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Moneesha, The Christopher H. Brewer beatitudes blew me away and brought me to tears. May I borrow this e-mail so I can take it to a friend who cannot see the positive side not only of his illness but life itself? This has caused him to attempt suicide twice. I have only known him since October 2008. My goal has been to give him 'goals' to reach. We made it past Halloween; then Thanksgiving; Christmas; the NewYear; Valentine's Day; my birthday etc etc His negativity has been wearing me down and I hadn't realized I have been losing my 'empathy and compassion' until I read your e-mail to Dr. Chew. I have to stop dragging myself to his house....and go with a happy smile; I have to drive him around town....and stop thinking about what else I could be doing; I have to cut his hair.....and quit griping to myself because he s embarrassed to have his ex-barber see him now. There are many other things I could add, but I think you get the idea. At first I thought he could use the beatitudes but then, after reading it many times, I came to the realization that I was the one who needed them back! Sami -------Original Message------- From: Moneesha Sharma Date: 8/15/2009 11:25:16 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: a thought Dear Dr. Chew, How right you are about education, but what is also needed is empathy and compassion. I am posting here something that was posted by a fellow CG on CARE. His wife, who is a PD patient now fairly advanced, had saved it on their computer. I think you might find it useful - Blessed are you that never bids us "hurry up" and more blessed are you that do not snatch our tasks from our hands to do them for us, for often we need time rather than help. Blessed are you who take time to listen to defective speech, for you help us to know that if we persevere, we can be understood. Blessed are you who walk with us in public places and ignore the stares of strangers, for in your companionship we find havens of relaxation. Blessed are you who stand beside us as we enter new ventures, for our failures will be outweighed by times we surprise ourselves and you. Blessed are you who ask for our help, for our greatest need is to be needed Blessed are you when by all these things you assure us that the thing that makes us individuals is not our peculiar muscles, nor our wounded nervous system, but the God-given self that no infirmity can confine. Blessed are those who realize that I am human and don't expect me to be saintly just because I am disabled. Blessed are those who understand that sometimes I am weak and not just lazy Blessed are those who pick things up without being asked. Blessed are those who forget my disability of the body and see me as a whole person, unique and complete, and not as "half" and one of God's mistakes. Blessed are those who love me just as I am without wondering what I might have been like. Blessed are my friends on whom I depend, for they are the substance and joy of my life!!!! "A true handicap is what we don't do with what we have, not what we can't do with what we don't have." Christopher H. Brewer All the best in the wonderful work you are doing. Moneesha ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ____________________________________________________________ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.392 / Virus Database: 270.13.58/2305 - Release Date: 08/15/09 18:10:00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn