Believing in the Impossible and Expressing Deep Gratitude to all my Earth Angels

One evening this past week, I read Gail Lindey’s “Believing Impossible Things.” If I judge by the tears that ran over my face throughout the reading, Gail’s words and powerful personal stories touched me and inspired me deeply. Very sadly, Gail left this world earlier this year. She was an architect who, among many other things, was very active in the field of integrated design and was instrumental in the creation of the US Green Building Council’s LEED building rating system. (You can learn more about Gail on the Delving Deeper website). Her credentials, however, tell us very little about the exceptional woman she was.

In “Believing Impossible Things,” Gail talks about the “Spirit of Sustainability,” which she suggests requires a strong belief in five principles: Choice, Truth, Power, Fun and Laughter, and Love and Gratitude. (See how she defined these principles at the end of this post.)

In the section on Power, she recalls a particular “earth angel” in her life – a medical intern whom she met in a hospital while she was being treated for a brain aneurysm when she was in her twenties. (Note: Gail borrowed the term “earth angels” from Lance Armstrong who used it to refer to his nurse while he was treated for cancer.) That night, while she felt desperate and had lost the desire to live any longer, this man told her his own story; he told her about how his belief in the impossible helped him to survive while he faced his own death. This man and the story he told gave Gail the courage to believe in the impossible and the hope and strength she needed at this challenging time in her life.

We all have met earth angels at some point or another in our lives. As I read Gail’s story, I thought about all the earth angels in my own life who, at difficult times, with a few words of encouragement, a positive attitude, a smile, or a story, gave me the hope and strength I needed to continue the journey. To all my earth angels, in the past and in the future, I want to express my deepest gratitude. You have made a huge difference in my life and, while I may never be able to give you back in a similar way, I wish and hope that I can be an earth angel myself, at times, when someone needs the support.

And, with Gail, and in her own words, I too want to say:

“I DO believe in the impossible.

I believe empty grounds can be made rich.

I DO believe:
• We can change ourselves and how we choose to view and live life. (Choice)
• We can find our own personal truths and share these with others yet also allow others to find their own paths and share. (Truth)
• We can share the fact that there is no limitation to the journey of the human spirit by constantly and consistently empowering ourselves as well as others. (Power)
• We can laugh and giggle 400 (or more) times a day even as adults! (Fun and Laughter)
• We can remember our oneness with all life and be grateful for that oneness. (Love and Gratitude)

I believe in the impossible and I practice believing everyday. (Sometimes even before breakfast!)

I believe in the Spirit of Sustainability and I believe that it can propel us to new levels in our evolution.

Yes, I believe in the “Spirit of (not just) Sustainability (but also) Abundance and Love.”

How about you?”

(The section above is an excerpt from the Conclusion of “Believing Impossible Things”)