Here is your Friday story,
Seeing Is Not Believing
I’m on a cruise in Mexico with 1800 people who came to hear Bob Proctor. As I leave the main theatre where Bob is presenting, I notice a man standing in the back with a white cane. He asks me if there is a restroom nearby. I say: “Let’s go find one.”
I take his right arm and introduce myself. He says: “My name is Denis Harting.”
When we return to the theatre we bump into Bob Proctor as he is being ushered to another speaking venue on the ship.
I say: “Bob, I’d like to introduce Denis Harting.”
Bob is clearly in a hurry but he stops, chats with Denis for a moment and says: “Mike, Denis wants to sing for everyone. Please take care of it for me.”
This confuses me; I’m not involved with the arrangements for the program.
As Bob leaves, the final speaker for the morning, Paul Martinelli, approaches us. I say: “Hi Paul, this is Denis and he is going to sing. Do you want him to go on before or after you?”
“Mike, let’s close the session with Denis.”
“Alright Paul, I’ll bring him to the stage as you are wrapping up.”
I turn to Denis and say: “Do you need to prepare?”
“I need to sing,” Denis laughs. “I haven’t sung all day!”
Denis and I leave so he can warm up.
The ship is rolling in a heavy sea as we return and I must keep one hand free to steady myself. Denis asks me to guide him onto the stage and explain its dimensions. I ask if he will be ok. He says he’ll be fine as I leave him alone on stage.
The audience grows quiet as it gazes at Denis. He is thin, five feet tall, balding with very pale white skin. Blind since birth, his eyes are closed his head is bobbing and his right hand jiggles and shakes. Denis asks everyone to clap their hands to keep rhythm and he begins singing, his voice slowly filling the packed theatre.
“I can see clearly now, the rain is gone…I can see all obstacles in my way…gone are the dark clouds that had me blind…it’s gonna be a bright, bright, bright sunshiny day.”
People are stunned. Denis’ voice is huge, warm and powerful like the Mexico sun: a bluesy, soulful mixture of Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey.
Everyone is now standing, smiling, clapping and crying as Denis’ glorious voice unfolds and the hall rings with the voices of 1000 people singing with him, “I can see clearly now…”
I am in awe of this “blind” man standing alone on a pitching stage sharing his message of love and joy. Denis taught me to never allow the physical circumstances or appearance of any situation influence what I believe can be done. Denis can’t see but he has amazing vision.
Mike Scogna
(Photograph courtesy of my brother R)
Recent Comments