Growing up I believed that strength meant being physically powerful. Classic examples include pulling a sword from a stone; lifting a blacksmith’s anvil or in modern times dragging a drunk out of bed. I experienced an odd example of strength years ago when I was boar hunting near Lake Okeechobee. My guide Tad, who had just got out of prison the week before for armed robbery, asked me, “Pete, have you ever been tazed before?” I said, “like with a tazer Tad?” “Yeah” he said, “it will make a big man go down.” “Nope, can’t say that I have, Tad.” Clearly, Tad and I had different ideas about strength. A better example was when I was in college and power lifted competitively. To be funny, my brother Mark was always challenging me to lift heavy things. One Saturday night we were behind Newberry’s Department store and he bet me I couldn’t lift one of those heavy steel shopping carts over my head. No problem, a little awkward, but manageable. I quickly got it up to chest level then did a clean & jerk move to shove it over my head. All was good with plenty of cheers from the peanut gallery until the cart door slammed down on my face and knocked me out. Later that night as I looked in the bar mirror at my bloody waffle face, I thought that was more stupidity then strength. That aside, numerous cancer battles have taught me that you need true strength to survive cancer. The important part about true strength is that it’s less about gender and physical size and more about will power. Cancer doesn’t care about your body type; it likes to rough people up who are weak in spirit and mental toughness. Without a doubt, cancer is physically awful – it drains you completely and it’s really painful as it runs its course. After all these years I believe strongly that to survive cancer; however, your mind has to be stronger than your body. Your mind is an amazing thing; it controls your entire body including runaway cancer cells. So, you have to convince yourself to stop the cancer by returning to normal and crawl out of bed every morning to take on whatever that awaits you regardless of how awful you feel. Period. That’s what true strength is about. It’s about facing your colleagues at work when you’re bald from chemo. True strength is dating again after a double mastectomy. It’s my neighbor, a personal trainer who continues to coach other people to get healthy even when she’s battling her own cancer. That’s true strength. Most important it’s being positive and happy at all times for your family and friends so maybe someday they benefit from that tiny beacon of light they saw in you. That’s true strength. Ultimately, your feat of strength is an individual task only you can tackle; no one can do this for you. In the words of Bob Marley, “You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” Slainte.
Strength
Good morning and Happy Thanksgiving to all the Irish cockroach followers hope everybody has a great holiday and look forward to seeing more blogs and other comments
Richard, stay out of trouble for turkey day. Pete
The hysterical story about your dry sense of humor and how it got sooo dry is one of my favorites! Laughter is one of the best medicines for life! Stay well and see y’all soon!
Pete and Diane you are a miraculous couple. I am damn proud to have participated in a few small parts of your life’s journey so far and more to go.
Richard,
Actually, you have been a big part of our lives for a long time. We are glad you continue to drag us along the way.
Pete
A remarkable wisdom, wish everyone would read this. Prayers for your continued good health.
Donna,
Thanks for reading the blog and giving me your feedback. Have a nice Thanksgiving.
Pete
You have and continue to inspire me with your strength. And the strength of your family. I’ve been able to call on myself like I never thought I could to get through this.
Pete as usual my friend you are A miraculous man.
Cheers to the Irish cockroach!!
Pete,
inspiring. I agree with Sheila about the grocery cart, I think you could lift it if you wanted to or felt you wanted to. Strength and determination go hand and hand. I have observed this trait among the Air Force Academy cadets. The Academy could be profiling in a way, they are looking for the physical and mental strength, and determination. It is a common thread among these young women and men. These qualities =success! Thanks for brightening so many of our days.
Paula, my greatest feat of strength which you witnessed was putting your RA’s head in the toilet. I was a hero at Plattsburgh for that. Pete
Pete, you are spot-on as usual. Thanks for sharing all of these!
Tom, I think that picture was from the match against Jay’s Sunoco. If my memory serves me right, I pulled most of the skin off my hands. Good times. Best, Pete
Spot on Peter! You have a knack for putting things in perspective! Thank you!
Dayton, great to see you at the house in October. I hope you are on the mend. Pete
As always, I love reading your blogs. I have no doubt you could still power lift a shopping cart, however that feat is probably best left in the “one & done” category 😊
Sheila, thanks for the confidence- I could probably lift one of those hand baskets. 🐷 Peter
Powerful Words from a POWERFUL Man, Thanks Pete❤️
I can’t compare you to a “little Ray of light” I think of you more as a nuclear blast, or a solar flare. You are a inspiration to so many.❤️
Jane,
Alright, let’s settle on a solar powered LED light. Pete
Mickey,
Not as powerful as a case of Landshark; but right up there. Pete