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I love your story, Jerry. You and the horses saved each other. And I think that's usually the way it works out. I know your horses are an inspiration -- but so are you. Debbie Debbie White [log in to unmask] > -----Original Message----- > From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of J Finch > Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 2:02 PM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Hero? > > > OK, guys, none of this "hero" stuff. I thank you for > the praise, but let me tell you about the real heroes. > > Jim West's story in the Dallas paper and his affection > to the little pony struck a strong chord in my memory. > Like Jim, I've grown up and grown old but I still have > a "I wanna' be a cowboy when I grow up" child in me. > This little child loves horses, loves being with them, > watching them, hugging them, loves them because they, > to me, are the most awe inspiring of all animals. > > A couple of years ago I spent my time sitting in my > living room, hunched over the computer, writing stories > and cussing the PD that kept pulling me downhill. > Walking bothered me, the keyboard was becoming > impossible, my wife was talking about moving to a place > where I didn't have to do anything, thinking that the > day was fast approaching that I couldn't do anything. > > Margaret Tuchman called me one night, just to chat. > Over the course of several months we developed a loving > relationship over the phone, the discourse finally > leading me to tell her about my love of horses and my > hatred of those who abuse them. "There is no place for > the abused, weak, homeless horses other than a final > trip to the slaughterhouse," I would tell her. > > "Then make a place," she answered. > > "You're joking. I have PD. I stumble, I fall a lot, I > shake. There's no way I can start a horse rescue." > > That continued for a few more weeks, me complaining > about the injustice of it all, her telling me to get > off my butt and do something. The woman has no pity. > > I started a nonprofit corporation, did the IRS > paperwork and suddenly horses started showing up at my > door. Someone donated 27 acres of undeveloped land, > someone else donated enough money to buy a 100 acre > sanctuary, volunteers started coming out, kids started > hanging around the stalls instead of the streets.... > > Months later it suddenly dawned on me that my PD > symptoms were almost gone. > > The guy who had a hard time walking across the living > room was up at 3am, walking a sick horse around in the > dark. The guy who once shook like a terrified rabbit > was calming a shaking horse down with soft words and > gentle touches. They weren't curing me of PD, but they > had taking my PD away just the same. > > There's a magic pill in every horse hug, a calming in > every neigh. And it isn't just me. I see the same > result in others with neurological problems. If I > could, I'd package up a horse and send one to each of > you so you could see what I'm talking about. > > Margaret is the hero for these horses. The horses are > my heroes. They not only have the will to live no > matter what happens to them, they have given me the > will to overcome PD and the opportunity to help others > do the same. > > "Stop dreaming about it. Just do it," Margaret told me > one night. Her words should be burned into stone for > PDers. Her drive for the Parkinson Alliance and its > efforts at funding a cure for PD, her push for the > publication of "From the Parking Lot," and the > hundreds of other things she has been involved in came > from her desire to stop listening to the dreams of > PDers and start pushing them to see their dreams become > a reality. Habitat for Horses would not exist had it > not been for her. > > Now I have the same attitude - there is a way for each > of us to make our life better. Drawing the focus away > from PD, being involved in something - anything - other > than the daily on/off cycle of our pills. My cure is > inside the eyes of a horse (and I firmly believe a lot > of other PDers can find the cure there). For others it > might be something totally different, but it still > involves the power of our mind and our demanding > control over our own future. > > Thanks, Murray, for the "hero" badge. Jim West's pony > and my horses are our heroes, so I'm going to go out > and give my badge to them. We all have a "pony" in our > childhood and maybe, just maybe, that child is trying > to tell us something. Stop dreaming about it, just do > it. > > Jerry > -- > Help us save the horses! Habitat for Horses, Inc. > A lifetime home for abused, endangered horses. > http://www.habitatforhorses.org/