I’m continuing my series of blogs on inspirational speakers with inspirational stories.  Let’s see if we can lift everyone’s spirits during this holiday season by sharing some inspiration! 

Thanks to those who’ve sent suggestions.  I’ve received a number that are fantastic — stay tuned and keep ’em coming!  No politics please – of course there are many great political speakers, but they’re too divisive.

I’m stretching the category a little with this entry:  Melissa Etheridge, who after all sings her piece.  But if you didn’t see her performance of “Piece of my Heart,” during a tribute to Janis Joplin (with Joss Stone) at the Grammys a couple of years back, you missed one of the most inspirational musical performances in memory.  Why?  Melissa was undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer at the time, and wasn’t even sure that she would be able to perform, let alone pour her heart into the song as she did.

The clip opens with Joss Stone, and she’s very good, but when Melissa hits the stage, you witness courage and heart personified.  Enjoy!