You know that hymn, Amazing Grace? It
has a line in it, “I once was lost but now I’m found; was blind but now I see.”
This line takes on a particular poignancy listening to Terry Roy’s life story.
Terry is a motivational speaker who
found his True Calling a very hard way.
He has a very powerful message to share, which he did with our PRIDE
class this past June 7th.
Loud and clear, his message stated, “Learn to see through the eyes of
the heart.” Curiously, he himself had to become physically blind for this
message to penetrate. Thirty years ago, he had been high and mighty, driving
drunk, and was involved in an accident in which he lost his sight (along with a
good portion of his face) and almost died.
It’s almost
as this calamity had not only functioned as a wake-up call to Terry, to jar him
out of his smug stuporous
complacency, but also constituted a requirement for his message to have the
power it does.
Terry now
serves to illume the lives of others—those suffering in addiction or in some
other manner missing the mark—so we can learn to live life as the sacred event
it really is.
Terry is
a kind, caring, softly-spoken individual.
He has a great sense of humor, is full of wit and warmth, and is not
afraid to laugh at himself or at life.
Terry is
a recovering alcoholic, and spends his leisure time sharing with those who are
learning about chemical dependency or those who are recovering themselves. He has spoken at such local treatment centers
as Turning Point, and has also spoken at weekend situations where people are
given a course to help them turn their lives around before something tragic
happens. Although full of smiles and laughter, Terry is well aware of the
negative effects that alcohol and drugs can have on one’s life.
Alcohol and
drug abuse is why Terry lost his sight.
It was
a summer day in 1982, and Terry was driving home from a concert in Erie. He was under the influence, he says. He then remembers nothing until waking up in
the ICU days later.
It’s incredible
to think that there are days (or hours or moments) that could change your
entire life. This was a day that changed Terry’s life—forever.
Many of
us take a lot for granted. We complain about all of the little things, while
forgetting to notice all the amazing things about each day that is granted to
us: the sun shone today, today I can walk/talk/breathe unassisted, today I can
wake up and see my child. These gifts we
are given are sometimes all-too-quickly taken from us, and it is important to
remember to count yourself lucky if you are still given the daily gift of
living a relatively unassisted life.
However,
for those of us who are forced to make do with a different set of attributes,
nature has a way of evening out the scale.
Terry has a keen sense of hearing.
He is able to sit in a meeting of a few dozen people, and follow along
with the conversation just as well as anyone who was sighted.
Terry is
a great example of rising above your challenges, whether they be big or
small. He is an example of not being
afraid to learn a new way of being, even – years into the game. His story shows us that there is a way to
overcome your obstacles, even if they seem insurmountable.
His story
is awe-inspiring, and shows the triumph of the human spirit. Terry shares: “I
always give credit to that Spirit…that Spirit of Love that moves everything
around us. It’s not me; it’s that Spirit working within me.”
Terry is
Pure Love, and so is his message.
Above: Terry Roys,
smiling after he shared with the PRIDE class on June 7, 2016.
No comments:
Post a Comment