I just got done reading thumpaflash latest blog entry (dated June 1st).  If you haven't read it yet, do yourself a favor and go read it RIGHT NOW. 

There's a story in my book, Tarnished Halos and Crooked Fences, about one time when I was feeling particularly sorry for myself because of my deafness and as a result, my attitude at school sucked.  Big time.  One of my teachers, Mrs. Snyder, noticed this and knew the reasonwhy, even though I didn't say a word to her.  One day, I was leaving class and she was there, sticking her finger in my face and saying, "Your hearing loss does not give you an excuse to NOT succeed!"  All I could do was gape at her as she spun around and walked away.

This happened well over 20 years ago and I STILL remember every detail like it was only yesterday.

ThumpaFlash and I often talk about something called the Thumpa Attitude.  Basically, it's an attitude of never giving up, of recognizing your God-given talents and using them to better yourself.  It means that you refuse to be a victim and you live life to the fullest degree you can.  You don't have to be the best at everything, but you do have to perform at your maximum capabilities.

So I'm thinking about the Thumpa Attitude and it hit me - Mrs. Snyder knew what the Thumpa Attitude was before we even gave it a name.  She recognized that I had the potential to do great things within me and she would be damned if she'd let me forget it.

When I was writing my book, I contacted her and asked her why she had said what she said at that particular time.

Her response?

"I knew what you were capable of.  Your hearing loss was only a limitation if you let it be.  I figured you needed to be reminded of that."

That, my friends, is the sign of someone who GETS IT.  'Ol Thumpster and I (along with a buddy of ours we call Drolz) may have named it, but she was living it.  I didn't recognize it back then, but she had just given me some of the best advice I have ever received.

Mrs. Snyder, I am in your debt.