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There’s something about being afraid, about being small, about enforced humility that draws me to climbing. – Jon Krakauer Jon Krakauer is a writer and mountaineer. Presumably, his quote is in reference to mountain climbing. When I read it, however, my thoughts turned to the universal concept of Fear, its role in life, and the…
Have patience. All things are difficult before they become easy. – Saadi The last two blogs dealt with surrender – surrender of my fears to the God I always believed in despite periods of considerable doubt and feelings of abandonment. In my battles with Fear and all of his children, I utilized a variety of…
Sometimes surrender means giving up from trying to understand, and becoming comfortable with not knowing. – Eckhart Tolle Surrender, like so many things in life, can be seen as either positive or negative depending on the circumstances and one’s perspective. But when I was impatient, desperate to be in control, mistrustful, or insecure, I…
The moment of surrender is not when life is over. It’s when it begins. – Marianne Williamson Bipolar disorder and cerebellitis, each in their own right, were life-changing, overwhelming events. Together, they seemed to be an insurmountable force. Sometimes willingly, sometimes reluctantly, I sought the help of doctors, therapists, family, friends, and, especially my wife.…
I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day. – Abraham Lincoln These words of Abraham Lincoln helped me to see that which I was unable to see; to…
Trust is the glue of life. It is the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It is the foundational principle that holds all relationships. I have spent decades trying to understand the nature of my two major disabilities, to learn how to cope with and hopefully accept them as integral parts of my life. Over…
Surrender your fear. Something will come that is greater than what the fear is trying to protect. – Mooji Initially, I was afraid of bipolar disorder primarily because I did not know what it was or what it entailed; it represented Uncertainty. The same was true of cerebellitis, another monumental Uncertainty. Uncertainty means not knowing.…
Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart. – Mahatma Gandhi After the shock of bipolar disorder diagnosis slowly began to dissipate, it was followed four years later with…
Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you. – St. Augustine Bipolar disorder shook the foundations of my world. Cerebellitis turned my world upside down. After being diagnosed and treated for bipolar disorder, and understanding that most likely it would be a permanent part of my life, I religiously…
Help me to journey beyond the familiar and into the unknown. Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with You. – St. Brendan After being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I spent the next four years trying, and struggling, to follow the advice of Dr. Kafissen: taking my medication every…