I was interviewing a woman yesterday for my book. This woman, I’ll call her Betty, has been fighting rheumatoid arthritis (RA) since she was first diagnosed at 17 (she’s now 63). Her knees are artificial, her elbows, wrists, fingers, toes, and neck are all filled with inflammation and soreness, unable to function properly. Her spine has lateral curvature, her bone density is poor due to the RA medication, and she is in constant pain. Yet Betty perseveres, carries on each and every day, doing range-of-motion exercises that are quite painful, trying to keep up her strength, what function she has left. Betty says that yes, there are times that she gets very down, ready to throw in the towel of life, give in to the pain and the helpless feeling. I asked her why she didn’t just quit, why go on? Betty replied, “then what? Just lay there? Have someone feed me? Help me to go to the bathroom, get dressed, clean my rear end?” She continued, “I believe very strongly in my God, in a higher power, and that he has a plan for me-I don’t know what it is, but I know deep inside of my person that he does not want me to give up, so I keep trying, keep hoping that I can endure-but I can tell you this, I won’t go down without a fight.”
WOW-that’s really some powerful stuff, whether you believe in God or not. There is something inside of us, our soul, spirit, compass, whatever, that really defines who we are, and it guides us through this life and our purpose in it. I only ask that you listen to that voice and act accordingly.
Ps. Keep up with the vinegar.
Stay well, John R. Blilie, M.S.