness to express it had
repaired Jake’s self-inflicted wound to his own heart.
This story is more about attitudes than actions. The
quality of our lives is determined not so much by what we do or what’s done to
us but by how we choose to think about our situation.
About the author: Michael Josephson is one of the
nation’s most sought-after and quoted ethicists. Founder and president of
Josephson Institute and its CHARACTER COUNTS! project, he has conducted
programs for more than 100,000 leaders in government, business, education,
sports, law enforcement, journalism, law, and the military. Mr. Josephson is
also an award-winning radio commentator.
This article was published by the Josephson
Institute.
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