Brief Report: Contentment, Gratitude, and Mindfulness in the Presence of Parkinson’s

"Contentment is natural wealth." Socrates "Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie "Mindfulness is the miracle by which we master and restore ourselves." Thich Nhat Hanh Contentment, Gratitude, and Mindfulness: Living with Parkinson's has brought me a lot; yes, it's a curse, yes, it …

11 Tips And Character Traits For Living Better With Parkinson’s

"In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship but never in want." Irish Toast “As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.” Criss Jami Happy New Year! Thanks for all of your support, feedback, responses and suggestions in 2015; they were most appreciated. 2016 …

Gender Differences as a Factor in Parkinson’s

"Men are from Earth, women are from Earth. Deal with it.” George Carlin “You can either be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It all depends on how you view your life.” Paulo Coelho PrĂ©cis: ~10% of Parkinson's cases are linked to familial genetic mutations; whereas the vast majority …

Hope, Courage, Persistence, Positivity, Mindfulness, And The Journey

“I often say now I don’t have any choice whether or not I have Parkinson’s, but surrounding that non-choice is a million other choices that I can make.”  Michael J. Fox “I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.” BrenĂ© Brown …

My Life Is Not Being Measured By Days, My Life Is Being Measured And Lived By Years

"You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope." Thomas Merton PrĂ©cis:  My Physician DID NOT tell me I had 12 months to …

Hope Resides Within the Adversity of Parkinson’s

"We are each on our own journey. Each of us is on our very own adventure; encountering all kinds of challenges, and the choices we make on that adventure will shape us as we go; these choices will stretch us, test us and push us to our limit; and our adventure will make us stronger …

Contentment, Gratitude, And Mindfulness

“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” Thich Nhat Hanh “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”  Maya Angelou “Happiness is not a goal...it's a by-product of a life well lived.” Eleanor Roosevelt Contentment:Life is not like the typical interstate highway, smooth, …

Students Provide Resounding Hope and Support

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning." Albert Einstein "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge."  Albert Einstein Teaching Undergraduates: Since 1996, I have had the privilege, honor and pleasure of teaching university undergraduates in a …

Be happy, be healthy, and be lucky

“You may be the only person left who believes in you, but it's enough. It takes just one star to pierce a universe of darkness. Never give up.” Richelle Goodrich Classic Rock Band: "The Who" are on their 50th anniversary tour.  Unlike some of their peers (Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, and the Beatles), …

Prose to Parkinson’s

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”  Viktor E. Frankl The sky is still blue to me. The sun still shines bright for me. The breeze still blows through my hair. Walking …