I look at Parkinson’s as an obstacle to overcome, but Parkinson’s is not a tragedy. Events happen in life, and we attach the meaning to these events and put our own stamp on things. The solution to problems comes from within yourself, not from outside. Only you can control your behavior.
In running, people started breaking four-minute miles because they believed they could. Until something is done the first time, nobody believes it is possible and, as with Parkinson’s disease, the mind controls so much of what the body is capable of. As you go through life, you learn how to make decisions, how to get support from people and how to use the resources available to you. In my ‘toolkit’ I have lots of resources, like my strength, my fitness and my training. Those are resources that I can draw on. I also have the knowledge and skills that I obtained through managing a department at work. I have a support system of my wife, my kids, my family and my friends. Parkinson’s is merely an obstacle on the path. You need to use your own ‘toolkit’ to find a way over or around your obstacles.
Don’t give up on what you want to get done in life because you have Parkinson’s. Lack of success does not equal failure. When I look back at the things I have done, many have not worked. You can learn a lot by failing. Experiences that do not work may teach you enough so that you succeed the second time you try or you may learn that it is not something you want to pursue again. Either of these represents success, through both learning and failing.
Parkinson’s has made me a better person and provided me with a chance to express myself in a different way. It is a blessing, not a curse. It has given me a way to meet some great people and to help others. My goal in life is to help people with Parkinson’s. That is what I’ve decided is going to satisfy my ultimate ambition in life, which is to leave the world a better place than I found it. It’s like the simple rule that I learned in Boy Scouts which is, “Leave the campsite cleaner than you found it.” If I can leave the world better than I found it, I will have done my job.
Provided By: Reprinted with permission from Surviving Adversity--living with Parkinson's disease. Source: John Ball BIO: John Ball was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1983. He continues to be fully involved with Team Parkinson and has authored two books. His first book was Living Well, Running Hard and his second book is soon to be published. URL: www.survivingadversity.com
