A few years ago, I met my first real stroke survivor that I gave support to and helped and eventually befriended. Her name is Maria. Maria was having a hard time with the whole stroke event, she was elderly, had some form of Asphasia, no family nearby and was sinking into depression and becoming overwhelmed. I wrote her a letter. I used the analogy of stroke as being at the bottom of a mountain looking way up to thepeak of the mountain. It is a long way to the top but if you you break it down and work at it, eventually one can reach the peak. I was looking to give her hope where there wasn't any. She has since told me that she re-read that letter many times and it helped her in her recovery.

Well tonight I was reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle maintenence. I have been stuck in the middle of that book for months. It has *beep* me off and it has been a struggle reading it, but I read something I thought added to my original analogy of the mountain and I thought I'd share it with you.

"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. The reality of your own nature should determine the speed. If you become restless, speed up. If you become winded, slow down. You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you're no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn't just a means to an end but a unique event in itself. This leaf has jagged edges. This rock looks loose. From this place the snow is less visible, even though closer. These are things you should notice anyway. To live only for some future goal is shallow.It's the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow.

But of course without the top you can't have any sides. It's the top that defines the sides. So on we go.... we have a long way...... no hurry.... just one step after the next."

- Robert Pirsig

Maybe you'll find it helpful in some way in your stroke recovery.

Pam