Dear List,

I have refrained from entering into any  of the  recent arguments because it
doesn't make me feel good.  I felt miserable after my post earlier this
month. Surely we are mature enough  that we can disagree without any
personal animosity aimed at those we choose to disagree with. When someone
lays the bait, don't bite.  But in the same way, those who try to stir the
pot, must face their brew.  When someone asks or prods, they must be ready
to hear some strong opinions.

I also must say, there seems to  be a defensiveness, that I do not remember
from my original stint on the list.  It seems as though some will defend
others no matter  what their personal perspective is.  This is dangerous.
Because a clear mind, is usually void of emotion.  That is what I mean by
stirring the pot.  The biggest concern of mine in this great country of
ours, is sensationalism.  We seem to be bent on causes and finger-pointing
instead of genuine dialogue aimed at resolving our problems.

I know this list is a community.  When I read others try to dissuade people
from fun and harmless yada yada yada, I don't understand.  If this bothers
you, how do you deal with this awful disease this list is here to help us
with.  It is ok to comment on what we think the list ought to be about, and
I believe it is about helping people cope.  Not about people’s agendas and
how we can make ourselves look smart.  Sometimes I have lost sight of  this,
and for that I apologize.

It is time for us to use common sense.  Not emotion, or hyperbole that makes
others look bad.  Casting blame serves little except selfish and inward
thinkers.  We should help each other to fight what brought us together.  I
am not asking for perfection, just a little common decency.

Thanks for being part of the common good.

Greg Leeman
-----Original Message-----
From: Maryhelen Davila <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, February 25, 1999 10:27 PM
Subject: LONG MESSAGE, think'n Re: Our response to Archbishop Desmond Tutu:
er, um ??


>Friends - this is very long/wordy..just expressing some feelings re recent
>posts
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>A good thing happened today.
>
>Life is good.  It's worth fight'n for.
>
>Today I saw a brand new baby.
>
>That beautiful little thing gave me a wonderful smile.
>
>She did not seem to care that I could not smile back.
>
>The baby did not seem to expect anything of me.She didn't check my history
to
>verify I'd beeen good. Or that I hadn't stuck my foot in my mouth as I tend
to
>do.
>
>She didn't evaluate my worth.
>
>She just gave me her smile --  free. A gift of life.
>
>So now the day's over and I still feel the strength of that smile from that
>little person. Amazing such a little thing can seem so important now, when
I
>used to just think of it as cute,
>
>That smile was ours when we were tiny and new like her It was given to us,
to
>give to others freely and unconditionally.It was ours to give.
>
>Now, so many of us are losing our smile to PD. Surely, I'm not the only one
>who feels the weight of my face muscles pushing down hard, to kill my
smile.
>It's that darn PD working against us. Tearing down our gifts from from God,
>one by one. Our ability to smile. To hug our loved ones. To speak with
music
>in our voice. I believe PD is something evill. And we must resist it's
>oppression. We may win, we may lose. But don't let it trick you. Don't help
it
>to dismantle our most effective weapon. Don't let it turn us against each
>other. Our strength has been our community. I might be sounding religious.
If
>I am, I don't know where it's coming from because I've never been a church
>goer. But I can't help but believe that our only chance against this
disease,
>is togetherness. Fight bad with good. Imperfect as we are. Hurt feelings
and
>all. We still need each other. Don't let the demon turn us against each
other.
>I see people I care about saying stupid things to each other and about each
>other.I've done that too. Over the years a a member of this prescious
>lifeline, the PARKINSN LIST, I've said some very stupid and hurtful things.
I
>regret that.I'm still sorry - what I regret most is that at a time when I
>still had some ability that I've since lost ..  I could have, and should
have
>focused that strength more wisely. We're so close to the miracle. What a
>tradgedy to let it slip through our hands because we're tooo busy pointing
the
>finger at reach other. Let it go.. Please let's tolerate each other. We
don't
>have to be jjoined at the hip with those we find offensive. As long as we
work
>together we can beat this thing.We must.
>
>Most of what I've read about how we've hurt each other are understandably
>painful.That never should have happened. But we can, we must not let the
>monster win. Fight againt that weight that's pushing hard against your
smile..
>
>We're in it together
>
>Don't let it win
>
>
>maryhelen
>(smile)
>