Robert Lyman Baittie's Blog, page 4
April 19, 2015
Four Million Strong
In honor of Parkinson’s Awareness Month and National Poetry Month:
Four Million Strong
Four million strong, yet isolated
In fear of what may come one day
Hands wrung with sweat, sense time is
fated
Fortunes tale no sooth can say.
We’ve done no wrong, so why imprison?
In this cell within our brains
Loves the choice, no indecision.
The key to life, frees all from pain.
Missteps lay clue to paths once taken
Ending in this realm unknown
Yet with firm resolve and dreams
unshaken
Seeds of hope have all been sown.
Phoenix’ rise comes from the fury
Of infernos stoked by spirits breath
Take to trial, peers of my jury
Condemn despair a timely death
With each new battle, ground is
captured
In sharp pursuit more blood is drawn
As conquest nears sweet smell of
rapture
The dark of night is at its dawn
The dream awakes from sleeps long
slumber
Cries give way to victories song
Our foes defeat was won in number
Hands raised united, four million
strong.
~Robert Baittie
April 1, 2015
Chapter 86. Yes, Life. I hear you.
April 1, 2015
If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can’t survive.
― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
_____
There’s such a sense of danger or fear (often in the form of self-doubt or nerves or “not good enough-ness”) when we put ourselves “out there”, when we open our hearts and our voices and we allow ourselves to speak our truth with authenticity. It’s vulnerability, in a world that tries to tell us we’re not safe in the first place.
Speaking up. Not so much to be heard by others, but most importantly by ourselves. Which is really more difficult? Allowing your inner voice the opportunity to speak, or actually listening closely to what your voice has to say.
Quite often we turn a deaf ear to the words of our closest friend leaving our wisdom to go unspoken.
We fear the judgment or backlash or rejection that feels like isolation to us.
But if only we could realize we are safe. Even in the most dangerous of situations, we are ultimately going to be okay. Because only good comes from each experience.
_____
During the past year and a half, I have learned repeatedly that it merely takes a deep breath to allow myself to fall into that undercurrent, that sense of ease where my heart can pour out, and the tears to match. That place where words burst forward (even when the voice in the back of my head tells me to shut up) if I will only lean into my own Trust, and where each oration of my heart stretches me to discover more about who I am.
The result has been overwhelming. I’ve received countless emails from those who sit within this circle formed by a disease that is bound together by hopes and fears—sending love and appreciation for something said that touched them at just the right time, in just the right way. Emails from Parkinson’s patients emboldened to share their diagnosis with family members, from those who have learned to no longer blame themselves, and from still others who have discovered renewed meaning in their lives in the midst of despair.
And all of it makes my heart swell.
I love what Parkinson’s has empowered me to do.
I feel overwhelmed by love and life and the ripples I get to send, and the ripples I receive in return.
I feel at peace and reverence.
My deepest needs for connection, magic, meaning, laughter and trust are being met when I get to see—really see—the work that I (and we) get to do…as Parkinson’s patients, with Parkinson’s patients, and most of all as loving spirits.
This is what I am made for. And it is stretching me in the very best of ways. And it’s what I get to do each and every day—Listen to my Life and let it be heard.
How can it get any better?
More to come.
Tremors in the Universe is available in e-book, paperback and hardcover through Balboa Press @ http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000956591/Tremors-in-the-Universe.aspx or at http://www.tremorsintheuniverse.com
A portion of the authors proceeds are being donated to the National Parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2015 by Robert Baittie
Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie
March 27, 2015
Why I ask.
THE BEST IS YET TO COME!
WOW! Thanks to a lot of my Tumblr followers 2014 was an unbelievable year for The Martini Shakers, Moving Day® Chicago, The National Parkinson Foundation, myself and Parkinson’s patients around the globe.
A few of 2014’s Highlights:
$32,000!—The Martini Shakers raised $18,700 in just their second year bringing their two-year total of funds raised for Parkinson’s research, awareness and care, to $32,000!!!
National Recognition—Team Martini Shakers enlisted the support of an honorary captain from each of the 50 United States as well as 5 international countries, earning us national recognition with the National Parkinson Foundation. (see page 4) https://www.flipsnack.com/flip-preview/fdxcat1rf
$1 Million Raised—In just it’s third year, Moving Day® Chicago alone has raised over $1 Million! and of those funds over $750,000 have gone directly back into our communities.
Tremors in the Universe—In 2014 I published my memoir, Tremors in the Universe, http://www.tremorsintheuniverse.com, which documents my journey with Parkinson’s disease and spirituality. It has been featured on NBC http://www.nbcchicago.com/on-air/as-seen-on/283623781.html, ABC http://abc7chicago.com/health/moving-day-to-fundraise-for-parkinsons-disease-at-lincoln-park-event/356067/, Radio, Make It Better Magazine http://makeitbetter.net/entertainment/books/robert-baittie-creates-happiness-from-a-parkinsons-diagnosis/ and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research https://www.michaeljfox.org/foundation/news-detail.php?robert-baittie-creates-happiness-from-parkinson-diagnosis. Thanks to everyones support of the book, I will be donating a portion of the proceeds to the National Parkinson Foundation in 2015.
A NEW YEAR!!!
As the 2015 Moving Day® fundraising effort gets underway again, my determination and resolve in fighting Parkinson’s disease has not changed—in fact, its grown even stronger. I continue to be actively involved in the Michael J. Fox Foundations PPMI clinical trial (now in my third year) to try and isolate a biomarker for PD, as well as continue to work closely with my daughter Amanda and the Team Martini Shakers to fundraise. In addition, in 2015, I will be serving as a committee member on the National Moving Day Chicago as well as on the Northwestern Medical Centers Parkinson’s Committee while continuing to speak at Parkinson’s related functions promoting awareness and writing my blog.
As long as my body and my spirit allow me to continue to fight against Parkinson’s disease, I am going to continue to fight.
And I’m asking you to help me in that fight!
Why I ask.
As a society, when we hold our hands out for an offering, and we ask for the support of others, it’s not because we are dependent upon others, asking for something that is not earned, or pressuring a community for an entitlement. On the contrary, it comes from the fundamental idea that we ALL have a dependence on each other, to include everyones needs in our thoughts and deeds, to share everything, to accept what comes to us, to be generous with what we can—while we can, when we can—to be humble in society, and to have the courage to be fully visible in practice. My goal is to take what you are giving me through your support and give it back through my service to try and help those who need it most. I am very fortunate right now. For whatever reason, Parkinson’s has been a gift for me to help others—and as long as it continues to bless me, I am going to continue to do my best to help those who are less fortunate.
I am asking for your help.
I am participating in Moving Day® Chicago, benefiting the National Parkinson Foundation, on October 18, 2015.
The event will take place at Lincoln Park, Grove 2 and will be a fun-filled, family-friendly event for all ages and abilities. We will be able to enjoy a variety of movement activities yoga, dance, Pilates, Tai Chi, boxing, stretching and much more and celebrate the importance of movement in our lives.
I would love for you to consider sponsoring me and/or being a part of our team.
A $150 Donation.
Obviously ANY amount is greatly appreciated and welcomed but with a minimum $150 dollar donation this year you can receive a personally autographed copy of Tremors in the Universe. Simply put the name you would like the book personalized to in the note of your donation and I will get a copy out to you.
Thank you for helping me reach my fundraising goal to support the vital work of the National Parkinson Foundation.
Please visit my personal page to make a donation, and thank you from the bottom of my heart!
http://www3.parkinson.org/site/TR/Events/General?px=1188001&pg=personal&fr_id=2061
March 21, 2015
Chapter 85. Respite.
March 21, 2015
Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.
~ John Lubbock, The Use Of Life
_____
Nothing, but everything, for as far as my eyes can see.
That’s how I would describe my surroundings right now on my spiritual journey—the path of my life I’ve become so keenly aware of since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. I find myself surrounded and mesmerized by a vast open space, rich and lush in color with waving blades of golden grass that roll gently back and forth in the soft wind as if Mother Earth were gently rocking her child to sleep—a rhythm that syncopates with my own breath. In the distance, snow-capped lavender mountains encircle me while a canopy of azure blue sky lunges forth to drape my head pulling silky white strands of clouds in its wake. And it’s quiet, so deafeningly quiet. No wing in the air, nor print on the ground to be seen. I stand alone as alone can be in the midst of my surroundings and feel an overwhelming sense that I am one with everything.
My path to this oasis of peace, this ultimate realization of my truth, was not ready-made. Only by choosing to walk did I create my way. Everyone must create their own path by walking themselves; the path is not lying there and waiting. It is just like the sky: the birds fly, but they don’t leave any footprints. You cannot follow them; there is no trail left behind. Only by walking with your spirit will the path appear.
I know my journey is far from over. I must continue to walk for I hear it calling me from just outside the silence, but here I feel surrounded by love and I am at peace. I want to stand briefly in the midst of this beauty, nourish my mind and simply breathe before I push the boundaries of my soul once again.
There are times to walk and there are times to rest.
So it is on the journey with Parkinson’s as well.
The physical and mental demands on PD patients lives often scream so loudly that they drown out the beauty that surrounds them, marooning them in guilt for not being able to do more. But just as in a musical score punctuated by silence, where the pause is as much a necessary part of the overall composition, so too is rest and relaxation an integral part of allowing a Parkinson’s patient to enjoy the music of life.
There are days for me where my body says “No.” Fingers shout out picket line protests, defying to move across my keyboard, weighted down by my brains indecisiveness, while the drivers of my hands sit idly by refusing to move the mouse because the GPS in my head is temporarily down. Legs refuse to run on the treadmill because my left foot wants to roll sideways with each step and there are days where thoughts seem as distant as my youth.
But that’s ok. I’ve come to expect, and accept, there will be days like these—days that require rest. A respite. And I am at peace. Because I know on those days there is a place I can go—a place where there is nothing, but everything, for as far as my eyes can see.
More to come.
Tremors in the Universe is available in e-book, paperback and hardcover through Balboa Press @ http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000956591/Tremors-in-the-Universe.aspx or at http://www.tremorsintheuniverse.com
A portion of the authors proceeds are being donated to the National Parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2015 by Robert Baittie
Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie
March 13, 2015
March 9, 2015
Living life in the present means never losing faith, that at any given moment, magic can take place...
Living life in the present means never losing faith, that at any given moment, magic can take place in your life—around the next corner, over the very next hill, or maybe even from across a lake—with eyes kept open you just might hear God’s voice in the whisper of a butterflies wings.
March 5, 2015
Chapter 84. Rest in peace.
March 5, 2015
While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die.
— Leonardo da Vinci
_____
Death, for many, creates such a undeniable illusion of the end, and I guess if your belief is that you are nothing more than a mind and body, then that would be a reasonable assumption—but nothing could be farther from the truth.
We are all, so much more than that.
Our bodies and our minds are nothing more than something we accumulate—a piece of the earth we sustain with food, that is on loan from the planet. Every individual who has lived before us has become topsoil, and so too, will your body and mine. The planet will ultimately take back every atom it has shared with us.
But that will not be your end.
You are in your body, but you are not your body. You are of your mind, but you are not your mind.
You are a soul. You are spirit. You are a source of light and energy that has no end.
The realization of this means you are absolutely free of suffering, because whatever suffering you have known, enters you either through your body or through your mind, but cannot change the source of light or energy that is you.
What makes this so difficult for us to grasp as human beings is that our minds can only comprehend what we have experienced in the physical world, and in that way the two temporary qualities we accumulate from the planet, work together to eliminate our understanding of the truth that exists throughout the spiritual universe—the promise that our soul and spirit will live on forever.
Our ignorance is in allowing ourselves to be identified with the accumulations we call the body and mind. Our clear vision of our true self and spirit is cluttered with our physical identifications and personality. It is this self-limiting identification that draws the distinct lines between what is “me” and what is “you”. All our world’s disharmony, conflict and suffering are rooted in this separateness.
Only by transcending the boundaries of body and mind can we obliterate these distinctions and begin to see beyond the lines and have peace.
Boundaries separate us from each other.
Boundaries separate us from ourselves.
More to come.
Tremors in the Universe is available in e-book, paperback and hardcover through Balboa Press @ http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000956591/Tremors-in-the-Universe.aspx or at http://www.tremorsintheuniverse.com
A portion of the authors proceeds are being donated to the National Parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2015 by Robert Baittie
Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie
February 25, 2015
Selfie
Far too often we define ourselves by how others see us on the outside, when in reality, a far truer picture comes from opening your eyes and looking inward.
February 22, 2015
Chapter 83. Breadcrumbs.
February 22, 2015
As a young boy who grew up participating in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, I learned from a very early age to plan for the unexpected. I was taught the importance of not only knowing what to do in the event of an emergency, but more importantly, how to plan ahead to try and avoid putting myself in a difficult situation—it was the Boy Scout Motto…Be Prepared!
It’s a great motto. Not only for scouting, but for living life as well. By preparing yourself for the unforeseen, you won’t fend off all of life’s challenges and difficulties, but when you are confronted by them, you’ll be able to meet them head on and with a heightened level of confidence. It’s proven to be an invaluable part of shaping my attitude towards life and has helped me immeasurably in dealing with the challenges of Parkinson’s disease.
In addition to the Scout Motto there was the Scouting Oath or Promise which was recited like saying the Pledge of Allegiance every time there was a Boy Scout meeting or event:
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
The interesting thing to note out about the Scout Oath is that it is divided up into three distinct promises, each delineated by the semicolons within the Oath, which divide it into three clauses, and for me personally, these three clauses correlate very strongly with the core beliefs I hold in regards to my own spirituality. The three promises of the Scout Oath are, therefore:
Duty to God,
Duty to other people, and
Duty to self
My spiritual “duty” as I choose to see it is based in love. I have a duty to the universe to live my life in a way that reflects my love of God or Divine Spirit, a love for all people and finally a love of my own spirit or self.
All good stuff. Unfortunately life doesn’t come with a Scout manual.
But it does periodically leave a trail of breadcrumbs.
_____
One of my favorite activities in scouting was hiking. Hiking meant being in the outdoors and my introduction to meditation. There was nothing better than walking amongst the towering trees, with the only sound being the leaves crunching beneath my feet to make me feel like I was a part of something much bigger. There I understood what it meant to turn off the chatter of the world and allow my mind to be silent. In the woods I could talk to God with such ease—because God was so visible all around me. During my youth, I didn’t see God in people as much as I did in nature. From people I heard hurtful words and saw unkind acts, whereas in nature I saw perfection. While hiking I was at peace.
Yet in Scouts, even when hiking, they taught us to be prepared. Even when walking with God.
We were taught to mark our trail as we hiked so that we would significantly reduce the chance of getting lost or stranded in the woods. If you suddenly found yourself disoriented, the idea was you could easily return the way you had come by retracing the trail markers you had put out along the way. And likewise, someone searching for you could pick up on your trail as well.
The common method for marking your trail was to break a branch periodically, stack some stones along the path, or tie a string every so often to a tree. Anything that would stand out as unusual and would be easily visible if you needed to retrace your route. But never were we to do something like leave a trail of breadcrumbs or food, because the obvious risk was that an animal might come along and devour your clues that would help you get back.
I recently came to the realization that the journey I’ve been on these last two and a half years since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease has held a lot of similarities to those hikes I used to take as a young boy.
When I began writing Tremors in the Universe, my goal was to document my journey with Parkinson’s disease and my spirituality, and mark my trail as I went by sharing chapters of what I have discovered along the way. I was unsure in the beginning where the journey would take me, and so cautiously I documented my path incase I suddenly found myself disoriented and lost. But ironically, what I came to understand is that the journey isn’t really about going anywhere—it’s about learning to be still, being in the present, and learning to appreciate the here and now.
As I’ve started to clearly see where this journey is taking me, I’ve decided I don’t ever want to come back. So now I’m laying down breadcrumbs.
I know they’re not for everyone, but I’m sure whoever hungers for them will find them.
1. Live for today.
I recently came to the profound conclusion that I have spent the vast majority of my life trying to get somewhere, when in reality, wherever I was at any given time, was right where I needed to be, learning exactly what I needed to learn. I simply wasn’t aware of it at the time. Rather than living present in the present moment, and making the most (and taking the most) from each instant, I was far too often preoccupied
with anticipating an uncertain future, or missing out on today because
of the emotional shackles of a useless past. Seize the gift of being reborn each morning you awake. The past will never return and tomorrow will never come. Today is the only day that is worth living for.
2. Everything you require in life, you already own.
Your greatest strengths and capabilities already exist within you. Discovering and unleashing your true self will bring you more power than any external authority can ever impose upon you.
3. Believing is Seeing. Not the other way around.
To say you will believe it when you see it, is to make a doubters proclamation. You will forever be blind to the beauty the universe holds for you. The transformations you see in your life will come from the intentions in your heart. When you truly believe in something with all your heart, you will see it come to be.
4. Choose to be happy.
The only things we can completely understand are the things that we have experienced for ourselves. Observing someone else’s experience does not make it yours. Don’t choose to accept the negativity of someone else’s experience when you’ve never had the experience for yourself. Remember, “Believing is Seeing”. Believe this new experience you are going to have is going to be a positive one, and you will see it be one.
5. Forgive and let go.
Forgiveness is about giving up the hope for a better past. It’s fundamentally for our own sake, for our own mental health. It is a way to let go of the pain we carry. It’s the realization and acceptance that yesterday can never be revisited. Nothing in the past can ever be changed. The easiest way to break the chain that keeps you from moving forward with your life, and held in the past is by releasing your very own grip on it. Forgive and let go.
6. Worry is useless.
Worry is planning for a negative future. Simple as that.
7. No pain, no gain.
Our lives here on earth are a membership to a spiritual health club. We sign up, we come here to do this for the incredible workout it provides. The trials and tribulations, the pains and sorrows, the struggles and failures and the inevitable death that we all must face, are simply the weights we lift to build a stronger spirit and a more resilient soul. It all has purpose. It’s all about growth. It’s about improving who you are.
8. Difficult people are the best teachers.
Never forget that everyone comes from the same source of light. Not everybody remembers who they are and where they came from. But they may very well be here specifically for you. Each and every person holds the potential to offer you a profound gift.
9. Make a difference in the life of another.
It’s great to meditate everyday, eat healthy, seek enlightenment, whatever that means, hell, even go live in a cave if you so desire. The real prize in this world of duality is meaningful connections. Making a difference in the life of another.
Showing compassion, empathy and love will quickly bring you into alignment with your higher self.
10. Go for a walk.
I was interviewed once by a very talented writer and wonderful human being regarding my book Tremors in the Universe. As we sat down, the very first question she asked me was how I define religion versus spirituality? My answer was that I believe religion is choosing to follow the path of another while spirituality is choosing to discover your own path. The bottom line is that however a person achieves realizing their own light and that we all are from one source of love does not matter to me. The path that gets them there is not important. What is important is that they never stop walking.
More to come.
Tremors in the Universe is available in e-book, paperback and hardcover through Balboa Press @ http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000956591/Tremors-in-the-Universe.aspx or at http://www.tremorsintheuniverse.com
A portion of the authors proceeds are being donated to the National Parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2015 by Robert Baittie
Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie
February 11, 2015
BeYourValentine
Remember…the sweetest love starts within.
