Brad has dedicated himself to the study and application of virtue in all aspects of life in order to eliminate perceived limitations and to enable his community’s pursuit of happiness.  

He aims to do this by setting a positive example in the pool, motivational speaking and eventually life coaching.  

Brad enjoys sharing his story of trials on the battlefield as well as the field of competition, and the lessons he’s learned along the way. 

Through his engagement with various audiences, Brad hopes to inspire others to embrace challenge, conquer fears or inhibitions, and achieve happiness!

Low Vision describes a situation where one partially loses his visual ability. Such a person could be unable to read at the usual distance despite using glasses.

A person with a low vision could be myopic where he will be unable to see things at a distance. He can also be hyperopic where he will be unable to recognize close objects.

A person with a low vision will need to get adapted to the lighting in order to focus. He may also need to have the prints enlarged to be able to see.

Visually impaired is used to describe a person who needs special attention in his education. He will be treated in the same way as a person who is totally blind.

For instance, he will need readers, a raised line drawing, and an audiotaped text. For others, there will be a need for a magnifying device or a CCTV.

If a visually impaired person is able to take notes in class, he will only do so using a very large pen or use a tape recorder to get the notes. Here are some of the characteristics of a visually impaired person:

• He will be unable to see as clearly as a normal person
• Double vision
• Photophobic which is the inability to look directly at the light
• Image distortion
• Difficulty in visual perception

A blind person is one who cannot be able to see anything. He will need to use Braille, drawings that have raised lines, and audio recordings.

A blind person will not be able to see anything and he will be relying on his other senses to survive. Training to know how to live a normal life regardless of the blindness is required.

A person whose ability to see is less than 20% is regarded as legally blind. He will be given the same treatment as a person who is unable to see.

In the athletic world, several blind and visually impaired athletes refused to let their blindness limit them from achieving their dreams. They have been able to shine and won several medals in the Paralympics.

Here are some of the famous visually impaired and blind athletes:

Marla Runyan

Marla Runyan lost her eyesight at the age of 9 when she suffered from Stargardt’s disease. This did not stop her from following her dream of becoming an athlete.

In 1992, she won the 4 gold medals during the summer Paralympics and in 1996; she won silver in the Paralympics as well. Her career as a world-class athlete began in 1999 when she participated in the Pan American Games and won.

She has participated in 5000m and 10, 000m championships and won several times. She married her coach Matt Lonergan in 2002.

Anthony Clarke

Anthony Clarke became blind in 1978 when he was involved in a car accident. After his rehabilitation, he was able to get his life back.

Anthony Clarke is an Australian athlete who won a gold medal in the Paralympics. He has participated in 5 Paralympics judo games where he has competed against renowned athletes.

Henry Wanyoike

Henry Wanyoike is a Kenyan athlete who is among the world’s fastest runners. His blindness was as a result of stroke where he slept and woke up blind.

Following his rehabilitation, he was able to regain his self-confidence and in 2000, he won his first gold medal in Sydney’s Paralympics.

He is able to participate in 5000m, 10,000m, and 1500m races where he has won several medals. In 2005, he set the world record for blind runners which still stand to date.

Trischa Zorn

Trischa Zorn is a professional swimmer who has been blind since birth. She has participated in several Paralympic swimming competitions and has won over 50 medals.

Today, she is among the best athletes in the Paralympics and has received several honors. When participating in the Sydney Games, she set 8 world records in swimming.

Trischa holds the world records for getting the most medals in a single sport and breaking the most records. She did not allow her blindness to stop her from achieving her dreams of being a professional swimmer.

Being visually impaired has its limitations that will make you unable to live normally. You will need additional tech products to help you to carry on with your life.

Here are some exciting tech products that are a must have for a person who is visually impaired:

Maptic

This special device has a visual sensor that a blind person will wear around her neck. It also has a vibrating feedback unit that she will wear around her waist.

With this device, it will be possible for a blind person to find her way around despite being blind. She will be able to detect an oncoming danger and find a way of avoiding it.

Glasses

There are unique glasses that are specially made to allow a blind person to read and identify faces. The glasses are given this ability by a computer that connected to the glasses.

The computer is small enough to carry around and with it, it will be possible to read menus, recognize a street sign or even read a bank note.

There is an audio machine that will read out what is written making it possible for a blind person to live an independent life.

Wayband

This is a wearable device that will allow a blind person to find his way. The wayband will use vibrations to guide the blind person in the right was just like it happened in the New York marathon.

The wayband will only guide to a specific location and not to any place that a blind person wants to go.

Smartwatch

This smartwatch has the ability to tell the time and the date. Some watches will have additional features that will allow them to share notifications.

The watch is stylish and has a sleek design and will really look good when wearing.

Talking Laundry Module

This is a device that will be attached to a washing machine to help in reading out the settings. This will allow a blind person to know how long he will have to wait before the clothes are clean.

A blind person will not have to wait to have someone else do the cleaning when she has this device with her.

The beaver awoke with a start as a little drop of water struck his little black nose.  He opened his eyes, and his brow furrowed as he noticed a small water spot on his meticulously crafted mud roof.  He sat up in his bed and let out a deep groan as he stretched his arms, legs, and back.  He shuffled over to his small kitchen to grab a small wooden cup, which  he placed on his bed beneath the water spot to collect the intruding water.  He rubbed his eyes, then sighed as he stepped outside to survey the source of the leak. 

The winter freeze had been harsh this year, and the wind and rain of the coming spring had knocked a few shingles out of place.  The beaver noted the damage, then took a cursory look at the rest of the roof to see if anything else was amiss.  Content that he had identified the only trouble spot, he set out to gather the necessary materials to conduct the repair.

He stepped back inside to brush his bright white teeth, and his fine coat, then dove gracefully into the water that surrounded his home.  He quickly and effortlessly swam to shore, then shook himself dry to keep from getting a chill.

The beaver was an expert builder, and knew exactly where to look to find the best bark shingles in all the forest.  After a short walk to one of the thickest and strongest trees around, he took his time selecting the thickest and strongest pieces of bark.  He gathered what he needed, and a little extra for good measure, then turned back towards the water.

On his way back, he saw the wise old owl had come down from his perch in the treetops to enjoy a small breakfast before returning to his watch.  As the beaver walked by, he issued a muffled salutation through the bark shingles in his mouth, to which the owl responded, “Who?”

It was apparent to the beaver that the wise old owl had not understood what he had said.  He stopped on the path in front of the owl, set down his bark shingles, and with more clarity said  “Good morning Sir!”

The wise old owl blinked very slowly, as if disinterested, and again replied “Who?”

The beaver figured that the wise old owl’s eyesight must not be what it used to be, and the owl must not recognize him.  The beaver told the owl, “It is I!  The beaver!  Surely you have seen me gathering supplies here in the forest?”

The wise old owl tilted his head slightly to one side, and again simply said “Who?”

Feeling slightly self conscious now, the beaver replied “Surely you have heard of my beautiful waterfront mansion?  I am well known around here for my artful design and impeccable craftsmanship as a builder?  It is I who built the dam to slow the river so that all the animals may safely drink and play!”

The wise old owl only tilted his head to the other side, and blinked slowly.

The beaver was slightly flustered now, and began speaking with more animation.  

“Well perhaps you’d know me for my beautiful coat?  Back when man wandered through the forest,, he went to great lengths to hunt and trap my ancestors in order to profit from our gorgeous, fashionable, and functional coats?  Or surely you recognize my bright white smile?  I am most certainly well known for my smile!” the beaver said as he stroked his coat and smiled wide for effect.

The wise old owl seemed to shake his head slowly from side to side, with a just barely noticeable shrug of his shoulders.  After a moment, he only offered another “Who?”

Now speaking with great excitement and frustration, the beaver almost shouted, “Well surely you know me as the greatest swimmer of all the forest animals?  You see, I was born with these webbed feet, and this flat tail, so I can swim around just like the fish do!  I can hold my breath for a long time, and I could probably swim across the river in the time it would take you to fly across!”

The wise old owl only stood tall, and folded his wings behind his back.  Looking very wise indeed, the owl yet again replied “Who?”

The beaver seemed to crumple in defeat.  He scratched his head with a webbed finger, and thought for a moment.  He tried to think as the wise old owl would.  He thought about his building, his good looks, and his swimming.  he tried to think a little deeper about who he really was.  He wasn’t just a builder, he made the community better by building the dam so all the animals could drink safely.  He remembered the feeling of pride he had gotten as he watched deer, squirrels, and even the fox play in the shallows formed by his dam.  It made him so happy when people complimented him on his coat, his smile, or his beautifully constructed home.  He thought about swimming, and all the fun he had while gliding around in the water world that was off limits to most other mammals.  He in that moment realized that he was not defined by the things that he did, or things that he had, but instead by the fact that he was happy!  Through his happiness and his service to the community, he made the forest a better place, and that in turn gave him great satisfaction and in turn great happiness!

He beamed at this new realization, and now cheerfully reported to the wise old owl, “I am the beaver, and I am happy!”

The wise old owl nodded in approval, and seemed to smile with his small beak.  The owl then turned and effortlessly floated back to the top of the trees to post his watch.

The beaver again gathered his shingles in a gleaming white smile that stretched all the way across his little face, and he set about making the forest a better place!

 

****

 

Hello everyone!

This story is my first foray into short fiction, so I am anxious to hear your feedback!  I had been working towards a blog on this subject, and in the middle of a bout with insomnia last night, this idea came to me!  It was fun to write, so I may try to do this more often!  

I hope you are well, and doing your best to stay warm!

 

Respectfully yours,

Brad

Last year I received a poem from my sister, which sits alone atop the list of my most memorable Christmas gifts!  I meant to post it last year, but I forgot until around mid-January, and by then it seemed out of place to post it.  I’ve waited the entire year for a second chance to showcase my sister’s amazing writing, and the relationship we share!  I hope you get a kick out of her poem below, and I hope that you had a wonderful holiday with  your family as well! I certainly had an amazing holiday, and this Christmas has been one of my favorites for sure!  

 

***

 

This Christmas I want to thank you for what you’ve given to me

Through you I’ve learned virtue, perspective, and generosity

 

I’m more than lucky to have the relationship that I do

With such an inspirational human being, a warrior like you

 

We share the same eyes, and as far as the rest

I aspire to be like you, and I vow to do my best

 

You’re a hometown hero, a Paralympian, and a leader

You deserve nothing less than an avid audio book reader

 

You’re a trailblazer, paving a road you can’t see

But if you feel it with your hand, you know it’s meant to be

 

You’ve taught me to be a leader, a thinker, a friend

You’ve taught me that possibilities are blind to an end

 

Even with all my 5 senses, I’ll never know why

But you’ll never stop charging, and neither will I

 

-Elyse Snyder

On Friday November 1st, 2013 a small crowd gathered in Memorial Hall, located in the heart of Bancroft Hall at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.  The crowd consisted of about one hundred of my closest friends and family, including my mother, sister, brother, as well as teammates who I deployed with to both Iraq and Afghanistan.  A short, but warm ceremony was conducted, rich with traditions that paid tribute to our naval heritage.  In the end , a long whistle blew as I  departed the Navy, walking on the arm of my mother, officially retired from naval service.

It saddens me to leave the ranks of the Navy, which are formed by some of the most incredible people our country has to offer.  I have learned from them what it means to be virtuous, and the true value of liberty.  On the other hand, I have seen the world of opportunity that exists outside of the military, and I am excited to set sail into uncharted waters! 

The following is an essay derived from the speech I gave during the retirement ceremony.  As I gave the speech from memory, the words that follow are not the speech verbatim, however the sentiment and message are the same.

***

Memorial Hall is a small, but impressive room situated in the heart of the greater Bancroft Hall, affectionately referred to as “The Hall” by generations of midshipmen who live within it’s sturdy walls while studying at the US Naval Academy.  Memorial Hall is about the size of a basketball court, with elegant marble floors, tall pristine white columns, and ornate wood work.  Around the room are historic artifacts from two centuries of naval warfare, priceless paintings and displays depicting epic battles and stories of uncommon heroism.

Memorial Hall was thoughtfully designed, artfully crafted, and has been meticulously maintained for one very important purpose; that we should remember…

We should remember the final command of James Lawrence, who as he lay dying on the deck of the USS Chesapeake, bleeding to death from wounds sustained from fierce combat against the British blockade during the War of 1812, Lawrence shouted to his men with his last breath “Don’t give up the ship!  Fight her until she sinks!”

Upon learning of his friends demise, Oliver Hazard Perry immortalized the words of Lawrence when he embroidered them onto his new battle flag, which he flew as he led our naval forces to eventually defeat the British blockade, proving not only our right to liberty, but our ability to defend it as well.

At the turn of the 20th century, when Memorial Hall was being built, Perry’s flag was hung at the center of the room to inspire new generations of naval leaders.  

One such midshipman was a man named Draper Kauffman, who despite his earnest and motivation was denied a commission in the Navy due to poor eyesight.  Not giving up on his commitment to serve, Kauffman flew himself to Europe, and volunteered as an ambulance driver, shuttling dead and wounded French soldiers from the front lines during the early stages of the second World War.  After a short period as a POW, held captive by the Germans, Kauffman found himself in London, working with the Royal navy on how to dispose of the many unexploded bombs that lettered the city after extensive raids conducted by the Luftwaffe.  Recognizing Kauffman’s incredible dedication to service at this point, the US Navy offered him a commission in the reserves, where the vision requirements were less stringent. Kauffman accepted, and shipped out to Hawaii.  In the aftermath of the infamous Pearl Harbor attacks, Kauffman became the first US serviceman to render safe an unexploded Japanese 500-lb bomb, preserving both the bomb and the fuze for future study.  For his actions he was both lauded, earning the Navy Cross, and scorned by his chain of command.  The Navy realized that had Kauffman not succeeded in the render safe, the US would have no ability to develop a plan on how to mitigate the threat posed by unexploded ordnance.  Kauffman was shortly thereafter tasked with developing a Naval School for Explosive Ordnance Disposal.  Kauffman also recognized the need for small teams of swimmers to be able to surreptitiously evaluate the planned sites for amphibious assaults, to ensure the safe disembarkation of soldiers and marines.  Kauffman developed the Underwater Demolition Teams to fulfill this need, which would evolve into the modern day SEAL teams.  Kauffman would continue to serve with distinction through the end of World War II, the Vietnam War, and into the beginning of the Cold War.  He would finally retire in 1973.  

In that same year, a midshipmen named Eric Olsen would graduate from the Naval Academy.   Olsen was to follow in Kauffman’s frog shaped footsteps, and would attend training in Coronado, CA to become a Navy SEAL.  Olson would witness first hand how the face of warfare would change, ushering in a decade of conflict marked by third-world deserts, malicious warlords, oppressive dictators, and religious fundamentalists.  In 1993, Olsen would be sent to Somalia to support Operation Restore Hope.  US Rangers, Delta Force, and SEALs were sent to Somalia to offer security to UN humanitarian efforts to supply food and medical aid to a battered population, plagued by drug-crazed warlords.  During a relatively routine mission to apprehend militant henchmen, two US Blackhawk helicopters were shot down instigating a riot of thousands of angry fighters.  What would follow would be some of the fiercest urban combat since the Vietnam War.  Eighteen US lives would be lost, and many more injured.  For his actions during the fierce fighting, Olsen would be awarded a Silver Star, and would return to the states to apply his lessons learned to shape our Special Operations doctrine over the next twenty years.  

Under Olsen’s leadership of SOCOm, a decade long search would come to fruition when the 9/11 mastermind and Al Qaida head Usama Bin Laden was located and killed in Abbotabad, Pakistan.

On the same night of this historic raid, I crouched in a dugout nestled into the crest of a small mountain in southern Afghanistan.  Staring intently at a pair of Taliban fighters, communicating to each other with small flashlights across a field of tall poppy plants.  Seated on the other side of the dugout, with his short rifle expertly trained on the two flashing lights, was a SEAL named “Gunny.”  As we monitored the situation below, Gunny and I had a deep conversation about how we had ended up there, the circuitous path to this desolate dugout, under threat of enemy fire and nefarious hidden explosives buried under the ground.  We both reflected on the moments that we had decided that we were committed to serve, and moreover serve in combat.

I recalled sitting my backyard in Colorado Springs when I was eight years old, playing with G.I. Joes, and looking up at the sky, which was littered with C-130 cargo planes, F-15 jets, and occasionally an F-117 stealth fighter.  At eight years old, I didn’t understand fully what the military was, but I knew that I wanted in…

I remember the first time I gazed up at Perry’s battle flag, and the words “Don’t give up the ship” were emblazoned in my memory.  I remember my Uncle Chuck administering my Oath of Office as I was sworn into the class of 2006.  I remember the elation of tossing my midshipman cap into the air as the Blue Angels screamed by overhead.  I remember my Dive School class, my EOD school class, and my first duty station in the Low Country, Charleston, SC, as a newly minted “Kegbuster.”  I remember Iraq, and I remember the death of my good friend Tyler, and the first time I truly understood the reality, gravity, and lethality of our task as EOD technicians.  I remember the mazing platoon I served with in Afghanistan, and I remember being jerked back to life by my friend Adam.  I remember highs and lows, but mostly I remember that each time I messed up or fell down, there was always someone there to stand up for me or help me stand when I couldn’t do it myself.  I remember the amazing people who picked me up, dusted me off, and got me back into the fight, in a re-imagined way.   

My grandfather served in the Navy during WWII.  He made his living by tossing torpedoes out the back of a small aircraft, targeting Japanese ships.  After serving in the Pacific, during such historic battles as Midway and others,, he returned home to share his experience and wisdom with new recruits.  His luck would change  when his aircraft crashed during a training mission, killing everyone aboard, save my grandfather and the pilot.  My grandfather spent the following four years in the hospital recovering, eventually falling in love with his nurse.  Though she despised him at first, he persisted, and she too fell in love.  They were married until death parted them.  

Stories like these characterize what has become known as the “Greatest Generation.”  Recently, President Obama and others have come to refer to the OIF/OEF generation as the “New Greatest Generation.”  I personally don’t believe either of these titles are accurate.  I don’t believe that there is a singular greatest generation, I instead believe that greatness can be found in every generation.  When you hear the stories of James Lawrence, Oliver Hazard Perry, Draper Kauffman, and Eric Olson, you begin to see that we have a rich history and tradition of honorable naval service.  In every generation there are those who choose to pursue their happiness, as opposed to seek out entitlements.  In each generation there are those who choose to study virtue, and build their character around the lessons they learn.  In each generation, there are those who choose to commit themselves to community service, and in every generation there will be those who offer up their lives in defense of our way of life.

It was a privilege for me to study at an institution that champions leadership and virtue.  It was a privilege to share a common purpose, and serve along side the greatest men and women our country has to offer.  It was a privilege to wear our stars and stripes on my shoulder, and play a small role in a much larger tradition of greatness.  It is a privilege that I am still alive to enjoy the liberty that so many have died for.

I do not enjoy any of these privileges lightly, and it is my pledge to you that I will live each day such that I earn the right to do so.

In closing I ask that:

Until our last night on shore,

Let us drink to the foam…

Until we meet once more,

Here’s wishing you a happy voyage home!

Time, tide and formation wait for no one.  

I am now shoving off…

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,802 other followers

(06/15/2013)

Every day, the alarm clock goes off earlier than we want it to. We groggily go about some mindless morning ritual that involves some degree of packing, cleaning, eating, caffeinnating, reading, watching, or listening to news, music, or some funny video on youtube that your odd uncle, aunt, cousin, or buddy from college sent you. We go about this routine in no particular order, or for some there is a very regimented protocol, but inevitably we leave for work, the grocery store, the airport or wherever, surely a little later than we should have, or wanted to. Inevitably we find ourselves stuck between two other vehicles in a long line of others who are going nowhere in a hurry. While we glare at each other, and critique everyone else’s poor driving skills, we rotate through morning show after morning show where hosts loudly discuss the headlines of the day ranging from celebrity breakups, NFL free agency (you can be sure this topic will revolve around Tim Tebow), and of course the traffic report which you can quickly confirm by looking at the gridlock in front of you.

Eventually we make it to wherever we’re headed, and we are forced to stifle our frustrations and greet our co-workers, the grocery clerk, or the ticket agent who gladly accepts payment for the bag you were going to carry-on, but it’s a full flight, and you weren’t able to board on time.

The day drags on, and no matter how many times we check the time, it doesn’t seem to move fast enough. That is, until 3:30, where we’re of course roped into four or five conversations we don’t want to have, with people we don’t want to talk to. These conversations of course last right until 5:15, ensuring you are the last to leave the office, landing you smack dab in the middle of rush hour, again. We struggle home, only to be greeted by dishes in the sink, a mounting pile of laundry, and oh by the way, you forgot to take out the trash, again…

We all fall into this sort of routine, often living day to day, just looking forward to each weekend, aspiring to catch up on sleep and baseball, but instead getting wrapped up into household chores, fixing that thing that broke, and going to that event you can’t miss.

Every once and a while, we have an experience that awakens us from this sleepy routine. We have an experience that dramatically alters our perspective, causing us to ask questions about who we are, what’s really important, or why do we subject ourselves to the aforementioned rat race? What is it all about? This experience takes many forms. It could be something as simple as eating a bowl of cereal that brings us back to a long forgotten moment with a loved one we have lost. It could be a vacation, a movie, a book, or a thought provoking conversation brought about after a few drinks. In any case, these rare epiphanies are golden! We often resolve to call our mothers more frequently, say I love you more often, or to get in shape, or to change something about ourselves that has manifested unconsciously.

As earth shattering as these moments can be, unfortunately, we often forget our incredible lessons learned. We go back to our routines, and slowly but surely, we forget to say thank you as much, we find excuses to avoid the stair master, and our selfishness causes us to loathe all the other people stuck in gridlock for impeding our transit. How dare they go to work at the same time as me! How dare they take to the road without knowing exactly where they are going, and how dare they do such an awful job parallel parking in front of me, surely delaying me by at least 3 minutes, that I will never get back!

Each day we face challenges and circumstances that we cannot control,and often we allow these challenges and circumstances to dictate who we are and what we choose to do. It is admittedly difficult to maintain optimism and virtue during our daily routine. It is hard to take what we learned from that great book, from that heart warming movie, or that great conversation we had with mom, our buddy from college, or that chance encounter we had on the red eye back from San Francisco.

It is essential then, to establish habits that force us to continually re-evaluate our daily practices, and bring us back to our virtue. We have to find ways to breakup the daily routine into manageable bites, to find stress management techniques to keep our minds clear, and our perspectives rosy. We have to seek out ways to mitigate the mind-numbing routine, and in doing so, allow us to embrace our daily challenges and thus embrace the people and relationships we encounter and maintain each day. Life is too short to allow ourselves to fall into a routine where today is just a gateway into tomorrow.

Each time we find ourselves glancing at the clock, just waiting for five, we need to recognize that as an opportunity to flip our perspective and embrace the next hour! Budget review is never fun, and no one enjoys it, so why can’t you be the one who carries the meeting with unmatched enthusiasm? make it fun! Crack a joke or two, and embrace that as an opportunity to make the company better!

Enough syrupy optimism. The point of this blog was to talk about habits. habits are hard to make, and even harder to break, but it is our choice which ones to make or break. We can choose to start the day with a pack of cigarettes, and a greasy grand slam, or we can start each day with a 4 mile jog and a glass of orange juice. That is our choice. We all will fall into some sort of routine, and we can choose to make that routine a positive one. We can choose to incorporate a workout into our morning ritual, we can choose to leave 15 minutes early to beat the rush, we can choose to be friendly to the barista or grocer, we can choose to say I love you to our family on a daily basis… you get the point. We can dictate our routine for the better, or we can allow external circumstances to drive us. It is a challenge for sure, but I know that you are up to it!

Back to the epiphanies… Each time we have an impactful experience, if you’re like me, there is a resolution. From here on out I will always… fill in the blank. Always is tough though. Always almost always turns into the next few weeks, becoming less and less day to day until I completely forgotten what I had set out to do in the first place. That is, unless I establish a habit out of my resolution. For me, it has been helpful to keep a journal, or this blog. The desire to chronicle my life experiences in a positive manner keeps me looking at life the way I wish to write about it. I seek the virtue in the lamest of things, and I am better for it! I still fall into crappy routines, I hate traffic just like you, but daily, monthly or whenever I can, I come back to musing into my computer, and it keeps my perspective fresh.

Am I saying that you should start a blog? Well of course I think that would be wonderful, but the blog works for me. I am not you. Only you know how to make and break your own habits. Starting a blog is a terrible idea if you hate writing… Perhaps yoga is a way for you to come back to center, and introspect on who you are and what is really important. Perhaps ceramics are a way you can explore virtue on a regular basis. Whatever it is, it’s important to make a habit of it, keeping us from being swept away from our true selves, by external circumstances.

Today is not merely a pathway to tomorrow. Today is a rare and wonderful opportunity to face challenge with courage, to embrace our community with love, and to truly enjoy each moment to it’s fullest!