I recently attended a service for a former client and friend who had passed away. If you are reading this, and in the ME / CFS / LH community there is a good chance you know to whom i am referring. Brandon.
I met Brandon, in April of this year, he was located in California, but shockingly his wife and two kids, and his home were just 2 miles from where i live. His wife asked that i attend his service the weekend before last, hosted by a good friend of theirs. During the service there were many stories shared about Brandon, who he was (friend, father, husband, student, forever learner, etc), and how he lived his life. It was sincerely touching, and heartbreaking. At the service, his wife, had placed little cards, with a famous quotation from Teddy Roosevelt that Brandon used often to explain how he wanted to live his life. It is here, i post this, in his honor, and memory.
THE MAN IN THE ARENA
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
May all of us who are engaged in this arena (Chronic Illness, ME, CFS, LH), put our best foot forward to not claim victory for self promotion, but to valiantly make a contribution, in the name of moving solution(s) forward to help others whose lives have been impacted by these mysterious symptoms and life compromising circumstances. Let us all be of service to each other so that our own puzzle piece in this life may find its natural home. May we all be free. May we all be happy. May we all be free of suffering and be fully alive.
Blessings,
Mike
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