Even if you're not from Washington D.C. you may have heard of former Mayor Anthony Williams. He has a remarkable story. Williams was born to an unwed teen who gave him up. He was known as a "problem child" in foster care. By age three, little Anthony had still never spoken a word. It seemed that a pattern for his life was set, that is, until two warm and caring people took a chance on him.
Anthony was taken in by an opera-singing postal clerk and her equally generous-hearted husband. Anthony soon began to speak and eventually thrived in their home. He excelled academically and later attended both Harvard and Yale Universities. In 1998, he came from obscurity to win 66% of the vote to become mayor in one of the world's major cities. In his inaugural address, Williams said: "Forty-four years ago, my parents adopted me and gave me a second chance. I feel this city has now adopted me and I will give to it everything my parents taught me about love, service, commitment."
It's no doubt that, had he never been adopted into his particular family, his life would have been wholly different. He was saved by a second chance. And haven't each of us been given second chances? Haven't we been given do-overs on relationships, jobs, blown opportunities and the like? Quite often second chances are the result of the generosity of someone who cares a great deal. And sometimes we are saved by those second chances.
Author Dr. Seuss says in his book THE LORAX, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." But it's the people who give do-overs who truly change the world.
-- Taken from "Do-Overs" by Steve Goodier, Life Support System
Anthony was taken in by an opera-singing postal clerk and her equally generous-hearted husband. Anthony soon began to speak and eventually thrived in their home. He excelled academically and later attended both Harvard and Yale Universities. In 1998, he came from obscurity to win 66% of the vote to become mayor in one of the world's major cities. In his inaugural address, Williams said: "Forty-four years ago, my parents adopted me and gave me a second chance. I feel this city has now adopted me and I will give to it everything my parents taught me about love, service, commitment."
It's no doubt that, had he never been adopted into his particular family, his life would have been wholly different. He was saved by a second chance. And haven't each of us been given second chances? Haven't we been given do-overs on relationships, jobs, blown opportunities and the like? Quite often second chances are the result of the generosity of someone who cares a great deal. And sometimes we are saved by those second chances.
Author Dr. Seuss says in his book THE LORAX, "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." But it's the people who give do-overs who truly change the world.
-- Taken from "Do-Overs" by Steve Goodier, Life Support System
