Learning to live with Parkinson’s

We live in a society that rewards consumption and instant gratification, the fulfilment of which must be packaged, stamped and shipped without delay or error. This extends to the consumption of education as a means to only pass exams. Exams are a set of hurdles that you must get over in a limited period of time; if you hit one and you stumble your race is seen as over. To justify this approach requires the instigation of the mentality that there are no second chances; you must get it right first time.

This mentality has inappropriately seeped into many aspects of our lives and placed us under immense pressure that is not always justified. It ignores a fundamental aspect of our being; there is always something left to do. There is no perceived "failure" that is absolute; a new day will dawn in the morning…

There is no rule book that prescribes how to deal with Parkinson’s, disability or life in general, which can then be thrown at you when you get it “wrong”. Life needs to be lived to enable you to learn how to live a life. We should be taught to be our own teacher in life and be open to the process of learning, including:

You don’t have to get it right first time…