It's Wonderful Wednesday for Wonder Woman Wannabe!
I've been at this IAPP conference for 3 days as you know. We had 3 keynote speakers. On day one, it was Christopher Gardner who is the true-life inspiration of "The Pursuit of Happyness". There was another speaker that day, a lady who is nurse. She discussed the pandemic of the avian flu. Today, we listened to Nando Porrado, who has recently written "Miracle on the Andes". If you've seen that movie "Alive", you'll know his story immediately.
Keep in mind, this conference is for accounts payable professionals! I don't think I learned anything about AP, but I sure as hell nourished my spirit and came out of there feeling *so* uplifted, learning yet more about the human brain, the survival instinct and trying to fit my life into those molds.
Of course, there's just no way I can do that! I mean, I've never been homeless then filthy rich. I've never crashed on the peak of a mountain and survived 2 months until I was rescued. I'm lucky if I can match my panties to my bra every day!
The pandemic speech aside (no disrespect intended), I have to say that both Mr. Gardner and Mr. Porrado were such blessings to me; and honestly humankind. I mean, they fact that divine intervention played such a huge role in their lives individually has affected SO MANY lives collectively. To me, that is a testament to the Holy Spirit and how we are all many parts of the same Body (of Christ). Wowee....
So, what I picked up from Mr. Porrado first and foremost is his incredible sense of family. He stayed on the mountain at age 18 thinking many things. One being the wife who hasn't met him yet. Today, he has his wife and two lovely daughters. He says (parapharasing).."I live my life for the men who died on that mountain so that I could even have my life." Such humility, huh?
What struck me from a psychology standpoint is that Mr. Porrado is a pilot! This man who as a teenager struck a mountain by plane now masters them. You know one incident had to do with the other! Wonder what his thought process was about all that?
Another thing that struck me was that Mr. Porrado twice in his speech stated he was just the wrong person, at the wrong place at the wrong time. Mr. Porrado, on the off chance that you will ever read this modest blog, I say to you: You were the RIGHT MAN at the RIGHT PLACE at the RIGHT TIME! You have to see how you were hand picked by God (fate, destiny, whatever you want to call it) to LIVE and tell your story to the world! Your message is so much bigger than you surviving a tragic accident. You were chosen to enlighten souls, inflame the human spirit, to be a model of perseverence to anyone with whom you cross paths. I implore you to not say that you were the "wrong".
Both men had a moving message: love the ones your with and live & love them in the moment.
Good plan, huh?
~Whoosh!~
P.S. I could write so much more but I'm tired! Don't be surprised if I revisit this subject in the future. :)
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