{Straight From the Heart} *The Illusion* 2/23/00
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Today Mark's writing takes on a more serious nature. But it is a
message that I know I needed to hear as I pretend my petty little
every day problems are so important!
May his words cut to the heart of the matter...
Michael
THE ILLUSION
...an excerpt from Through the Perilous Fight, by Mark Reiman
I am a long way from being dead....at least from A.L.S. killing me.
Who knows what today or tomorrow holds? Not I. But I know that being
diagnosed with A.L.S. not only forced me to face my own mortality, it
was the death of my illusion. My Illusion. I'm talking about the
illusion that I could count on living to a ripe old age, count on
doing what I want to, physically and mentally, for as long as I want
to....or at least as long as "normal people" do. The truth is, no one
can count on what the next 6 years, 6 months, or 6 days will bring...
but we think we can. We live with, no, we welcome The Illusion.
I had played the piano and guitar and sang as a performer, a good one
I think, since I was in high school. I had been a pretty capable
athlete all my life: 4 sport letterman in high school; captain of my
college wrestling team; a bunch of running, triathlon, and bike riding
events under my belt. My illusion that that kind of physical life would
go on, pretty indefinitely, died. Playing driveway basketball with my
kids...even the simple act of shooting a basketball...let alone
"shooting a takedown" (that's wrestling lingo), was done with.
So, My Illusion died. And with that death came the stages of grief
that Elizabeth Kubler-Ross described in her book On Death and Dying.
We don't just grieve about death when a person physically dies. We
grieve when relationships die. We grieve when ideas and dreams die.
We grieve when we lose something that is precious to us. It's a normal
and natural way of coming to terms with the end of something that we
cherish. So, I started to grieve....and I'm still doing it.
I thought that people progress in a fairly orderly fashion through the
stages of grief that Kubler-Ross laid out: shock, denial, negotiation,
anger, acceptance. I should have known that few things in life are that
straight-line simple. I've found myself moving in forward and reverse
through these, sometimes fairly quickly....sometimes parking on one
for quite a while. Just when I think that I am getting to a good,
healthy place of acceptance, BOOM!...I find myself back dealing with
denial again....or still negotiating. Certainly still angry that this
is happening to me, my family, my friends...AND angry that My Illusion
is gone.
And that's exactly what it is...an illusion. As nice as it feels, as
comforting a thing as it is, it is still an illusion. And sometimes Id
like to have it back. Definitely this is an "Ignorance is bliss" kind
of thing. But one of the Laws of Life that I believe is: "You are
responsible for what you know." And sometimes that's a
not-too-enjoyable responsibility.
Ever wake up from a really wonderful, pleasure-filled dream...and want
to go back to sleep and continue the dream? That's what I'm talking
about. It was a really cool dream and sometimes Id like to have it
back. I think that's only natural. But reality is, The Dream is over.
The Illusion is toast and I know it. I could waste a heck of a lot of
valuable time wishing I was still dreaming, but it would be just that,
a big waste. A. L. S. woke me up and announced that its time to smell
the coffee and go to work.......work on the next stage of my life. It
is sometimes really hard work...the reality of life with A.L.S., which
is really complicated, and at times, emotionally gut-wrenching.
You know, we all need rest and sleep to refresh ourselves for the work
ahead. And dreaming is a part of that rest and sleep. So maybe a
little dreaming...I think that truly lives in my life as great
memories...actually helps get me ready to do my best with life as it
really is...and my journey towards healing. And maybe curing, too. Who
knows, right?
No one knows what tomorrow brings. At least no one that I know. Every
day could be our last. Or it could bring the beginning of something
entirely new and different and wonderful. New ways of thinking,
perceiving, acting, believing,...loving.
Mark Reiman
mark@IncrediblePeople.com
Email Mark and let him know what you thought about his writing!
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A little bit about Mark:
Mark Reiman is a co-founder and publisher of Incredible People
Magazine and is the editor-in-chief. He was diagnosed with A.L.S.
(Lou Gehrig's Disease) in 1991. To create greater awareness of ALS
and share a message of hope and determination, he became the first
person in history to sing the national anthem in every major league
baseball park in one season (1998), for which he now holds a certified
Guinness World Record. One of his best memories of the anthem tour is
getting to throw out the first pitch in Kansas City. The worst is
hitting the 70-year old photographer with the ball. Along with
writing for and publishing the magazine, Mark speaks to audiences
around the U.S. and is the author of the book, Through The Perilous
Fight: Living a Life of Challenge. Mark and his wife Julie belong to
college age twins and a pug-dog named Murphy just a little north of
Seattle.
If you are interested in ordering Mark's incredibly inspirational
story, you can order his book directly from him via email, fax, or
telephone. The cost is $15 + $2.50
s/h....and if you live in WA state, there's sales tax.
Mark Reiman
phone: 425.338.1393
fax: 425.338.2833
Email: Mark@IncrediblePeople.com
Check out Mark's magazine called Incredible People!
Incredible People Magazine
If the above link doesn't work type the following into your browser:
www.IncrediblePeople.com
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UPDATE:
From: gconnell@arkwest.com
Hi, I'm Greg Connell and I want to pass along an update and a
note of thanks and praise for the prayers for Josh Connell, the
13 year old with head trauma last month. Josh continues to improve
- he has gone back to school and is playing the piano. The only
lasting affects that we can tell is weight loss - he weighed 106
at the time of the accident and weighed 89 when dismissed from the
hospital 7 days later. He has gained approximately half of it back
and continues with physical therapy 2 days a week.
I am firmly convinced that OUR FATHER placed HIS HEALING HAND on
Josh in response to the many prayers offered in faith on his behalf.
A local doctor told me last week, his wife is one of Josh's 7th grade
teachers, that he had researched some medical textbooks pertaining to
Josh's head injury and that about 2% of people with this type injury
come out of the hospital walking and talking.
As hard as it would have been if the Lord had decided to take Josh
home, his mother and I know he would have been in heaven because Jesus
Christ is his Lord and Savior -- How many 13 year olds and 13 year
olds parents do you know that can't confidently say that? -- How
many do I know? If not now? When will I witness to them? If not me?
Who?
My challenge to myself and to you - be bold and fervent in sharing
Jesus. A preacher told me in the hospital, "That our lives are so
dependent on God that when our heart beats it waits on a signal from
before it beats again."
So it is with Josh and so it is with you. Rhonda and I thank you
with all our hearts for your concern enough to prayer diligently -
we probably won't meet until that glorious day in heaven - until then
to God be the glory!!
REQUEST:
From: PoohBr9598@aol.com
Dear Michael & fellow Straight from the Heart readers,
I am writing today to ask for your prayers. You see I have a wonderful
friend, her name is Debbie, who could really use them. Debbie has
recently been put back on a drug called Lithium as she has severe
bouts with clinical depression. This medication is a great help to
her but takes approximately 6 wks to take effect. She has struggled
with her depression for most of her 29 years and finally got the help
she needed but had to quit taking her medication for a time as she
was pregnant. Debbie is at a time in her life where suicide seems her
only escape, her thoughts race and she can't focus...........the
lithium helps these feelings go away but as I said it takes time.
Please keep her in your prayers as the next 4 to 5 weeks are going to
be very hard for her.
Thank you and God Bless,
Nette
PoohBr9598@aol.com
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The Funy Things Kids Say!
For the next couple of days I will be sharing some funny quotes from
kids that are compiled by friend Grace Housholder. If you would like
to receive her weekly emails with the best funny quotes from kids,
make sure you sign up!
John, 2, didn't usually behave well restaurants. But when they took
him to a boarding house restaurant with religious pictures and old plates
every where, John sat up straight in his chair, had perfect manners... in
short, he was a little angel.
After the meal, when she was buckling him into his carseat, his
mother asked, "Did you like Hopkins' House?"
He replied, "What is Hopkins' House?"
"You know, the restaurant where we just ate."
"That wasn't Hopkins' House," John said, "that was Jesus' House!"
Astonished, his mother asked, "John, what makes you think that was
Jesus' house?"
He looked at his mother as though he couldn't believe she would
miss the clues and said, "HIS MOM HAD PICTURES OF HIM ALL OVER THAT HOUSE!"
Grace Witwer Housholder, Kendallville, IN USA
Be sure to look for her books: The Funny Things Kids Say!
TO RECEIVE the delightful weekly "Funny Kids" e-mail column send a blank
message to: funnykids-subscribe@onelist.com
TO READ past columns go to: http://www.onelist.com/archive/funnykids
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Thought For The Day:
"The next time you feel like complaining, remember that your garbage
disposal probably eats better than 30 percent of the people in this
world."
(Robert Orben)
Verse for the Day:
"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with
such things as ye have."
Hebrews 13:5
Kid's Thought For The day:
"Milk tastes a lot better through a straw."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Most parents find it very hard to be consistent - except when it come
to losing their temper."
-Bruce Lansky
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Most volleyball players are made in the winter, spring, and summer,
for come fall, everyone practices equal time."
Deep Thought For The Day:
"If I had three eyes, I sure know which one I'd use when I wanted to
wink at someone special."
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business)
"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video
we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty
seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was
the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such
a beautiful job! They were so suprised and so touched---they
really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so
special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for
the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli (RKaGe@aol.com) College Station, TX
Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out the web page for Michael's video production business!
Video Imagery
http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html