Check Out This Letter

I know I do not usually post this close together, but I received this letter several days ago and asked Shane if he minded if I share it with you. The author, Shane Peters, and I were teammates, classmates and friends in high school. In fact, I borrowed his forearm pads to use the night of my accident. He said something like, "Sure, I won't be using them." Shane was a sophomore and as such, knew he probably would not get into the game.

I read it several times and decided to call him and thank him for this wonderful letter. The next night I looked up his phone number on the 'net and we talked for about an hour. It was great fun!

His letter touches on the book, his feelings, and most importantly, he tells me about the struggles his granddaughter was born with and is living with every day. That is what affects me the most. It always amazes me what people will tell me! He touches on it in the letter, but it happens to me every day when I speak.

Just the other day at Big Lake, after my assembly, a young student told me about how his father broke his neck riding a four-wheeler. He said he was not paralyzed, but it has affected his hands a bit and as a mechanic, it has proven to be a problem. That is just one story from Big Lake. There are more!

Anyway, back to Shane's letter. Please read it and feel free to comment.

Click on the image to make it larger:

One more thing: to order your copy of I Still Believe in Tomorrow, click here:

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Check Out These Reviews

These three reviews are from Amazon's page from people who read I Still Believe in Tomorrow. Check them out:

I met Mike Patrick when we worked at the University of Minnesota in the late 70's. This book has been a long time in coming but is totally well worth waiting for. I have heard Mike speak many times so it was hard not to hear his voice in my head while I read it.

It is a spectacular book. Well written, well thought out and worth every minute I spent reading it.

I strongly urge anyone that has ever thought they were alone in the world trying to overcome a problem to read this amazing and inspiring book.

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Thank you Michael Patrick for writing this book. It demonstrates the 'Courage to live the life you have even if it is not the life you expected.' I found it to have resources and references that are valuable. I completed the activity at the end of the book, and conversed with my spouse who had also completed the book and exercise. As a mental health professional I will share this resource. The story demonstrates acceptance and willingness to experience life.

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I played football against Mike Patrick in the years before his injury. I remember the day of his injury, I was playing my first varsity game in a neighboring town at the same time. When news came out about his accident, it stunned everyone in Southern Minnesota. I have followed Mike Patrick in the newspaper articles that have been written about this amazing man. This book is a great read and an uplifting story about someone who has overcome his disability. After reading the book, I realized that Mike doesn't even feel he has a disability and has an amazing view on life. I have passed this book on to my children, everyone needs to read this book, it makes you look at life in a different way. We all need to be more positive in life and this man is proof.

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They all gave me five star reviews! I thought they were pretty cool and wanted to share them. Like Sally Field said when she received an Oscar for her leading role in Norma Rae, They like me. They really like me!

I feel the same way. I have received many positive comments from people who have read I Still Believe in Tomorrow and they are giving me the same kind of positive feedback. I just received two positive emails today telling me how much they liked it.

I also received a hand-written letter a few days ago from a friend who said he read it from cover-to-cover without stopping. He said he has never done that before! My two favorite quotes from his letter are: I was just amazed at all the people you have touched in your lifetime. And, he ended his letter with: Mike, thanks for the book. I'm sure it will touch many lives like it has mine.

I was so pumped after reading it, I had to talk to him. So, I Googled him, found his name, called him and we talked for just short of an hour. That was fun!

I also received an email today from someone else telling me he bought it for himself, liked it so much, he bought it for his seven brothers and sisters! That was VERY COOL!

If you have read it, please leave your feelings in the Comment section at the end of this post. I look forward to reading them. If you have not read it yet, please do so. You can get it by clicking here. I hope you like it.

As always, I look forward to your comments too.

Later,

Mike

I AM BACK!

I finally ended my drought of speaking yesterday at six hundred thirty-four days! The last time I spoke was on July 19, 2010 for the Virginia Youth Leadership Forum in Richmond, Virginia. 

Yesterday, I was in Big Lake High School in Big Lake, Minnesota and did a one hundred minute assembly for about one thousand nine through twelfth grade students and staff. I was a bit concerned about my strength and stamina going in; but, as usual, I fed off their energy and received a standing ovation at the end of my speech. I felt GREAT!

Then, the teacher who arranged my visit, Jessica Miller, took me for a quick, nutritious school lunch and we hustled back to their auditorium for five small group programs for about one hundred students in each program. My day was done about 2:10 PM and I was riding high, full of adrenaline and their energy! My doubts about my ability to handle a full day had vanished. Have I mentioned yet, I felt GREAT? I could have gone a few more hours.

My attendant had to drive me up there because I have not been driving for about eighteen months now; but, otherwise, it was just like I had not skipped a beat.

Ms Miller got my name from the September 3, 2011 article in the Minneapolis StarTribune article you can read by clicking here.

As a result of that article, this full page story in the Worthington Daily Globe, Facebook and LinkedIn,  I have several more speaking engagements lined up. It feels good to be back in the saddle again!

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Definition Of Disability

I was going through some comments on my Facebook Wall today and was introduced to the following video with a definition of disabled:



If your browser does not show the whole frame of the video, click here to see it.

Her first definition came from Webster's Thesaurus 1982. I have always tried to live despite my disability, rather than regards to it. I believe Aimee Mullins has that same attitude. There are so many comments I could make on this video, but I will refrain and let you tell me what you think.

I am happy to report Dictionary.com's version is better today. It just goes to show we are making some progress in the way society looks at people with disabilities.

My favorite quote of hers is, Our language affects our thinking. I believe those five small words speak volumes. My next favorite quote is, The human ability to adapt is our greatest asset.

Here is a comment from the hundreds of comments after the video. I particularly like the way the person emphasizes the word capabilities.

Thanks folks at TEDtalksDirector, & amp; of course a standing ovation to Ms Aimee. To hear her articulate her points is an inspiration in itself. She has a motivation beyond anything you read, in motivational books. I thought I had a tenacious disposition but Ms Aimee blows me away!
For all who believed in the human race — Ms Aimee is a fine example of the human spirit embracing adversities as an opportunities for us to learn ( "DANCE," she said — I love that verb!) about our own capabilities.

I look forward to your comments

Later,

Mike

Josh Blue Is Funny!

Doing research for this blog often takes me places I would never find otherwise. It also reminds me of people, places and things I may have lost or forgotten. That is the case with this post on Josh Blue. I had seen YouTube videos of bits and pieces of his stand-up routines, but never posted anything on him. Today, my inspiration did not come from any research I did; it just came from dumb luck. My attendant was watching Comedy Central and I was working on my computer doing a bit of marketing for my book.

I heard this voice come on the television who obviously had some cerebral palsy involvement. He was telling stories about his disability, and he was FUNNY! I went to his website and found some very funny self-deprecating material he uses in a way I often use in my presentations.

Check out this improvisational bit he pulled off at Mystic Lake Casino in 2008 with expert deftness:



You can see more Josh Blue videos, see if he will be in your area any time soon and even play a video game to help Josh get home on his website by clicking here.

I am a strong believer in being comfortable enough with ourselves we can smile at and about who we are. I would not have made it forty years without my sense of humor! How about you? Can you laugh at yourself?

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike