Monday, July 27, 2009

One Sickness is Better than No Sickness

I just finished reading Benjamin Hoff's The Tao of Pooh. What an awesome little book it is. Where it is written that it is better to have one sickness than no sickness. To have one sickness means to be aware of it and to take care of yourself accordingly; to have no sickness entails the risk of not taking care of your body at all. Being HIV+ has certainly forced me to take a lot better care of myself than I did before I knew. There's a reason to be thankful for everything--even sickness--in life.

6 comments:

Planetx_123 said...

Huh Ill have to check it out. I am trying to figure out how to better motivate myself. When it comes to professional things or things regarding learning/education-- I am incredibly motivated, I am a perfectionist, and a relentless worker. When it comes to health and social things, I am poor. I would love to be vegetarian or vegan. I was a smoker for a few years (but quit that thankfully!). Were you always motivated to be healthy or at least 'how much' did your behavior change after you knew you were positive? Im not suggesting that being HIV+ is a way to better self motivation, but I am curious of your perspective of it.

Steve

J.T. said...

Hey Steve,

Do check out the book. I read it over the course of two days, but it's one of those books I will go back to over and over again.

I used to be a very heavy drinker and smoker, almost two packs a day. When I found out about my HIV, my doctor said both of those things had to change. It was a gradual thing, but now I'm lucky if I have one beer over the course of a year. I admit that I will still grab a cigarette about once every six months, but I do feel much better. I started playing tennis and volleyball and lifting weights again a few years ago, so I'm probably in the best shape of my life right now. Kind of crazy how life leads you to where you are. Be well, Steve!

Raven said...

Life is definitely crazy. Finding the positives amid all the negatives is important but so, so tough.

Maybe I should pick up that book too.

J.T. said...

hey Raven,

If I'm getting Taoism right, it essentially says there are no negative events in life--only inadequate minds that perceive things as negative. Everything that happens is a lesson to be learned. Truly humbling...

Raven said...

That is humbling. I need to learn that way of thinking.

thwany said...

so true, it's all in how you look at it.