Parkinson's: Creating Community
A Journey Into Parkinson's with Nancy Mellon
Coordinated by Corrine Bayraktaroglu
Creating Community
“It helps to share these stories—so we know we are not alone in our struggles.” a quote from Suleika Jaouad in her Isolation Journals. I love her openness, her stories about her journey with cancer and finding creative ways to cope. In this post she talks about writing about her experience and the stories she has heard back from others. About how it has created a loving community.
She speaks of sharing our stories and the power in that act.
“When I first started writing about my experience as a young adult with cancer in my New York Times column “Life, Interrupted,” I hoped it would be resonant with people dealing with illness—but what I didn’t expect is that people would interpret the theme of interruptions so broadly, and that they’d hear echoes of it in so many different areas of their lives. Even if their circumstances were wildly different, more often than not, they noted the similarities.”
“It’s such a beautiful thing, this yearning for connection—this desire to see, to be seen, to understand, to be understood.” For me this is very powerful sentence. I have a great yearning for connection. This blog is my way of creating connections.
There are many wonderful ways of connecting. I have always resonated with the power that holding someone's hand has. The person can be a stranger, and still provide comfort, that we are in this together. Listening, even when you don't agree. Sitting with one another in times of sorrow, smiling at a stranger walking by. Creating art together. Showing up. Sharing your story.
A last quote from Sueilka: “There’s strength in this collection of voices. In these connections, we build something: a larger story about the human experience, one that transcends the particular and becomes universal.”
When you feel you can, please add your story in the comments. I would love it to be a “collection of voices.” We are in this life together.
Don't be a stranger, (Though one of my lifetime-favorite quotes is from Blanche Dubois in “A Street Car Named Desire” She said: “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” I'm not sure what that has to do with anything I've been talking about here, but you know, I just wanted to say it.)
Nancy and the Snark
Blanche's comment has a lot to do with it. Our greatest strength is our kindness to ourselves and to the whole world. Atticus Finch said something about not knowing what someone else is going through till you walk around in their shoes. On top of my Parkinson's, I had a bike accident a couple of days ago in which I broke my collar bone. I'm humbled and appreciative of not being in worse
ReplyDeleteshape and in awe of people's courage, and grateful for kindness all around. Thank you for your heartfelt words!
I love stories and connection. IMHO every human on this planet has a connection point somewhere, if not dozens, if they'd only care to look. Tis a pity that so many people can only see the 'otherness' of people who, on the surface, seem different from them.
ReplyDeleteOne element of my story which you don't know is that I'm more actively looking for full time work, after years of saying I will. I've applied for a job at the Country Dance & Song Society, which means I'd be back in the realm of traditional music and dance. I never, ever thought in a million years that this would be possible, because we don't want to move and there's nothing like that here. The upshot is that I really, really, REALLY want to get an interview! I'm waiting to hear back from them, and trying to balance hope for a fulfilling future with not getting overly excited in case they don't want to interview me. Argh!
When the weather is more reliably warm, I'd love to take you geocaching. There are several at Ellis Pond, which would be a good place to start.
Holly that is wonderful! I will be keeping my fingers crossed. they don't know what a treasur\e they would be getting but i will whisper it to them in my heart and hope they hear.
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