The Importance of how we treat each other
Since I plan to be writing blogs related to how to achieve optimum health I am feeling that, for purposes of clarification, I should share some personal information. When my family was going through a painful and prolonged divorce my youngest son(age 7) was having some serious problems in school. Some very thorough testing revealed a moderately severe learning disability. When I asked the Dr. about the cause he said it was genetic and that he had inherited it from me. So, what I had was a huge aha moment and a flooding of emotion. I was a good athelete in high school so never studied and somehow my grades were always pretty good but I didn't learn anything. After 3 yrs. in the military and starting college it all caught up with me. Testing there put me in all remedial classes and my kind advisor told me that if I had not just been in the service during WW 2 that they would not even let me start college.
From that moment on through pre-med and medical school I realized I had to work and study differently and much harder than most of my classmates in order to make the same grade. Once I learned the information I could make use of it as well as anyone and better than some but I would never have applied for medical school had I known I had a fairly severe learning disability.
All that to say this. I have always felt grateful for the opportunities I have had and have never thought that any of my good life was due to my brilliance. So much of what I know is a result of what patients have shared with me and I have studied daily for 58 yrs. and have been totally fascinated by the enormous ability of our body to heal and repair. Our goal has to be to learn about what help it must have from us to do the best it is capable of.
So when I make statements in a blog or article please be assured that I am well aware that what I am stating as fact is only my opinion based on what I have learned from studies, research on a daily basis and what I have been taught by patients. Our knowledge increases daily and now new thoughts and ideas develop globally and do not always travel rapidly. So it is entirely possible that I may state something today that one of you just read a study yesterday from another country that indicates that what I have stated is incorrect. We are blessed with many medical disciplines now such as osteopathy, chiropractic, naturopathy, homeopathy, numerous fields in alternative medicine, physiotherapy, accupuncture, yoga and others with each looking at the same medical issue from different angles and seeing different approaches. Please let me know if you have information that I need to be aware of. I will always appreciate it and we will all benefit.
It is so important thatt we realize that none of us has enough knowledge in our brain to even justify a good headache but that all together we can make some intelligent inroads in our quest to achieve optimum health, whatever that is to each of us.
What I think is so important is for us to exchange our ideas with civility and respect. At WA we have such a valuable situation with our thousands of people all trying to learn and grow and to be better more productive people and to help others do the same that we must protect that. We do not need to clutter up our airways with each other with critical, condescending messages or to ridicule one another because none of us benefit from that. It is never in our best interest to make another person feel less about their self or to "put another in their place" just so we can swell with pride. None of us can change another but we can and must change our self if we are unhappy, simply because no one can do it for us. If we are unhappy we must look at our self rather than at others for the cause. One way or another our choices have been responsible for what and where we are. Hopefully with close examination we can discover what did not go right and make some corrections. Unfortunately there was no one put on this earth just to pease us and make us happy. That is our job and only we can do it. It is an absolutely essential part of being healthy and wealthy.
Best wishes to each of you in your efforts to be healthy, happy and wealthy.
Harold
Recent Comments
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Thank you for sharing. I am technologically challenged and it seems like a learning disability but I am chipping away at overcoming it.
I still like to keep remembering that "inch by inch and it's a cinch". Thanks for you note.
Harold
Hey, thank you. Now that I think about it I like the first part best! Have a great week.
Harold
You are very welcome. Want more smiles & chuckles? If you are ok with cats check out my very first blog! A day in Striker's life. Click on the dog and cat in the upper left hand corner by this note it will take you to my profile. Once there click on the title of the blog. Hope you enjoy!
Edie
Thanks for sharing. My daughter is an adult, but also is learning disabled. I know what you mean about different studies coming out. Sometimes, they say some things are good or bad for you, then later it changes. So, it can get confusing.
Thanks for your note. I think supportive friends and environment make it all a bit easier to deal with until we learn more.
Harold
Thank you for the post! When my son was 3 he was still not speaking and had serious sensory issues. An evaluation team said that he would need special education and that he may not have the physical capability to ever even be able to ride a bicycle. He is now one of the smartest kids I know, taking AP classes, and skateboards and rides his bike everywhere. Had I set limitations on him, I don't know if he would be the person he is today.
You know what Christina? I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. What a perfect example of what constant nurturing, a supportive environment and unconditional love with frequent touch can do. A perfect example of why we, as physicians, should never get overly impressed with our diagnostic or predictive skills. Your son is so fortunate to have the parents he has. Thank you for sharing this.
Harold
Yes we do need to be kind to one another. Unfortunately not every body is ready to be kind but don't worry Harold. I can understand perfectly what you went trough. We are all in the same boat. If we help each other the journey would be a little bit easier.
Thanks for your note. Your bio is so beautifully descriptive of what I used to feel on a mountain hike when back a few miles from a highway and just the sound of the breeze in the tall trees. So peaceful and beautiful and so good for the soul and what ails us! I hope all is going well for you.
Harold
Good post, Harold. My middle son is learning disabled. When he was little, they told me he would have to be institutionalized, that he would never learn. I told them. . . well, it was rather rude. :) Guess what? He graduated high school and now holds down a well-paying job. And he's VERY civil, a sweet young man with manners and a good sense of humor. I loved your line about not enough brains for a headache. I needed the chuckle this morning. Yes, we need to be kind to one another. Everyone is fighting their own battles and not everyone spills it all on Facebook.
Carla, I wrote you a note a while ago and must have not hit Reply. I had only had one cup of coffee. If you get this twice it's pilot error! I am so glad your son is happy and has done well as a result of your love and nurturing and support. The son that I referred to with a learning disability dropped out of college in the middle of his freshman yr. with my blessing. College was just not what he needed. He went into real estate sales, became a VP of marketing and sales and retired at 42. So there are different paths leading to the same place Kyle and Carson have created such a fabulous environment here where we can all learn and earn with their guidance and each other's support and encouragement. Thanks for your note. Have a great week end.
Harold
Same to you, Harold! Yes, different strokes for different folks, as we used to say in the 60s. ;) No, Brandon will probably never be a college graduate, although I know he could if he wanted to apply himself. Still, he's happy, fairly well-adjusted, earning a good income and works with tools, which is his love. Sounds like your son took his own path and was victorious!
He's 17. We held him back for 2 years in school so he is currently in the 10th grade. I told him if he finished this year and took Algebra 2 over the summer, then he could get his GED and start college on time.
He wants to be a nutritionist. He still has some minimal, quirky issues but he is very bright and well adjusted. He's very social which is surprising because he was very socially awkward when he was younger. He's doing great all and all.
Christina, don't we all have some quirky issues??LOL The field of nutrition is going to do nothing but get better as the public wakes to the fact that not one of our 70 trillion cells can work well without it. That is an exciting field and I am thrilled he is doing so well. Lucky young man to have been born where he was.
Harold
Thanks Harold, I always say, when your child has some health issues, pay attention to it, take your child serious, and most of the time those two actions are enough to treat the problem, greetings Loes
I am looking forward to reading what you have to say even more after seeing this piece. You are showing great wisdom. Thank you for sharing.
You are so welcome, Glenda. It is always good to hear from you with your steady as you are demeanor. Sometimes it is good to have been around the horn and back a few times, isn't it? Have a good day and thanks to your note. We can all be of such great value to each other in this environment which Kyle and Carson have created.
Harold
Thanks for writing such blog. I have encountered a couple of 'pro' members here, who feel they are far superior than anyone, and even called 'idiot' those who have given the wrong advise to newbies. I unfollowed them, just to avoid them. We have all the right to say what we like to a certain standard, but not to degrade others.
I agree with you completely. There is just never a reason to attempt to hurt or degrade each other. We all have so much to learn and so little time in which to do it. Thanks for your note.
Harold
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Wow! That was extremely well written!!! Thank you. I for one enjoying learning, and one of the best ways to learn is being mentored by those who have the wisdom of experience. I look forward to your blogs! I have leaned over the years that those who choose to be rude are usually just miserable unhappy people. And that is their choice. Please do not let it deter you in any way from sharing with us! God's Blessings, Christa :)