As a recovering alcoholic, who has been affected by the disease of alcoholism, multiple sclerosis and mental illness within my family, I understand how disease affects all the family. I know what it is like to feel like an outsider and not ' normal '. No matter what the disease, most folks unless they have been personally affected, they don't give it much thought.
My beautiful, dear, gifted, artist friend Michael Gaudet, whom I have known since early days, at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, had been at that point, coping with kidney disease. When I first met Michael, I was impressed with his energy, joy, and passion for life, but I really didn't comprehend then, exactly what he'd been through.
He has a remarkable story to share I want others to know. Recently he has chronicled this story in his book, that he recently had published, entitled Dancing With Rejection .
We are all dying, but when you have a disease, life becomes precious. I have heard is said, the dying know how to live.
Morrie Schwartz says most folks live life sleepwalking, never fully awake or aware. Morrie suffered with ALS and Mitch Albom wrote his book about him, Tuesdays With Morrie.
I deeply believe, if we can accept or own mortality, and death, we learn to live with energy, joy and passion for life, the way Michael does.
