Afterthought: Life Without Limits

As human beings, we may encounter many obstacles and setbacks on the journey of life. Sometimes we feel frustrated and don’t have enough courage to move on. In this book, Nick said,“Feeling down is natural, it is part of being perfectly human.”Just like what Percy Shelley said,“When Winter comes, can Spring be far behind?”One who can stand up again from frustration is the real hero. The Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs, once said, “We can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”The key to turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones depends on ourselves. Always remember that life is not about how to survive in the storm, but about how to dance and joy in the storm. In this book, Bethany Hamilton’s story is the best example. She was attacked by a shark and lost her left hand when she was thirteen years old. But she still enjoys the excitement that surfing brings to her after recovering. Just like what Jeremy Lin said,“God is good during our ups and downs!” It was a turning point for Bethany, which let her inspire more and more people around the world.

In the chapter “Love the Perfectly Imperfect You”, Nick mentions that most teenagers nowadays tend to follow the fads and trends and have no confidence at all. Each individual has something in which he or she excels, and God never shuts one door but he opens another. In addition, beauty is but skin deep; what is more important is inner-beauty. Just like what the fox in the Little Prince said,“Anything essential is invisible to the eyes.” This part made me think about the classic American movie“Forrest Gump.”This movie is about an unintelligent man named Forrest Gump. He wasn’t smart at all. However, he was interested in trying anything new. These experiences led him to a colorful life and a big success. So, do your best and God will do the rest.

I agreed with Nick very much about his viewpoint in the chapter“Armless But Not Harmless.” He quoted Tennyson’s poem which said,“It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”Life can not come back again, and we only have one life to experience. Limits, like fears, are often just an illusion. We should break these illusions with our wisdom and bravery. Just as the saying goes,“Gather roses while you may.”Don’t let the meaningless worry and fear hinder your deeds.

The strong will that Nick wanted to give anything a try impressed me a lot. He once said,“Today’s handicap might be tomorrow’s advantage.”It is absolutely right. I think he wouldn’t be as successful now if he had arms and legs. Man is not made for defeat, so we should keep a tenacious mind and be ready for any challenges. Just like what Napoleon said,“The man who has made up his mind to win will never say impossible.” The future belongs to those who believe in their beautiful dreams.

Nick rose above his suffering by helping others, just like Hunter Adams, who suffered great pain of losing his father and had a tendency to commit suicide when he was young. As a result, Hunter volunteered to stay in a psychiatric hospital. Fortunately, he discovered a profound sense of purpose in helping his fellow patients overcome their mental problems. From then on, he made up his mind to become a doctor and help others. Finding out his own values, the melancholia which he had suffered for many years was wiped out. It’s more blessed to give than to receive. With appreciation in mind, let’s follow their steps to benefit others!

This heart-warming book gives me a brand-new perspective on life. The essential ability to lead an optimistic life is to recognize your own value and find the purpose that God has planned for you. Thus, everything will be okay in the end. If it is not okay, it is not the end of the world!