The Power of Language

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet or,
Parkinson’s by any other name would still stink.

The power of language is certain; words can either bolster or obstruct our written and verbal communication.

How the timing of our words matters

I was recently advised not to spend time sharing quotations, even if helpful, while opening a short sketching workshop because the participants wanted to hear from me, not from someone who lived long ago or far away, and they deserved as much time as possible to sketch.

After pondering this advice, I decided to heed its wisdom by reducing my already brief talk time by several minutes, which quickly launched everyone into beginning the activity with sufficient time to complete a drawing.

There were two distinct takeaways for me that afternoon:

1. Less is more, or in this case, less can inspire more
2. We can benefit from the words of others for inspiration, motivation, education, reinforcement, or simply enjoyment when the time is right.

Read further for a few of my favorite quotations and how I relate them to living well with Parkinson’s.

Coming to terms with my diagnosis

I had overcome many obstacles and endured numerous setbacks to get where I was in life. I was happy to have finally reached the highest rank available in my workplace and a comfortable life to be further enjoyed upon retirement. I was not in any way happy about how Parkinson’s intruded without any respect whatsoever for my hopes and dreams.

The changes in my pre-diagnosis lifestyle were many, as I labored to cover up symptoms, which took a great deal of energy. Post-diagnosis, I needed to adapt to the meds and their side effects and the timing of meals and exercise, but at least the meds masked the symptoms, so there was that as we say.

The power of a positive attitude

Davis Phinney said something that has resonated with me since I became a person with PD: “I can’t control that I have Parkinson’s, but I can control how I live with Parkinson’s."¹ Could his positive attitude toward PD become mine? Yes, please.

I searched for additional support for the idea of how one’s attitude affects day-to-day living and ran across the work of sociologist Karl Pillemer whose research has focused on intergenerational relationships in later life. One concept that hit home was that of engaging in conversation with our elders, which his team did for years in order to collect and express their wise words.

My biggest takeaway was that a simple change in language can lead to a very powerful result. Following Pillemer’s proposition, I swapped “I’d be happy if only I didn’t have Parkinson’s” to “I am happy in spite of having Parkinson’s.”

Does that magically make a difference? Well, no, but it’s like the power of a forced smile, which is reportedly just as good as a genuine smile in releasing feel-good neurotransmitters.² Or, for those of you who are baseball movie buffs, “If you build it, they will come.”

Words, perspective, and attitude

A change in perspective is also bolstered by this Maya Angelou quotation, “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” See? Changing your words changes your perspective and may well lead to an improved attitude, according to experts.

Maybe science and literature aren’t your things; maybe a baseball movie isn’t your thing either. Did you ever see “Miracle on 34th Street?” If not, skip to the next paragraph. If so, do you remember when the child in the story, Susan, who had been reared to believe only facts and thus does not believe in Santa Claus, starts repeating “I believe, I believe” when trying to convince herself Santa would grant her Christmas wish – and then her wish comes true? Simplistic, perhaps, but I rest my case on the real and perceived benefits of a positive attitude.

Inspired to push back

When first adapting to my diagnosis, I found more Angelou wisdom helpful, “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."

The latter part of this statement encouraged me to forego being reduced to tears by choosing regular exercise, taking my meds, finding helpful stress management techniques, communicating clearly during doctor appointments, meeting the local support group, and so on.

For now, each “control” factor helps me avoid feeling overwhelmed and impotent against the progression of PD. That, coupled with practicing a good attitude daily, has enhanced my belief in the power of joy.

We have a choice

To this day, I marvel at these words from Viktor E. Frankl, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Considering that his set of circumstances was among the darkest endured by humans in the last century, then how can a good attitude be very difficult for me to choose when living in an age of promising research? Does choosing one’s attitude have any bearing on one’s joy in life? My answer? It most certainly does.

We get to choose how we respond to each day of PD life, correct? If I created a mashup of sorts from these various quotes, it would read like this:

I can’t avoid the fact that I have Parkinson’s, but I can avoid being reduced to tears each and every time that I respond with an attitude of gratitude and joy. For me, these choices are the responsible thing to do for myself and those around me who offer their love and support.

My wish for us all

If none of these quotations has yet rung true for you, then I hope Louisa May Alcott may help: “I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.”

My wish for each of us as we sail this ship called Parkinson’s is that we find people that buoy us, words that inform and inspire us, and resilience that is driven by the winds of gratitude and joy. Blessings in y/our Parkinson’s journey.