Ought 2
About this book
I wrote this book shortly after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Yes, a disease inspired me. It isn’t the theme of the book, but there is a bit of its thread woven into every chapter. It wasn’t a death sentence, but my whole world started looking grim. Negativity followed. So did anxiety. I learned quickly, like so many other PD sufferers, that you can either settle into pity or you can get busy kicking its ass. I chose the latter. With the help of family, I started working with a physical therapist to strengthen my physical well-being. Then I went to work on the mental component. So, I wrote this book. Why not? First, I had a lot of time on my hands. Second, I love writing. It’s cathartic. It keeps my brain gears turning. Third, it kept me focused, it kept me busy, it helped me re-wire my brain to think about positive things, and to find moments of joy in very small places. Staying focused keeps me from staying pissed off at the world, and God, and doctors, and people who drive too slow, and the dog who rolled in cow manure, and the neurological experts, and Mr. Parkinson himself. To stay focused on finding joy, I had to imitate the life of a drone bee. He has one Gather nectar from flowers and take it back to the hive. Then go get more. Along the way, he unwittingly scatters millions of microscopic particles of pollen helping everything from azaleas to zucchini grow and flourish. I’m looking for nectar, the sweet things in life. I hope I’m dropping some on you as I make my rounds. Fourth, I’ve been gathering little ideas, little stories, little parables, if you will, for a very long time, telling myself that this could someday be a book. It felt like the right time to pull them all together and see what they say. You’re holding the result in your hands. One other thing propelled me through the slog and bog and mind clogs of writing. In recent years I have lost both parents and a brother, my wife’s mom and dad, one of my closest friends, two very special women from our dinner group, and others in my circle of friends, relatives, and business associates. Some of these were sudden, unexpected deaths, others were prolonged and merciless, the kind you hope you never have to endure. There have been many new babies born into our extended and blended family, far too many weddings to count (the gifts are killing my budget), foreign travel, kids, grandkids, nieces, and nephews all coming and going on new adventures, and countless other experiences and travails that have demonstrated both the fragility of our lives, the temporariness of our sojourn, the vibrancy of our lives, the abundance of our lives, successes and failures, emotional ups, and downs, and the opportunities for growth and enlightenment that regularly come our way. The title of the book and the opening essay reflect this Go gather more nectar. Spend time doing things to help you and those around you live more fully, and resolve to live the passionate life, the grateful life, the generous life, a joyful life, a life of authenticity, and mark your territory in a world come completely undone.