Do what you can with all your heart and soul.
Welcome back!
Everyone Can Do Something
Roger Crawford playing tennis
Roger Crawford had everything he needed to play tennis - except two hands and a leg. When Roger’s parents saw their son for the first time, they saw a baby with a thumb-like projection extended directly out of his right forearm and a thumb and one finger stuck out of his left forearm. He had no palms. The baby’s arms and legs were shortened, and he had only three toes on his shrunken right foot and a withered left leg, which would later be amputated. The doctor said Roger suffered from ectrodactylism, a rare birth defect affecting only one out of 90,000 children born in the United States. The doctor said Roger would probably never walk or care for himself.
Fortunately Roger’s parents didn’t believe the doctor.
“My parents always taught me that I was only as handicapped as I wanted to be,” said Roger. “They never allowed me to feel sorry for myself or take advantage of people because of my handicap. Once I got into trouble because my school papers were continually late,” explained Roger who had to hold his pencil with both “hands” to write slowly. “I asked Dad to write a note to my teachers, asking for a two-day extension on my assignments. Instead Dad made me start writing my paper two days early!”
Roger’s father always encouraged him to get involved in sports, teaching Roger to catch and throw a volleyball, and play backyard football after school. At age 12, Roger managed to win a spot on the school football team.
Before every game, Roger would visualize his dream of scoring a touchdown. Then one day he got his chance. The ball landed in his arms and off he ran as fast as he could on his artificial leg toward the goal line, his coach and teammates cheering wildly. But at the ten-yard line, a guy from the other team caught up with Roger, grabbing his left ankle. Roger tried to pull his artificial leg free, but instead it ended up being pulled off.
“I was still standing up,” recalls Roger. “I didn’t know what else to do so I started hopping towards the goal line. The referee ran over and threw his hands into the air. Touchdown! You know, even better than the six points was the look on the face of the other kid who was holding my artificial leg.”
Roger’s love of sports grew and so did his self-confidence. But not every obstacle gave way to Roger’s determination. Eating in the lunchroom with the other kids watching him fumble with his food proved very painful to Roger, as did his repeated failure in typing class. “I learned a very good lesson from typing class,” said Roger. “You can’t do everything - it’s better to concentrate on what you can do.”
One thing Roger could do was swing a tennis racket. Unfortunately, when he swung it hard, his weak grip usually launched it into space. By luck, Roger stumbled upon an odd-looking tennis racket in a sports shop and accidentally wedged his finger between its double-barred handle when he picked it up. The snug fit made it possible for Roger to swing, serve and volley like an able-bodied player. He practiced every day and was soon playing - and losing - matches.
But Roger persisted. He practiced and practiced and played and played. Surgery on the two fingers of his left hand enabled Roger to grip his special racket better, greatly improving his game. Although he had no role models to guide him, Roger became obsessed with tennis and in time he started to win.
Roger went on to play college tennis, finishing his tennis career with 22 wins and 11 losses. He later became the first physically handicapped tennis player to be certified as a teaching professional by the United States Professional Tennis Association. Roger now tours the country, speaking to groups about what it takes to be a winner, no matter who you are.
“The only difference between you and me is that you can see my handicap, but I can’t see yours. We all have them. When people ask me how I’ve been able to overcome my physical handicaps, I tell them that I haven’t overcome anything. I’ve simply learned what I can’t do - such as play the piano or eat with chopsticks - but more importantly, I’ve learned what I can do. Then I do what I can with all my heart and soul.”
Author Jack Canfield
Chicken Soup for the Soul
Do what you can with all your heart and soul…and you will find that you can do more than you think.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=4a288d00-87cc-4ff2-aee8-898535937064)
It reminded me of when I was playing football and I ended up with somebody’s leg. I didn’t know he had an artificial leg, so you can imagine my surprise.
Hi J.D.
O my goodness, I can only imagine… I might got scare and let out a scream, like: “OMG, I took off his leg..”
Thanks for your comment and sharing your story.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
A perfect example of making the best out of what life has given you. That is an awesome story and something everyone should read. This has been Stumbled! Thank you so much, Giovanna, for spreading positivity and joy into the world.
Giovanna, thank you for sharing this inspiring story with us. What an amazing family. If he had not had the kind of parents that he had he would not be as far as he is in his life. Great parents made for a great son.
Dan and Deanna “Marketing Unscrambled”
Giovanna, this is a fantastic story. I loved it, it was so inspiring. Thanks for sharing it. Stumbled.
Hi Gio .. absolutely lovely - good for him .. and for going on to be a coach and spreading his abilities .. and not worrying about the things he can’t do .. and not seeing the things that many of us can’t do ..
Thanks - great incentive in this tennis season ..
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters
Thanks for this. It’s always good to be reminded of the power of the human spirit. Here is another equally compelling story for you.
http://www.maniacworld.com/are-you-going-to-finish-strong.html
So inspiring, Giovanna. Another great example of person who think beyond limitation.
Thanks for sharing with us. Stumbled.
You are very special, You will always be great, The world needs more people as You !!!
Giovanna,
You have a fantastic way of attracting the most inspiring examples of people who overcome what we see as obstacles but they only see as challenges. This reminds me of the story about Faith, the therapy dog.
Living in the moment,
Amelia
YourPetsView
This is fantastic. I’m sending it to my daughter who is missing most of one hand. She mentioned wanting to learn tennis. I find people like Roger amazing and wish I had half the drive!
Hi Nadia
Thanks for the Stumble. It makes me very happy to know that you enjoy this story. Thanks for helping me spread the message
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Deanna
You are right about his parents, they done well with him. Look what he becomes…
Thanks for your comment and sharing your thought.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Stephen
Thanks for the Stumbled
I am happy to know that his story are getting out to more people.
Thank you for your comment and support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Hilary
That is right…in life we need to focus on what we can do, not what we can not!
It is the way to greatness.
Thank you for your comment and joining the conversation.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Greg
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I enjoy the story link you left behind.
Thank you for your support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Arswino
I think it was Henry Ford who said, “if we think we can or we cannot do something, we are both right.”
Thank you for your comment and Stumbled.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi German_Gonzalez
Thank you for your comment and support.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Amelia
Thanks for your kind words. I am now going to look up the story about Faith the therapy dog
Thank you for your comment and sharing about Faith.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action
Hi Tess
I hope your daughter will take up tennis, I know it would make Roger proud
You are a very driven lady my friend! And it shows in your work.
Thank you for your comment and spreading the message.
Giovanna Garcia
Imperfect Action is better than No Action