Living with Chronic Illness Builds Courage | Arthritis Information
This is a good article that may make you think and make you realize you have more courage than you give yourself credit for.
Great article. One piece missing in my treatment is reading books about the emotional side of RA and how to cope and what is "normal" during this transition from healthy to having a chronic disease. I may need to check into her books next time I'm at the book store. I googled her name for some background and found another article that she wrote.
i don't think it builds courage..it may highlight what you already had but if you don't have it to begin with you don't get it with a diagnosisI have to disagree with you.
Often, people aren't aware of what they're capable of until they get hit with something - whether it's physical, emotional or moral. I don't believe that it's something you either have or don't, courage or confidence can be a learned trait.
Well also if you want to see something insperational. You should check out The Lastlecture on abc.com. It is in there full episodes section.
It will stay with you after you watch it that is for sure.
Nice link, Laker, thank you. I am surprised to see a post questioning other person's courage. Many people rise up in horrifying situations with courage without even knowing they had it. I am very puzzled by your post buckeye, would you care to expand on your belief about courage?
I think you just proved his/her point: "courage without even knowing they had it" which implies it's been there all along.
maybe I'm just a cynic. I've seen too many posts oever the years on various boards from people who have given up, people who are victims and don't fight back..and when you hear their life stories they've been that way even before RA. so I don't question the courage of most people with a chronic illness...I just don't believe that having the illness is what gave them the courage to begin with...its always been part of their makeup
The Last Lecture was very inspiring and was an excellent reminder to all of us
Living with illness affords ample opportunity to be courageous in living your life to the best of your ability. Why is this so? Because when limitations and diminished control over the effects of illness are part of your daily life, your choices and decisions become the stuff from which courage emerges.
I think maybe her point is that we can chose to be courageous in how we live. I agree, some people just have more courage than others, but if we step out from our comfort zone with one courageous act, couldn't that build courage in us, and cause us to do it again?
Notice she says "ample opportunity to be courageous". Sickness does not cause courage, just opportunity.
I liked the questions at the end of the article. I had never thought about this before and it made me feel a little better about how I have lived the last few years since I got sick. At least I learned a lot about myself.
Laker
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