perspective

I continue to be amazed by Jill Taylor's story. She had brain surgery to remove a clot in the first month after her stroke. And she was able to travel and make a professional presentation to an audience after three months.

I was barely able to speak and form coherent thoughts three months after I had a stroke. It took me almost a year to speak to an audience in my Toastmasters club. I have been happy and proud that I have been able to resume training officers in my local Toastmasters district, mostly marketing and public relations. Last week I made a two-hour presentation to a good-size audience that included many friends and long-time Toastmasters. It went well and it felt good. It was probably the first time that I performed as I know I can.

Though I am amazed by the differences in our stories, I think it is our shared experiences that really impress me. There is a lesson here about the complexity and the flexibility of our brains. There is an even more important lesson about our desire to be and to share.