We will not fear though the earth should change,
Though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea
Though its waters roar and foam
Though the mountains tremble with its tumult

Psalm 46, The Hebrew Bible


Did the author of Psalm 46 know someone with Parkinson's, Dystonia or Tremor?

I ask myself that question every time I read this beautiful passage from the Hebrew Bible.

Shaking, trembling, changing. I know I have done my share over the years.

The author of Psalm 46 speaks to our experience as people living with movement disorders. He recognizes our suffering -- and something else too. He acknowledges our courage with the words
"We will not fear."

We are courageous every day we decide to live life to the fullest with a movement disorder.
That kind of bravery is a spiritual gift from God -- one of many that can help keep
us grounded in uncertain times.


Spiritual Gifts
Embracing Our "Roots"


I learned something very valuable about spiritual gifts at the beach this summer. God has a wonderful way of using the beauty of nature to teach us about divine love.

I had walked the sunny beach on Martha's Vineyard for almost an hour collecting small colorful stones before I noticed a sheer sandy cliff and the tall weathered tree that sat on it. I knew I wouldn’t want to spread my beach blanket underneath that outcropping. The tree looked like it was ready to topple over.
The sandy ledge where the tree sat had been worn away by wind and rain and the porous quality of the soil.

Chunks of unstable brown dirt had fallen away leaving half of the tree’s roots hanging out in the open air. The other half were buried in the eroding cliff, clutching the sandy soil. It seemed against the odds that this tree should be alive, much less secure and growing. But there it was -- green leaves raised like open palms toward the sky, glinting in the warm summer sunshine.

So many of us who contend with movement disorder conditions live like that tree. Coping with conditions like Parkinson’s Disease, Tremor, Dystonia, Multiple Sclerosis and other conditions or caring about someone who does can make us feel like the ground has fallen away beneath our feet. Our health suffers. Where and how we live may change dramatically. Our relationship with God takes new turns. Sometimes we fear that we may fall down in body, mind and spirit.

We struggle to stand on shifting sands. But we do.

How? By holding tight to what still keeps us rooted or connected to God. There are gifts we have developed as people coping with movement disorders like courage, compassion, patience, humility, honesty, adaptability and humor-- that help us to not only survive but thrive during tough times. And there are people in our lives who are gifts from God. Family, friends, physicians and other care providers who are present for us in ways no one else can be.

We may have more in common with trees than we realize. We all have roots.

When we embrace the spiritual gifts in our lives, we place our trust in God's love. We can depend on our spiritual roots to help keep us nourished, steady and safe in trying times. As noted author Simone Weil writes “To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul.”




Want to Explore More About Your Spiritual Gifts?

Consider These Questions


What spiritual gifts have helped you get through the experience
of living with a movement disorder?

What gifts did you discover only after your diagnosis?

What emotional or spiritual gifts that you already had grew in intensity after you were diagnosed with a movement disorder?

Are there any qualities you might have considered gifts that you actually had to leave behind once you began living with a movement disorder?

What gifts are you able to offer others now that you could not give before?

What emotional and spiritual gifts are you able to accept from others now
that you never could accept before?


Blessings,

Lindsay