I am a therapist. I am a painter.
At age 13, I worked at a horse farm for three dollars an hour. I told myself I would never, never as an employee sweep floors again. Now, twenty years later, I am teaching others how to sweep floors.
I became a physical therapist, moved to California, and had a unique opportunity to work on a brain injury rehab unit. Many patients were in their twenties. In working with them, I found myself drawing upon old martial arts training: training of the mind, spirit, the power of proper form; these ideas all came strongly into play. Patient's stories have been powerful, tragic, heroic, loving, beautiful. They display the essence of true guts, spirit, character, frustration, blame, guilt, strength, and yes, faith. The idea of helping people live better is a strong one. The idea is to remove the "disable" part of disability.
I love this work. Yes, sometimes I have to sweep a floor. Our patients need to do this at home, so we practice. It is important to live well, live smart; nothing is more important.
I became a physical therapist, moved to California, and had a unique opportunity to work on a brain injury rehab unit. Many patients were in their twenties. In working with them, I found myself drawing upon old martial arts training: training of the mind, spirit, the power of proper form; these ideas all came strongly into play. Patient's stories have been powerful, tragic, heroic, loving, beautiful. They display the essence of true guts, spirit, character, frustration, blame, guilt, strength, and yes, faith. The idea of helping people live better is a strong one. The idea is to remove the "disable" part of disability.
I love this work. Yes, sometimes I have to sweep a floor. Our patients need to do this at home, so we practice. It is important to live well, live smart; nothing is more important.
