Phoenixes

Scattergun Scribblings
 
Today is Nick Wilford's Overcoming Adversity blogfest. It's an amazing fest for an awesome cause!

As I thought about what to post, I realized I've encountered people with some incredibly powerful stories over the years, and I wanted to share a little about what that's meant for me. Enjoy!

In fiction, it’s so easy to get caught up in larger-than-life characters and fate-of-the-world stakes that we often overlook the everyday heroes. But they’re there. All around us—on the page and in life.

They make us believe it’s still possible to create a real difference for someone. To get back on our feet, continue the fight and change people’s lives, even in the smallest of ways. I’ve been blessed and privileged to witness so many examples of those who have overcome adversity. In a few cases, I’ve even talked at length with these heroes, to capture their stories as best I could, and though they may not know it, they’ve been some of my greatest teachers.

There are a precious handful of interviews so humbling, eloquent and perspective shattering that they reduced me to honest-to-God tears of awe. Those are the ones that haunt the back of your mind long after the articles are written and published. The mother whose pride and gratitude for her young Marine son, killed in action, flowed through the phone line with the poignancy of a flag-draped coffin.  The man who struggled to teach himself to breath and speak again after a devastating stroke; who believed, not in worrying over whether life’s glass was half full or half empty, but in simply offering thanks that we’re given the glass in the first place.

It is the very best part of my job. A reminder that a writer’s words can still give voice to those with stories worth telling. Stories that seem to make you a better, wiser person just for having read them or heard about them. They offer a window into someone else’s extraordinary life experience and reveal to each of us what we hope is the core essence of our humanity—the genuine, heartrending struggles from which quiet, steady and unassuming heroes arise like fledgling phoenixes.

Let us never lose sight of that.

29 comments:

  1. Excellent examples of overcoming adversity. Nice to meet you through the bloghop Nicole!
    Julie

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  2. Nicole, thanks so much for taking part and for writing this uplifting entry. You're right - sometimes we have to look at the lives of others around us and realise that our own struggles don't seem so significant. Excellent post!

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  3. Very well said. What some people go through and survive is most inspiring.

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  4. Beautifully stated. It makes me so happy to be a part of this writing world :)

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  5. Thanks for reminding us that the everyday, unsung heroes are all around us...

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  6. writer’s words can still give voice to those with stories worth telling.

    Love that!! Great contribution to the blog hop!! :)

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  7. It's amazing how we implement those special moments into our writing.

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  8. I love dealing my characters a bad set of cards to start with and raising them up to be wonderful people. It's a great job.

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  9. What a great entry. It's so important to remember this.

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  10. That's probably the best entry I've read all day. So full of hope!

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  11. Well said! I love it when a story can affect me that way.

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  12. Great post and so very true. We all have stories,, but not everyone can articulate them like a writer can. It's a great and satisfying responsibility.

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  13. WELL SAID, Nicole....

    You expressed yourself BEAUTIFULLY.

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  14. Phoenixes...rising from the ashes--what a great symbol for overcoming adversity.

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  15. Hear, hear. Loved this post. Thanks for sharing :)

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  16. I liked this post very much! Every day heroes. :)

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  17. Thank you for sharing these stories, and the power of words.

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  18. That was wonderful, Nicole. I've had the same experience as you. It's great to connect and learn from others. I look forward to that every day. :)

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  19. Empty Nest - You too!

    Nick - Kudos to you for hosting this awesome fest! I hope you and Andrew are loving all the entries. :)

    L.G. - It never ceases to amaze me.

    J.A. - Thanks!

    Michelle - You're welcome.

    DL - Thanks! I really believe that.

    Miranda - You're right. It's pretty incredible.

    C.M. - Thanks for stopping by.

    M Pax - It's definitely inspiring to see that change in them.

    Kelley - I agree. :)

    Alex - All the credit goes to the wonderful folks I've encountered over the years. It's nice to shine that light.

    Christine - Me too!

    Mark - Great point.

    Michael - Thanks!

    Cynthia - I thought so. ;)

    Trisha - Thanks!

    Al - I'm so glad. Those heroes are pretty awesome!

    Tyrean - You're welcome.

    David - I agree. It's a blessing.

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  20. There are people that stick in my brain from my freelancing days too. Most of them were so modest and humbled by an article being written about them. Those were the best people to talk to and they told the best stories. I loved hearing back from them after they saw the article as well. I felt like I did my job right when they told me about how they were going to save it and share it with others. I do miss this aspect of freelance journalism and the connection to the every day heroes.

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  21. This is a really uplifting entry!

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

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  22. Oh, wow! Such a great entry! Beautifully written!

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  23. how inspiring you must feel! and your words convey it to us!

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  24. Everyday heroes inspire us all. Thanks for sharing this lovely post.

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  25. Great post, so many people living ordinary lives are extraordinary but go unnoticed in this busy (and sometimes selfish) world of ours today.

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  26. Kristen - That's such an amazing feeling, isn't it?

    Gina - Thanks!

    Cherie - Glad you liked it.

    Tara - Heroes like that are great sources of inspiration.

    Damyanti - You're welcome.

    Sally - I agree. :)

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  27. Beautifully written. Definitely invoking some tears in me this evening. But it's so true. And I love the line... "be glad that we've been given the glass at all." That means so much!

    Love this, Nicole.

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  28. Hear, hear. There are amazing stories everywhere; everyone has had their challenges to meet.

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