On Listening to Christopher Reeve Speak

Today I had the great opportunity to sit in on the first day of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO) "Making a Difference" Seminar and deliver a few comments as an alumni of the NFTE program. The requirements to be a YPO member are having a corporation with 50+ employees or a value of $10,000,000+. Needless to say, it was a great opportunity. I made two contacts that I will stay in touch with.

In addition, Christopher Reeve was a speaker. Some ruminations on his speech are:

• A lot of people give to charities as a reaction to a life-threatening experience. For example, if somebody close to you died of cancer, you would be much more likely to donate to the American Cancer Society.

  One of Christopher Reeve's main points is that we shouldn't be reactive and wait for something bad to happen and then choose a charity. We should be proactive and take time to imagine what it is to be like in other people's shoes. With over 1/3 of the world population living on less than $1/day (1985 purchasing power), I think that this is an extremely important message.
  
  

• Since his accident over 8 years ago, he has made a really large difference in paralysis research that has affected millions of people. One audience member asked him whether he would choose the same fate or make the jump on his horse like he did every other time. His answer, which reflects his honesty, was that he would not choose the same fate and that he isn't O.K. in the wheel chair. He said that he has learned to adapt, but that he isn't in some exalted place where being in a wheel chair was great. I appreciate this answer because of its hope. Whether we are in a wheel chair or not, it is so much easier to compromise for the status quo and settle for less than is possible than it is to reach for a vision that nobody else sees or believes in. Although it must be difficult, he believes that he will walk again and he is acting on that belief.