Day 1232

Sam believes in us. With that belief comes trust, loyalty and love. It is a two-way street…we believe in our boy as well. Through classes, training, certification and early Therapy Dog visits, our confidence in Sammy helped him through. He knows he is a “Good Boy” because we tell him all the time!

There have been people in my life who have believed in me. Their absolute confidence in my success with many endeavors has been instrumental in any accomplishment I can claim. When I have doubted myself, they have stood firm in their belief in my ability to succeed. What a gift.

As I was writing, a memory surfaced of a sailing adventure with one of my biggest cheerleaders. My dad and I headed out on Pelican Lake sailing our M-16 sailboat with me at the tiller. The sky was blue and the wind blowing from the west created a perfect situation for a voyage straight out and back to the beach. We headed due north with a steady breeze when the wind suddenly shifted to the north. It picked up with an intensity that made me look at my first mate with unease. He just smiled and said, “You’ve got this, Honey!” I turned into the wind and headed west. By now, whitecaps had appeared and were getting bigger by the minute. We took the jib down to slow our speed, but it didn’t make a difference. All of a sudden, a gust hit from the side and one of our staywires pulled the top of the boat from the bottom. I was terrified! With a gaping hole in the boat, we were heeling over with water splashing into the hull. I yelled over the wind and flapping sail for Dad to drop the main sail. He smiled again and said, “A true sailor never gives up. Just tack back and forth and we will be fine.” By now, I was crying, but my father’s faith in me gave me courage and fortitude . After a LONG time, we beached the boat on our own shore! He was right…I could do it!

His (and others') belief in me has made me strong and resilient. I take that gift and try to do the same for others in my sphere of people. Helping people believe in themselves is simply my way of “paying it forward.”

Having your own cheerleading section guides your life. It is also a guidebook to being a mentor to others. Grab the chance to help solidify someone’s belief in themselves! It is a gift worth “regifting!”