“He Focused on What He Had”
I met Josh in an airport line one day. I had just gotten a haircut shorter than I liked and wasn’t feeling my most confident. Then I noticed him standing a few feet away—tall, Southern, and smiling. We started talking, and I learned he was a veteran and a Paralympic athlete who had lost his leg in Iraq.
What stood out to me wasn’t his injury—it was his attitude. Josh talked about his training, his work, and his life with an ease and confidence that made you forget he faced challenges at all. He didn’t dwell on what was missing; he focused entirely on what he still had and what he could do.
Over time, I came to realize how deeply his perspective influenced mine. Josh lived with gratitude. He appreciated the small things, the connections, the moments most people overlook. He didn’t see his life as less—he saw it as different, and in some ways, more meaningful because of it.
His outlook made me rethink how I approached my own challenges. If Josh could live fully and chase big goals after everything he’d been through, then maybe I could too. He reminded me that strength isn’t about pretending things are easy—it’s about choosing to focus on possibility even when life looks different than you planned.
Takeaways for Healthcare Teams:
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Empathy isn’t just understanding someone’s story—it’s learning from their strength.
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Healing isn’t only physical; it’s about helping patients rediscover their purpose and gratitude.
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Human connection often teaches us that resilience can be found in the most unexpected places.
Reflection: Who in your care has helped you see life through a new lens of gratitude and possibility?
With gratitude, Kelsey
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