Many of us who have had serious challenges would like not only to survive our suffering, but to thrive as a result. Dr. Paul Pearsall offers this inspirational example.

The Beethoven Factor
by Paul Pearsall

 "There stood Beethoven, gravely ill and totally deaf. Eyes closed, he kept conducting the orchestra even after they had ceased their performance and the audience had risen to its feet in thunderous applause. As a singer stepped from the choir to turn him around to see those whose shouts of "bravo" resonated throughout the concert hall, tears of elation filled his eyes. Perhaps the worst loss a composer could experience had been the catalyst for a remarkably adaptive creativity that allowed his to transcend his tortures to become immersed in the thrill of conducting the premiere of his Ninth Sympathy, the "Ode to Joy."  At that moment, and not only in spite of but because of his adversity, Beethoven had experienced the thrill of thriving through adversity."

Hi Brian,

Beethoven was an amazing, amazing man.  I simply cannot imagine overcoming and thriving with that kind of adversity probably because I have never been that type of situation at least not to the degree he was, so I really don't know what I would do or how I would react.  This could creat quite an interesting topic of conversation, Brian.  So, I will be back!

Thanks