Stacey Kramer: The best gift I ever survived

229,766 views ・ 2010-10-08

TED


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

00:16
Imagine, if you will -- a gift.
0
16260
3000
00:20
I'd like for you to picture it in your mind.
1
20260
3000
00:23
It's not too big --
2
23260
2000
00:25
about the size of a golf ball.
3
25260
2000
00:27
So envision what it looks like all wrapped up.
4
27260
3000
00:30
But before I show you what's inside,
5
30260
3000
00:33
I will tell you, it's going to do incredible things for you.
6
33260
3000
00:36
It will bring all of your family together.
7
36260
3000
00:40
You will feel loved and appreciated like never before
8
40260
3000
00:43
and reconnect with friends and acquaintances
9
43260
2000
00:45
you haven't heard from in years.
10
45260
2000
00:47
Adoration and admiration
11
47260
2000
00:49
will overwhelm you.
12
49260
3000
00:52
It will recalibrate what's most important in your life.
13
52260
3000
00:55
It will redefine your sense
14
55260
2000
00:57
of spirituality and faith.
15
57260
3000
01:00
You'll have a new understanding
16
60260
2000
01:02
and trust in your body.
17
62260
2000
01:04
You'll have unsurpassed vitality and energy.
18
64260
3000
01:07
You'll expand your vocabulary,
19
67260
2000
01:09
meet new people,
20
69260
2000
01:11
and you'll have a healthier lifestyle.
21
71260
3000
01:14
And get this --
22
74260
2000
01:16
you'll have an eight-week vacation
23
76260
2000
01:18
of doing absolutely nothing.
24
78260
3000
01:21
You'll eat countless gourmet meals.
25
81260
3000
01:24
Flowers will arrive by the truckload.
26
84260
3000
01:27
People will say to you,
27
87260
2000
01:29
"You look great. Have you had any work done?"
28
89260
3000
01:32
And you'll have a lifetime supply
29
92260
2000
01:34
of good drugs.
30
94260
3000
01:37
You'll be challenged, inspired,
31
97260
3000
01:40
motivated and humbled.
32
100260
3000
01:43
Your life will have new meaning.
33
103260
3000
01:46
Peace, health,
34
106260
2000
01:48
serenity, happiness,
35
108260
3000
01:51
nirvana.
36
111260
2000
01:53
The price?
37
113260
2000
01:55
$55,000,
38
115260
3000
01:58
and that's an incredible deal.
39
118260
3000
02:01
By now I know you're dying to know
40
121260
2000
02:03
what it is and where you can get one.
41
123260
3000
02:06
Does Amazon carry it?
42
126260
2000
02:08
Does it have the Apple logo on it?
43
128260
2000
02:10
Is there a waiting list?
44
130260
3000
02:13
Not likely.
45
133260
2000
02:15
This gift came to me about five months ago.
46
135260
3000
02:18
It looked more like this when it was all wrapped up --
47
138260
2000
02:20
not quite so pretty.
48
140260
2000
02:23
And this,
49
143260
2000
02:26
and then this.
50
146260
3000
02:29
It was a rare gem --
51
149260
2000
02:31
a brain tumor,
52
151260
2000
02:33
hemangioblastoma --
53
153260
3000
02:36
the gift that keeps on giving.
54
156260
3000
02:39
And while I'm okay now,
55
159260
2000
02:41
I wouldn't wish this gift for you.
56
161260
2000
02:43
I'm not sure you'd want it.
57
163260
2000
02:45
But I wouldn't change my experience.
58
165260
3000
02:48
It profoundly altered my life
59
168260
3000
02:51
in ways I didn't expect
60
171260
2000
02:53
in all the ways I just shared with you.
61
173260
2000
02:55
So the next time you're faced
62
175260
2000
02:57
with something that's unexpected,
63
177260
3000
03:00
unwanted and uncertain,
64
180260
3000
03:03
consider
65
183260
2000
03:05
that it just may be a gift.
66
185260
3000
03:08
(Applause)
67
188260
3000
About this website

This site will introduce you to YouTube videos that are useful for learning English. You will see English lessons taught by top-notch teachers from around the world. Double-click on the English subtitles displayed on each video page to play the video from there. The subtitles scroll in sync with the video playback. If you have any comments or requests, please contact us using this contact form.

https://forms.gle/WvT1wiN1qDtmnspy7