Community

Reader’s Theatre

Cheryl Wirtley1 Comment

How many of you have voice issues which result in a voice that cracks, shakes, and is raspy? Would you like to improve that? Research shows that 89% of people with Parkinson’s will have issues with their voice. Exercising your voice will help your voice remain strong.  I belong to a Reader’s Theatre group that reads scripts together out loud.  The scripts are light-hearted and funny and we take turns playing the different characters.  It is organized by my good friend Marilyn.  She does a fantastic job at picking the scripts.  Before COVID we were meeting at the NeuroRehab and Balance Center in Miamisburg and now, we are meeting through Zoom.  It may be a little challenging, but we always make it work.  

Anyone who has Parkinson’s is welcome to the Reader’s Theatre.  Our group meets via Zoom on the third Thursday of the month at 5 pm.  I really hope you will come and see what we are all about.  This is a  chance to use your voice and connect with others at the same time.  It’s a lot of fun.  Please email Marilyn Klaben at marilynklaben@gmail.com.

Support one Another

Cheryl Wirtley1 Comment

I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014. It took a while to accept the diagnosis. Once I did, I wanted to meet others with Parkinson’s. At one of the support groups, I met Chris Gaffney, Executive Director of Parkinson’s Support & Wellness. We talked and realized we had similar goals. One of the goals was to begin a support group in the Dayton area.  In 2018, I began a group called Working With Parkinson’s. The group meets monthly; generally a discussion topic is chosen in advance so people can be ready with questions or comments. Since 2018 it has become a strong group of people who lift each other up. Refer to the Working with Parkinson’s page for more information, including a contact form for questions.

I know that things are tough for everyone mentally and physically. People search for groups and people to share their common interests or issues. I recently received several requests for information about support groups in the area. Parkinson’s Support & Wellness has a page on their website which lists the Parkinson’s support groups in the tri-state area. The groups are run by the individual community leaders and not by Parkinson’s Support & Wellness. The list shows nine groups in the tri-state area, including contact information for the group leaders. We all need a little help getting by right now. Parkinson’s support groups can make a difference in your life and will help you connect to others with Parkinson’s.  See http://parkinsoncincinnati.org/support-groups for the list.

This song by The Beatles captures the idea of supporting one another perfectly:

What would you think if I sang out of tune?

Would you stand up and walk out on me?

Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song

And I’ll try not to sing out of key

Oh I get by with a little help from my friends

Mm I get high with a little help from my friends

Mm gonna try with a little help from my friends

The Beatles, With a Little Help from my Friends. 1967

Love and Compassion

Cheryl Wirtley1 Comment

I watched the raid and destruction of the Capitol this past week, as I am sure all of you did as well. What a sad day for our nation. There is so much hatred being spread in the world that it is contagious. Hate feeds into more hate. Violence leads to more violence. The more we hate and criticize and judge, the harder our hearts become. Is this really who we want to be?

What I would like to offer today is warmth, kindness, compassion, and love. All we need is love. Can love be contagious? If we can spread love, kindness, empathy towards one another, what would happen? What would happen if we all did a random act of kindness. What if we all helped a person in need?

I do believe that if we all shine our light, that light will spread. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me, follow us if we spread kindness. Maybe, I’m naïve, but I believe in love and kindness. If we share love, kindness, and compassion with others, this will extend to others and so on.  

The Dalia Lama offers these thoughts on compassion:

The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life.

As long as we live in this world we are bound to encounter problems. At such times, we lose hope and become discouraged, we diminish our ability to face difficulties. If, on the other hand, we remember that it is not just ourselves but every one who has to undergo suffering, this more realistic perspective will increase our determination and capacity to overcome troubles. Indeed, with this attitude, each new obstacle can be seen as yet another valuable opportunity to improve our mind! 

Thus we can strive gradually to become more compassionate, that is we can develop both genuine sympathy for others’ suffering and the will to help remove their pain. As a result, our own serenity and inner strength will increase. 

Compassion and the Individual, Tenzin Gyatso; The Fourteenth Dalai Lama

Right now, it feels like we can not do anything about the state of the world and our nation. We have to return to the local level. Spread a little joy, find the good in those around you. Believe in love, believe in kindness, believe in compassion. I really want our nation to be one of peace. We all need peace and joy, if we share it with others we will feel peace and joy. We can change the world. One random act of kindness at a time.