Your future, along with your personal and professional goals, is not as fragile as you may think. Failure is often the fertilizer that makes future success blossom. Recently, I had this principle confirmed to me by the story of nine Irishmen from the nineteenth century.
The story goes that in 1848, as Ireland was attempting to break away from England, nine young Irish rebels were captured and sentenced to death. As they were brought before Queen Victoria for punishment, she could not bear to have them executed, so she sent them to England's prison colony in Australia.
About forty years later, Queen Victoria visited Australia and was greeted by the prime minister, Sir Charles Gaven Duffy. She was shocked when he revealed that he had been one of those nine young Irishmen sentenced to die. Queen Victoria knighted him, and he became know as Lord Charles Duffy. The queen asked if Duffy had knowledge of the other eight prisoners. He informed her that they all had stayed in touch, and he told her of their accomplishments.
Thomas Francis Meagher immigrated to the United States, where he became a cattle baron and an early governor of Montana. Terrence McManus and Patrick Donahue both became generals in the United States Army, where they served with distinction. Richard O'Gorman immigrated to Canada, where he rose to become the governor general of Newfoundland. Morris Lyene and Michael Ireland both served as cabinet post members in Australia and served separately as Australia'a attorney general. D'Arc McGee became the prime minister of Canada. And, finally, John Mitchell immigrated to the United States, where he was a prominent New York politician. His son, also named John Mitchell, served as the mayor of New York City.
All of us face disappointments as well as obstacles and barriers on our different roads to success. I would not compare my problems with yours nor with those of our nine Irish friends. However, it is important to remember that we are only as big as the smallest thing it takes to divert us from our destiny.
Remember that in every defeat there lies a seed of a greater victory. Go out and find that seed, and you will live a marvelous life.
The story goes that in 1848, as Ireland was attempting to break away from England, nine young Irish rebels were captured and sentenced to death. As they were brought before Queen Victoria for punishment, she could not bear to have them executed, so she sent them to England's prison colony in Australia.
About forty years later, Queen Victoria visited Australia and was greeted by the prime minister, Sir Charles Gaven Duffy. She was shocked when he revealed that he had been one of those nine young Irishmen sentenced to die. Queen Victoria knighted him, and he became know as Lord Charles Duffy. The queen asked if Duffy had knowledge of the other eight prisoners. He informed her that they all had stayed in touch, and he told her of their accomplishments.
Thomas Francis Meagher immigrated to the United States, where he became a cattle baron and an early governor of Montana. Terrence McManus and Patrick Donahue both became generals in the United States Army, where they served with distinction. Richard O'Gorman immigrated to Canada, where he rose to become the governor general of Newfoundland. Morris Lyene and Michael Ireland both served as cabinet post members in Australia and served separately as Australia'a attorney general. D'Arc McGee became the prime minister of Canada. And, finally, John Mitchell immigrated to the United States, where he was a prominent New York politician. His son, also named John Mitchell, served as the mayor of New York City.
All of us face disappointments as well as obstacles and barriers on our different roads to success. I would not compare my problems with yours nor with those of our nine Irish friends. However, it is important to remember that we are only as big as the smallest thing it takes to divert us from our destiny.
Remember that in every defeat there lies a seed of a greater victory. Go out and find that seed, and you will live a marvelous life.
TODAY'S THE DAY!
No comments:
Post a Comment