“The Promise” – A Texas Story of Redemption

Sundanceh
Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
So, there is a good story that has been buried in my Expressions page that many of you are probably not aware of - it’s called “The Promise.”

It probably is still the greatest story of my life and represents many things to me, even after much time has passed. I thought you might find it an interesting read.

First and foremost, it’s a “Story of Redemption.”

It’s a Texas tale about a man who refused to take NO for an answer in his quest to reach out and touch greatness through another one of his vivid dreams. A story about Time and Patience – and how a man stayed focused on a nearly 3-year journey to making one of his dreams try and become a reality.

It’s the story of a man, who wanted to make the most of his (then) second chance at redeeming his life after being touched by cancer and fulfilling a ‘promise’ that he made to himself as they wheeled him down the hall on a gurney, for what he thought was the last time.

It’s a story of the human spirit and how it can triumph over tremendous odds and the refusal to not completely let cancer dictate the entire story. It’s a story about a “Billion to None” shot at the story ever turning out like it did – and how lives were changed by the process of doing so.

At the heart of the story, it tells us about one man’s naïveté to believe that the impossible could be done and that one could reach out and touch greatness through dreams, persistence, tenacity, and the overwhelming need for him to reach out beyond what he was – to try and be what he wanted to be.

It's a story about a dream - and then having the hope and belief that it would work out by taking action and bringing the story to life - the story about creating "something out of nothing" and giving it a life of its own, so that it could stand on its own two feet.

In the end, it comes down to a "Promise" that I made to myself only - just a pact I made that day that if I survived the surgery, then I was going to follow through on my plan to try and fulfill and live out something that cancer had tried to take away from me.

It’s relevant from the standpoint, that it is one of the early pieces I wrote after I was dx'd with cancer…my voice having been stifled for 25-years by an errant professor who told me that my writing was no good.

It is the “Awakening” of that part of my soul that had been killed – a story about the rebirth of a man – a man whom you have come to know through his writings on this board. A man who stood up and had the vision to follow through on the promise he made to himself as he went down that hallway.

And it’s just a good old-fashioned story…I hope you will like it.

This story will serve as a preface for another story that I’m quite sure I will write about in the coming days…so I wanted you to be in on it from the beginning, so you wouldn’t be lost if I told that story.

In Expressions, you will also see the work done on the project and the product that was actually delivered to the band.

From this story, I think you will walk away understanding a little bit more about me and the drive that I can bring when I get my mind set on something…just imagine if I can do this on my own – what could I do if someone actually stood behind me and backed me?

“I’m a dreamer – but if your dreams are not bigger than you are – then there’s something wrong with your dream.”

Here is the link to the story. So now, for your reading pleasure, I’m proud to bring you the greatest story in my life – “The Promise.”

http://csn.cancer.org/node/170292

Love,
Craig

Comments

  • Lovekitties
    Lovekitties Member Posts: 3,364 Member
    Dear Craig
    Thank you so much for pointing us to "The Promise" and for sharing such a story with us.

    Of course it only goes to reinforce what we knew all along...you get your teeth in something and you will see it to the end!

    Just goes to prove that no dream is too big...no dream is too hard...as long as you are willing to give it all you have.

    Hugs and love,

    Marie who loves kitties
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Wow
    Back in 2009, and mine was your first response. Was just thinking of your first avatar when reading your post above and remember you wrote about it and then it made sense. Forgot all about that until now. You have a lot of gifts and talents with your music and writing and I'm sure there is so much more that we all don't know about.

    Hugs! Kim
  • jjaj133
    jjaj133 Member Posts: 867 Member
    amazing my friend, simply
    amazing my friend, simply amazing. put the cd in your book. People love 2fers.
    Hugs,
    Judy
  • thxmiker
    thxmiker Member Posts: 1,278 Member
    Keep inspiring us
    The lesson is that your art of expression either intimidated, or was not someone else's tastes. Mozart was told he had to many notes (moved to fast) in his music. LOL

    Your art, Your expression!

    The story of your writing is totally relatable to the challenges of the Big C. Cancer is fought on many levels and many battle fronts. Everyone's journey a little different. One has to get proactive and do what is working and change what is not working. Everyone's journey is similar but different. Can anyone imagine if all art was the same? All music just had 4 notes?

    Best Always, mike
  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    thxmiker said:

    Keep inspiring us
    The lesson is that your art of expression either intimidated, or was not someone else's tastes. Mozart was told he had to many notes (moved to fast) in his music. LOL

    Your art, Your expression!

    The story of your writing is totally relatable to the challenges of the Big C. Cancer is fought on many levels and many battle fronts. Everyone's journey a little different. One has to get proactive and do what is working and change what is not working. Everyone's journey is similar but different. Can anyone imagine if all art was the same? All music just had 4 notes?

    Best Always, mike

    Craig
    I read your beautiful story. It was so nice to see that someone actually "cared" for a change. I am also an Alison fan. I have 11 of her cd's.

    I am confident that someone will care about your book also. It's just a matter of the right person reading the manuscript.

    Luv,

    Wolfen
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    thxmiker said:

    Keep inspiring us
    The lesson is that your art of expression either intimidated, or was not someone else's tastes. Mozart was told he had to many notes (moved to fast) in his music. LOL

    Your art, Your expression!

    The story of your writing is totally relatable to the challenges of the Big C. Cancer is fought on many levels and many battle fronts. Everyone's journey a little different. One has to get proactive and do what is working and change what is not working. Everyone's journey is similar but different. Can anyone imagine if all art was the same? All music just had 4 notes?

    Best Always, mike

    "Too Many Notes..."
    That's brilliant, Mike...I remember that in the movie Amadeus.

    That's what my problem is..."too many notes"...I'm just "too" for alot of folks to handle:)

    Thanks for your post and spot-on commentary..."you get it."

    -Craig
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    wolfen said:

    Craig
    I read your beautiful story. It was so nice to see that someone actually "cared" for a change. I am also an Alison fan. I have 11 of her cd's.

    I am confident that someone will care about your book also. It's just a matter of the right person reading the manuscript.

    Luv,

    Wolfen

    "Cared"
    Yep, there was someone there that did 'care' - and at that time, it affirmed my belief that there are still folks that do - that can take a step out of their way and make something happen that could change the life of another one for the better - if they so choose to do it.

    Alison is simply the best...I'm going to record a song soon and put it out on YouTube with me singing a duet with one of her songs...I'll make sure I let you know...you just gotta' promise not to laugh - or not so loud that I can hear you all the way down here in Tejas:)

    LOL!

    Luv/Craig
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member

    Wow
    Back in 2009, and mine was your first response. Was just thinking of your first avatar when reading your post above and remember you wrote about it and then it made sense. Forgot all about that until now. You have a lot of gifts and talents with your music and writing and I'm sure there is so much more that we all don't know about.

    Hugs! Kim

    Kim
    Yep, I came across your smiling face and I remember that conversation so well...just a few days after I landed here...we sure have seen alot of things together during that time, haven't we?

    You know I'm revealing myself slowly - if I was to give it all to you at once...you'd lock your back door and run for your life:)

    LOL!

    -Craig
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member

    Dear Craig
    Thank you so much for pointing us to "The Promise" and for sharing such a story with us.

    Of course it only goes to reinforce what we knew all along...you get your teeth in something and you will see it to the end!

    Just goes to prove that no dream is too big...no dream is too hard...as long as you are willing to give it all you have.

    Hugs and love,

    Marie who loves kitties

    Marie
    Perhaps the "book dream" is too big - but I'm still attacking it with the same fervor I did with this project...I will give it all I have - cuz that's all that I have to give.

    ((Marie))
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    jjaj133 said:

    amazing my friend, simply
    amazing my friend, simply amazing. put the cd in your book. People love 2fers.
    Hugs,
    Judy

    Judy
    We're trying to get people interested in the book - not scare 'em away with my voice:)

    LOL!
  • Sundanceh
    Sundanceh Member Posts: 4,392 Member
    Thanks for Reading Everyone...
    :)
  • Kenny H.
    Kenny H. Member Posts: 502 Member
    Sundanceh said:

    Thanks for Reading Everyone...
    :)

    No thank you Craig. You
    No thank you Craig. You write very well & have that natural talent for it.
    Dont ever give up on your book project. I cant imagine all the red-tape & B/S trying to get something like that published. I wish I knew what to say or do to help other than I will be in line to purchase a copy.

    Good luck & hugs from a fellow Texan. (south)

    Kenny.
  • pepebcn
    pepebcn Member Posts: 6,331 Member
    Kenny H. said:

    No thank you Craig. You
    No thank you Craig. You write very well & have that natural talent for it.
    Dont ever give up on your book project. I cant imagine all the red-tape & B/S trying to get something like that published. I wish I knew what to say or do to help other than I will be in line to purchase a copy.

    Good luck & hugs from a fellow Texan. (south)

    Kenny.

    Been reading " the promise" , what a great adventure,what a
    great writer ,and what a stubborn you are,lol, but a stubborn that can achieve whatever he wants , congratulations Craig , and thanks for sharing tis nice reading!
    Hugs my friend.
  • jjaj133
    jjaj133 Member Posts: 867 Member
    Sundanceh said:

    Judy
    We're trying to get people interested in the book - not scare 'em away with my voice:)

    LOL!

    I know better than that. All
    I know better than that. All those years? Not if you had a lousy voice. ; )
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    Sundanceh said:

    Kim
    Yep, I came across your smiling face and I remember that conversation so well...just a few days after I landed here...we sure have seen alot of things together during that time, haven't we?

    You know I'm revealing myself slowly - if I was to give it all to you at once...you'd lock your back door and run for your life:)

    LOL!

    -Craig

    Your Personal Journey
    You have given us such a glimpse of what you are, but knowing you, you have so much more to offer us. Thanks for all your self throughout the years.

    Kim
  • smokeyjoe
    smokeyjoe Member Posts: 1,425 Member
    pepebcn said:

    Been reading " the promise" , what a great adventure,what a
    great writer ,and what a stubborn you are,lol, but a stubborn that can achieve whatever he wants , congratulations Craig , and thanks for sharing tis nice reading!
    Hugs my friend.

    (((CRAIG)))

    (((CRAIG)))