Rewriting his own script

Real People, Real Stories

Guideposts magazine features true inspirational stories—some told by celebrities, others submitted by readers. Some excerpts from recent articles:

At the black belt presentation ceremony Master Park brought out five boards lashed together. “Break them,” he told me. Suddenly I heard a whisper of the fear that had once held me back. And just as suddenly a verse entered my mind: “I can do all things. …” I leaned back on my left leg, bracing myself on the knee I’d so badly injured. Would it hold? I kicked my right leg straight out in one quick, fluid motion. CRAACK! All five boards splintered down the center.

—from “Black Belt Mom,” by Sherie Huffman, October 2011

Life as a mixed-race child in a poor family wasn’t easy. “Ann, this is good for you,” Dad would say when I complained. “Trials and tribulations make you stronger.” He got tired of hearing all five of his kids whine. One day he announced, “The next person who says, ‘That’s not fair’ is going to drop and do ten push-ups. I don’t care where we are.” Doing 10 on the sidewalk in front of a bunch of people? We did it, and learned quickly whining didn’t accomplish anything.

—from “An Act of Faith,” by Today news anchor Ann Curry, March 2010

“It’ll be awesome, Dad,” Angus said. “Will you go with us this year? We can watch the fireworks.”

I had to suppress a shudder. My wife, April, shot me a worried look. “Angus,” she said, “remember, Daddy needs to leave before the fireworks!”

Angus’s face fell. “Oh yeah.”

It might seem strange that a thing that brings so much joy to a seven-year-old would strike fear into the heart of a grown man—especially an ex-soldier. But I hadn’t attended a Fourth of July celebration in six years.

—from “If Only for My Son,” by Patrick Coble, July 2011