[paula_w]

A few members of the forum have been talking about spirituality and how it helps [ in all areas of life] them cope with this wretched condition. My faith has suffered from my years of advocacy and being on the internet. Advocacy has kept me very busy and completely distracted from the word that used to guide me quite a bit.

I have a need to return to that word, and have reflected on it a lot during a beautiful 3 weeks spent in the Pacific northwest. My brother lives in Seattle and I talked with Rosebud, spent time with Carey and another friend from Portland who was a GDNF trial participant. I met several times with Bill Bell, of the Northwest Parkinson Foundation and went to an excellent support group meeting - what smart, nice movers and shakers. I wonder if some are here - I know Dave A. was there.

It's hard not to reflect on things of faith when in the mountains walking back to a cirque in the woods with my new walking stick, a gift from Bill. The solitude and magnificent beauty brings out the most peaceful inner parts of our souls - which is what makes us different from a dog, or a horse.

PD and advocacy took me to great places and I met wonderful people. But in the end, I am an advocate in nature of the kind described by Susan B. Anthony in Carey's signature line. I tried playing by others' rules, looking the other way at half truths; and it's not me. Getting older and sicker magnifies the transparency and self serving in worldly goals and behaviors, rendering them meaningless.

I can't muster up the hatred that is being created for Sarah Palin. We are told to honor our leaders, and then we will be honored. I'm not responsible for their success or failure; I am responsible for how I am honored in the end.

What is my point? I don't really have one. I really like Carey's signature line, and recognize how much is wrong with the world because of people who are afraid and have priorities that will never fix the problems.

By the way, someone needs to start a campaign to make churches more accessible to the handicapped. They surely aren't. Do they consider us a distraction? bigger sinners cause we're sick? But I digress.

may as well ramble, nothing much else going on; take care of yourselves first,

paula

[lurkingforacure]

I read somewhere that the difference between being religious and being spiritual is that religious people fear hell, while spiritual people have already lived through it. I have a lot of thoughts about spirituality, especially with the PD card we have been dealt, as I am sure many here do. No need to get into all of those, I just wanted to share this, because for some reason I cannot explain, this distinction between religion and spirituality gives me comfort.

One thing PD does is force you to focus your energy and attention on those things that are most important to you, which unfortunately also exposes a great many problems in this world, of which we previously might have been blissfully unaware. I can't believe some of the things I used to think were important, now THAT was sick!

I may be going out on a limb posting on this, but if anyone gets comfort from this distinction, it's worth it. Sorry if anyone is offended.

[lou_lou]

going to church doesnt make you a christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car...

[stevem53]

Spirituality has helped me tremedously in accepting my everyday life as it is on its own terms..Spirituality has no boundaries or restictions..To me spirituality is about gaining truth, humility, understanding, and enlightenment through the trials and errors encountered in the journey of life..Leaning how to let go and to live in the moment, and knowing that everything is exactly as it is supposed to be at any given moment..That there is a supreme power that presides over my life that has a divine plan that I need not have to understand..I strive to be open minded and accepting of God's will, while I aim for progress rather than perfection

[lindylanka]

Without working on the spiritual side of being I do not think I would have weathered the crises in my life, though some of them did knock me back badly, sometimes for many years. The way I look at it the knocks we take are part of the path, and not separate from it. So walking is harder, both spiritually and in reality, but the path is still there, under any name, and always accessible if only I can see it. Which of course, sometimes I can't......

Thanks for raising this, Paula , our innate S-side is surely the source of ethical clarity, whether we are humanist, religious, or just tryers wishing to affect things in a positive way.........

lindy

[bandido1]

Paula: your eloquent thoughts triggered some profound replies. I often wish i could express myself as well as those who shared their views.Suffice to say whether it is expressed as religious, spiritual,humanist,altruistic or whatever---advocacy for matters that elevate the wellbeing of us all are laudable lifetime objectives. 0h by the way what happened to the group who wanted to be movers & shakers in pursiut of wider PD org. collaboration regarding funding for research?

[chasmo]

Originally Posted by CTenaLouise

going to church doesnt make you a christian anymore than standing in a garage makes you a car...

and all this time i thought i was a Ferrari.............

[paula_w]

Bandido said, "0h by the way what happened to the group who wanted to be movers & shakers in pursiut of wider PD org. collaboration regarding funding for research?"

We're still here. I think everyone should be back from vacations and travels. It's probably time to give Doc John a PM about it.

I think the nature of these responses demonstrate understanding of what human nature has to offer in all of its facets and levels.

I'm answering Bandido - not trying to bring this thread to a conclusion. I love these responses - they are eloquent. Some day, thoughts may be all we have left....a scary thought indeed without defining our spirituality in some way.

paula

[rosebud]

I heard or read some where recently that the people who do well under the crunch of life altering crisis generally fall into one of these 3 groups...

1.) people who are committed to a 12 step program of some type

2.)People who work the land (farmers etc) and who understand the cycles and seasons of life.

3.) people who have a solid spiritual base and believe there is more than this life in the "Big Picture".

We all know life can be very challenging, and those challenges are often relative. For example, I have a friend who makes my life look like a stroll in the park. She has been poor as a church mouse most of her life, stricken with polio as a child, married a man who suffers from chronic depression, and later cancer. Two of her 4 children have been diagnosed with serious health issues: her daughter with juvenile arthritis, her son with the same chronic depression his father has. Andrea has been the main support of her family most of her married life. She struggled and got her masters in Early Childhood Education. You get the picture. It is humbling to be in her presence. She got up in church one day to tell us all about how blessed she was and thankful for the love she feels from God. She was walking past the bakery earlier that week, and could smell fresh donuts. She wanted one sooooo bad but had no money. She was wearing an old sweater she hadn't worn in some time, and feeling s bit cold she put her hands in her pockets and pulled the sweater tighter around her. She found a lump of paper in one pocket. She pulled it out and it was a rolled up $1. bill. So she bought herself a donut. She made a point of thanking God. Both directly and then shared the story with us. She is miles ahead of me in the spirituality department. But she is a tremendous inspiration to everyone who meets her. Most of us wouldn't think twice about the price of a single glazed donut. Just stop and be GRATEFUL for one minute each day and your life will be better. I know it.

Thanks for starting this thread Paula...you are a sweetheart. So sorry I couldn't make it down to see you.

Love to all of you who support me in my moments of insanity....and always have a kind word. You are appreciated!

[ol'cs]

I do believe-
That i'm going to die someday
I do believe
That PD wont bother me when I'm dead
I do believe
That anyone or anything can hurt me when I'm dead
I do believe
That i won't know it when I'm dead.
I hope
That somehow there is Something other than nothing

I'll never know
Until the time comes

So, i ask myself, while i'm alive, why are things the way they are? Why do people act the way they do? Why do people choose a bad path to a good path in life? Why do we let intrinsically trivial things upset us so much?

I know
That something created the Universe
I don't know
If whatever it was that created the Univese cares about it.
I wish
I knew the answers to all my questions

I'll be glad
If I get the chance to be able to get answers to all the questions
If not-
Then please- NO reincarnation, one life like this one is enough!!!