Draw Strength from Paul Alexander.

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Creative writer, musicologist, poet and a crypto lover

2 years ago

In community: Just Write(e5e5)

I could have said it was not true if I did not watch or even carry out some research about him. Life happens to us in different ways and shapes just as we see right from birth. Some are given the gift of tallness while others are blessed with either handsomeness or extraordinary beauty. This is not in any way there making yet others do not feel so lucky about themselves. I may not be the most handsome but I have learnt to appreciate what I have been given and it is in my appreciation that others beginning to love me the way I am. What am I saying? You cannot expect others to love you the way you are if you do not consciously love and appreciate yourself not minding whatever disability you may have. Don’t forget that life happens to us in different ways but we can only be happy if and when we choose to.

Paul Alexander

This is a true story and it is one of a kind which I believe a lot of us who are already giving up in life should draw strength from. The first time I read about it I felt it was some sort of fiction or a storyline but after carrying out some research over the internet, I found out that the story is what it is. Some of us must have watched the movie the Iron Mask or some others alike. Now, when you look at this particular story I am about to talk about in this post you will understand that it is not the same as the iron mask. This story is the kind of story everyone should read or listen to because by so doing, you will begin to appreciate your life and existence irrespective of the setbacks you face every day.

Paul Alexander was born in the year 1946 and six years after his birth he contracted polio in 1952. Can you imagine such a story for a young child who was yet to enjoy the good things of life? I may not be wrong to say that he did not enjoy his childhood stage because most of us know what polio is and how it affects children. This was how the life of young Paul turned out just at age six. He became paralyzed and was only able to move his neck, head and mouth. Just imagine yourself not having the ability to move your entire body apart from your neck, head and mouth? I guess a whole number of us would give up and not fight to survive. His paralysis almost cost him his life if not for a doctor who noticed that he was not breathing and rushed him into an iron lung to help him breathe.

His story is filled with great exploits which will make every one of us reading this marvel at such a strong will to survive not minding the condition. What Paul did was not just fighting to survive, he went ahead to study and the story said that he began to memorise things instead of writing them down. While I was reading this particular paragraph of how he was able to study, I began to imagine. How was he able to live above the pains and stress of each day to allow his mind to focus on studying not just by writing but by memorising things? I have seen situations where students who are not physically challenged, who have access to the best luxury a child can imagine, who attend the best of schools and yet end up not doing well in school.

This boils down to individual resolve to achieve success irrespective of the odds. At 21, he graduated second in his class from W.W. Samuell High, becoming the first person to graduate from a Dallas high school without physically attending a class. Mind you, this was a class where children who had no form of physical challenge were and yet he came second in the entire class. He did not just end there because from his story I found out that he bagged a law degree and took his oath as a lawyer in 1986. This is the height of it all. In all this academic attainment, he was still battling to survive through the use of the iron lung which has been his breathing add since he contracted polio in 1952. He wrote a book (Three Minutes for a Dog) using a plastic stick and a pen to tap out his story on the keyboard or dictating the words to his friend.

I believe you are beginning to look at yourself differently just as you have read through the story of Paul Alexander. The very first question you must ask yourself at this point is; when the going gets tough do you give up or do you keep fighting to win? I watched a video clip where he was asked what his dreams was and he said; “to not let polio defeat me but to defeat polio”. If you are reading this and you find yourself struggling in one thing or the other please just like Paul resolve not to allow your challenges to defeat you rather defeat your challenges as much as you can. This story is for every one of us and we all must try as much as possible to stop giving up when the going gets tough because just like the words of Paul; we can do anything not minding the challenges if we set our minds to it”. I want you to know that success is of the mind and not of the head.

May this story inspire all of us to be the best we want to be in life. See you at the top.

Watch the video below to see things for yourself.