Living Wisdom

Orchids Galore! Ginter Botanical Garden. Copyright 2012:  singeronthesand

Dear friend, take my advice.  It will add years to your life.

I'm writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way;

I don't want you ending up in blind alleys,

or wasting time making wrong turns.

Hold tight to good advice; don't relax your grip.

Proverbs 4:10-11

Brad Snyder's father tried to impart as much wisdom as possible to his lively, rebellious son.  He continually preached to his son to "...leave things better than you found it," and "...everything is about service to something higher than yourself."  His father believed that there were lots of things that you did simply because it was the right thing to do. He urged Brad into competitive swimming, believing that the discipline would be an excellent schoolroom for his son. This training/upbringing formed Brad into a young man who applied and received acceptance to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he swam competitively for the Navy.

After graduation, Brad became an EOD - an explosive ordinance disposal officer.  As a bomb expert, he was in high demand in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In April of last year, he was running to assist soldiers wounded by a roadside bomb when he stepped on the tripwire of a second device planted in the same ditch. The bomb exploded in his face - bursting his right eye and destroying his left eye with shrapnel, plunging him into permanent darkness.  Coming home, he found that he had to relearn how to do almost everything.  When doctors told him that his blindness was permanent, he said, "Ok.  What now?  How do we go on from here?  What do I need to do next?"  He found that life in pitch darkness was beyond tough everywhere except in the swimming pool.  There, he found peace and normality.

Leaning on his father's wisdom and his own belief in himself, Brad has fought back from darkness to the light of a fulfilled life.  This week, he is competing for a spot on the U.S. Paralympics swim team that will be competing in London at the World World Paralympics.  The final team roster will be announced this Sunday.  I hope that Brad and his wonderful, smiling countenance are right at the top of the list.