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Linda, Thanks for the excellent post! I just read it and couldn't agree more. Hope you enjoy my post as well, entitled, "In response to Sue's question" Bev Brown Lincoln, NE On Sat, 9 May 1998 09:41:13 -0400 [log in to unmask] writes: > I'd like to agree with to Jeanette's recommendation for the >book "When Bad Things Happen to Good People." The author, Harold >Kushner, wrote it in an attempt to come to terms with the >lifelong illness and subsequent death of his 14 year old son, who >suffered with progeria (rapid aging). Kushner is an American >rabbi, but I think this book can be appreciated by people of all >religions, and it has been translated into many languages. > > It is Kushner's belief that there is really no acceptable >answer to the question of why illness and tragedy strike certain >people, but that God can neither cause nor prevent these >occurrences. Instead he sees God as the source of the strength we >need to go on living, in spite of these tragedies, and equally as >important, as the source of compassion and caring that inspires >us to reach out and help one another. I first read this book a >number of years ago, but at that time didn't find it very >meaningful in my life. However, I re-read it shortly after being >diagnosed with PD, and found it gave me the strength to get >through those first few weeks. There was nothing anyone (even >those closest to me) could say that brought me as much comfort as >this short book. I often go back and re-read it when I'm feeling >depressed, and each time I come away with new strength and >insights. > > As I was writing this message, on a Saturday morning, the >phone rang. It was my neuro, who I had been trying to reach all >week with a question about my Requip dosage, but we kept on >missing each other's calls. He said he was at the recent AAN >convention, and called because he wanted to let me know about all >the promising research on PD treatments reported on at the >meetings, and that I must remain hopeful for the future. He said >at the end of the convention, there was a summary session on the >36 most important papers presented - ten of the 36 dealt with PD. >(of course, I took this opportunity to ask for his support for >Udall bill funding.) > > Kushner says "...how does the man suffering from cancer, or >the woman with Parkinson's disease, find the strength and sense >of purpose to get up and face each new day...? The God I believe >in does not send us the problem; He gives us the strength to cope >with the problem... God, who neither causes nor prevents >tragedies, helps by inspiring people to help. As a nineteenth- >century Hasidic rabbi once put it, 'human beings are God's >language.'" > >Linda Herman >