An extraordinary lesson from Jessica Cox.

Still on the words “I can’t.” Have you ever stop to think about the things that you cannot do if you don’t have your arms? I’m sure you can come up with a long list of activities that need both arms to accomplish. Driving, surfing and dancing are some of the activities that will need hands and foot coordination.

So what will you do if you don’t have arms? Will you just accept your fate and blame it all to God? Will you turn to self-pity and feel miserable all your life?

Apparently, these are not all the options available. If you haven’t heard of Filipino-American Jessica Cox then it’s time for you to meet this extraordinary person! She was born without arms and yet she did not let this disability stop her from reaching her dreams. She became the world’s first licensed armless pilot!

She truly exemplifies the Filipinos' perseverance in the face of hardship and the ability to rise above adversities. Jessica is in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the first armless pilot in the world. Early this year, she offered her medal to Pope Benedict XVI when she met the Pope in the Vatican.

Aside from being a licensed pilot, Jessica also drives her car and is a certified scuba diver. She also learned to surf while she was in Hawaii. She also enjoys gymnastics and swimming, and holds a double black belt in Taekwondo.

She is now an accomplished motivational speaker and has traveled across the US telling her story.

Jessica was born in Tucson, Arizona but her mother hails from Samar.

She said that “with desire, persistence and fearlessness, we can do anything.”

So next time you feel that all the odds are against you and you feel like saying “I can’t do this” or “I can’t do that,” think of Jessica Cox and realize how lucky you are that you have all your arms and other body parts and all the God-given talents working for you. We all have our own challenges but we are also given the choice whether we let it stand in the way or look at it as an opportunity to succeed. The choice is ours.

I just found out that Jessica Cox has a number of videos on YouTube. Below is one of her inspiring videos when she was featured on Inside Edition: