“I have  fought the good fight, I have finished the race- I have kept the FAITH!”

~2 Timothy 4:7

I feel like I have been gone from you a long time and perhaps by the standards of today where everything is done in a hurry and we want things yesterday…I have.

But, sometimes in order to continue serving and working we must take time to replenish our soul. So, this is precisely what I have being doing the last month and 1/2 to be a better motivational speaker and writer but above all a much better person. Of course, I took time to celebrate another wonderful year of life. I am particularly grateful to say I am getting to that age where age is just a state of mind and not an actual number since 10 years ago I was told I might not be around longer than 6 months!

All the traveling I have done over the last 7 months doing women & PD  work along with motivational speaking to various Parkinson’s groups has been a wonderful experience allowing me to meet all sorts of incredible women  and people across the country who are living with and caring for loved ones with PD.

You women are my source of inspiration- women like my friend Nan Little who despite having PD was able to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro.

What I have learned in my own journey of life and with PD in the last decade is that strong women NEVER quit on themselves or others no matter how challenging the task is or how though the going gets.

My own personal strength comes from my faith in God and believe you me when I tell you this is by no means perfect. I falter a lot and have to start over sometimes multiple times a day ….

I have learned 5 secrets which strong women who never quit employ- this from a Bible study on Ruth. Ruth was a woman who lost everything…her family, her husband, her friends and her own faith for a while but never let go of HOPE. I am sure many of you like me have found themselves in this situation.

What then must we do to Persevere?

When all we want to do is QUIT and hide under the covers or we simply just don’t FEEL like we can go on a second longer? 

#1 We must ACCEPT our present circumstances even if we do not like them. No one enjoys a hard lesson, having a hard life, or having PD. But, having Parkinson’s may be the way to a more refined life (happier, better you). I know that although I don’t wish I had PD I have become a kinder, nicer, more caring, more patient person than I was before.

#2 We must FOLLOW THROUGH despite our feelings. These days we give to much emphasis to how we feel and what we feel; but sometimes feelings can be misleading and can paralyze us. We must have enough discipline and conviction to keep moving forward whether we like it or not. This is what got me through all those years of struggling as a student with little money and little to eat because I had a goal to become a doctor! Even if I did not like the hours, walking across a deserted Parkway lined with homeless people at 3 am, in the middle of winter storm and had to walk across miles of plowed snow blocking side walks freezing my knee caps and face off –  I HAD to go! The same with PD. Sometimes we use it as an excuse to forgo commitments and become undisciplined in our life. Yet if we learn from a strong woman like Ruth despite her anger, despair, brokenness, and sadness she still went out to pick up the left overs in the field to eat.

I have discovered in my own life that when you are willing to follow through no matter what things just happen- you suddenly find yourself in the right place at the right time meeting the right people. That’s how I chose my undergraduate which led me to becoming a Parkinson’s specialist and found PDF who also led me to you fine women.

#3 We must Keep our hands OPEN. When you are accessible, people can come to you freely and can count on you. You can’t very well be a mentor to others or support others if you are not approachable and are mean, bitter and off-putting. Life will always be messy before it gets better.

#4 We must have emotional generosity.  It is easy to donate money or write a check or give of your time when everything is well and you have time to spare. But, what about giving what you don’t have? I once was going to a bible study of course I was running late as usual because my pills were not working, I was throwing up, I was having a hard time dressing and so on…you all have been there at one point or another. when I finally made it I was relieved to be there although was already feeling bad for not being able to come on time so I certainly did not need a sermon from one of the elder ladies who suddenly snapped at me for being tardy and pointed out to be that if she being an older woman could make it on time – I certainly could! of course, I’m don’t have to tell you that this did not suit especially since I was already feeling physically ill. although, at that moment I was feeling less than loving to say the least I held my tongue and asked her instead if everything was okay with her because she was not being herself? she broke in tears..  She had just being diagnosed with cancer! Needless to say, all my anger melted away instantaneously and even though I was feeling lousy I found somehow courage to stay with her and console her until she found relief. Interestingly, the more I gave of myself the more I found to give and ended up feeling better the rest of the day. The best way to have your needs met is to give others what you need!

#5 Finally, keep moving forward in faith even if you don’t see the end of the rainbow.. so many people have given up just before the crossed the finish line and this is a worst feeling to have. For some reason we women are the worst at this, we are impatient when we don’t see the desired results immediately but like climbing a steep mountain with winding treacherous paths, the best way to keep moving forward is one step at a time in the right direction and keep waiting!  I don’t want us to become like that famous woman who set out to row across the English channel and went on and on through all kinds of perils and overcome with fatigue, self-doubt and exhaustion gave up a few feet away because the fog had clouded her vision.

Cry if you must- but NEVER give up!

Sources:

5 habits of women who don’t give up by Niki Koziarkz

copyright-2016

all rights reserved – Maria De Leon MD