Progeria: Angels sent to teach humanity to love a little deeper

Two adorable girls diagnosed with Progeria

Note: At the end of this entry I list the contact information for the Progeria Research Foundation if you want to help. There's no greater feeling than making a difference in someone's life. It's an even greater reward to make someone else happy.

Progeria is a debilitating, fatal, genetic  disease that cause children to age early, suffer from strokes, heart attacks and other symptoms atypical of old age.The average lifespan for children diagonosed with  Progeria is 13 years. According to the Progeria Research Foundation, as of December 2010 it affects 78 children worldwide. Children suffering from progeria lose their hair, teeth, develop fragile bones, tight skin,  stiff joints, have difficulty breathing, and some may have arthritis and osteoporosis. Despite their daily struggles and no cure, these children possess a passion and joy for life unequaled. They carry with them a spirit that transcends the most emphatic trifles and have touched people from all walks of life. Their strength and heartwarming disposition have inspired many to persist in their dreams. Their lives are a testimony that, indeed, your attitude impacts the way you live.


I first became interested in Progeria when I encountered a little boy dressed in a suit at Miami Airport in 2005. However, this little boy lookd more like an old man, but was  adorable. My mother told me that she believed the child had Progeria. "Pro...what?" I had never heard of it before. After research, the reason for my ignorance became clear. Progeria is an extremely rare disease, and therefore difficult to treat. The progeria gene was only discovered in 2003. Immediately I decided that for my Senior Seminar in highschool, I would try my best to raise money for little Lindsay and present on her. Since then my mother donates yearly.

If you take the time to watch their videos, hear their laughter, watch the way they tackle life, you'll suddenly pause and realize that your complaints are petty, that you can indeed fight a little harder. These kids never give up. While fighting their battles, the people around them fall in love with them. I wonder, what would the world be like if we had their spirit?


Old Age at 3, the story of Zachary Moore is by far one of the most awe-inspiring soul-felt books I've ever encountered. Written by his father, Keith Moore, we meet little Zachary, often called an angel, whose zest for life was an inspiration to others. He was born prematurely and as the months passed, he developed symptoms uncommon of a healthy child. His parents tirelessly searched and prayed for a diagnosis. Their researched unveiled numerous diseases that a child could have, and it was then that they realized what a miracle a healthy child is considering "the unhealthy percentage of children." As for little Zachary, at six months he developed symptoms  typical of Progeria, although his case was more severe. Daily his parents gave him physical therapy (at least five times a day) and tried their best to relieve his pain.  They invested their energy into making Zachary as happy as possible. He was their gift, and a gift to the world, and they cherished each day with him. 

There was much to learn from Zachary. Zachary's father recalls how daily, after he came home from work, Zach greeted him, yelling "Dadda!!!" with such glee. He writes:


If he is doing something he literally drops it and moves away to let me know he is ready for me and nothing else will get in the way. What a great feeling it is each day to come home to him... All relationships should be that way, but unfortunately that is not the case. There are high percentages of times when we cannot drop things and devote complete attention to our relationships. What we can do is prioritize what we should be devoting our attention to. Are two hours of television more important than our kids and spouse each evening?


How well do you prioritize your day? What is truly important to you?


Zachary approached life undaunted and made the most of it. His physical limitations never stopped him from trying, and he did not not allow excuses to detain him. Indeed, as Mr. Moore write, " We need to not focus on our limitations... Sometimes the worst situations present the best opportunities for growth."  Quite honestly, his words bespeak an inconstestbable truth. How often have we fallen into self-pity, told ourselves that we weren't strong enough, smart enough, good enough? How often have we allowed our fears to imprison us? It's best to forge ahead and give it a shot. You might fail, you might face rejection, but your strength comes from moving forward with lessons garnered.


Zachary's life may have been cut short (January 23, 2006), but he made a difference in the lives of others. How many can say that at two and three years old they gave people the strength to continue? stopped a man from committing suicide? inspired prisoners to maybe change their ways (some had up his picture on their cell wall) inspired others to love more?  Take for instance this beautiful passage and note the powerful mpact Zachary had on others:


Everywhere we go some person comes up and tells Zach they love him. Sometimes they tell him with those exact words and sometimes with their actions. It is a wonderful thing for Zachary and that person. Wouldn’t it be great if everybody treated children or even adults with that attitude? The attitude that they deeply care about this person and want to tell them or show them they love them because they may not get another chance. Do you treat your children this way? How about the rest of your family, friends, or even people you meet? It is a wonderful thing to see and be with Zachary and witness this everyday.


What if we could be a little more like Zachary?


How can I make a difference?Visit http://www.progeriaresearch.org to learn more about Progeria, donate and/or get involved.



Sand-Dollared Cataract by Sofia Mitchell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;-- it is disposition alone

"It is not time or opportunity that is to determine intimacy;-- it is disposition alone. Seven years would be insufficient to make some people acquainted with each other, and seven days are more than enough for others. " -Marianne on Willoughby in Jane Austen's  Sense and Sensibility

My cousin Alex's sand artwork

When I met my ex-boyfriend we exchanged many letters expressing our feelings for each other and delving into details of our days. Our phone conversations journeyed to the edge of the universe, touched on the  intricacies of love, involved  animals and their various propensities, fumbled upon funny stories about ourselves, and never once did our lips run dry of words. In truth, our topics knew no end or depth. How had I managed to meet someone who connected with me on many different levels? Despite the long distance, at the time,  we still managed to learn of one another's sensitivies and subtleties. Even in the end, we remained friends, understanding that life has a way of tossing obstacles our way so that we can grow, and sometimes that growth means recognizing that you both served a purpose by being in each other's lives.


 Love starts off, for most, as unexpected, then a giddy feeling in the pit of your stomach, beat of your heart, and a slight tingle here and there. Fanciful thoughts seem to sprout from nowhere as you imagine you and your targetted beloved holding hands, enjoying a dinner, movie, ice cream, and other minor adventures. Through your conversations, once you detect the slightest hint of interest in someone who you're clearly interested in, that's it, you're enraptured, but simply won't admit it. At least that's how it happened for me. Afterwards, we exchanged long heartfelt humurous letters, enjoyed conversations that saw the break of day (literally), played various online computer games while on web-cam, and simply enjoyed each other's company. Suddenly, we were "in love," (haha). Our relationship was by no means perfect, but all that mattered was that at certain moments we made each other happy. I remember him saying that one of the best feelings was seeing me smile and knowing he was the reason that smile was there. I understand him, because it feels great the moment I walk out my door to see a huge grin spread across his face. We make each other happy, what more could we ask for?



Several years ago, I attempted to describe love (forgive the rather hyperbolic language at times. Just try and get the gist of it):


I cannot tell you what love is, nor would any description do it justice, but I can tell you what I think love is. 

One of the most beautiful gifts given to mankind is love. The person I am is the fruit of the lessons learned from my family and friends. They have imprinted themselves permanently in me, becoming the beat to my heart, the rhythm to my walk, the comforting hug, the gentle kiss, the child-like smile, the pleasant thoughts, the forgiving nod, and every other mannerism that is me.

Love is the fuel, that energy that no one can live without. Once discovered it is priceless. It gives us an irreplaceable oomph, that optimistic “I Can Fly” feeling. Love is all the virtuousness done without a single thought. It is the ability to trust someone with your life, with your secrets, with your past, with the mistakes you have made and having faith that they will not ever betray you. It is those tiny pastel colored butterflies swirling around and dancing within you, being playful, innocent, and cute. Even when those fluttery butterflies decide to go on vacation, love becomes fiery arguments, a waterfall of tears, and an earthquake of fears and regrets that helps us to grow.

Love is learning to absorb the harmful rays of words, to realize that they were said out of anger, to forgive and finally to forget. You forget because you realize that time is valuable, that tomorrow may not come, and that we are flawed, vulnerable human beings. Love is taking the time to reflect, listen, and share. It is not being afraid to walk around with your heart out on your hand but the freedom to be open. Love is the sight to see the perfection and uniqueness so intricately stored within each and every one of us, and then letting your feelings of appreciation shine.

Love is a hearing the sound of a person’s voice who makes your heart skip a beat or two. It is that irresistible desire to want and pick up a phone to see how your loved one is. Those grimy thoughts of white lies and other forms of dishonesty that so crudely stains humanity, fade, blockaded by the purity of love. It is the willingness to sacrifice yourself because they mean more than the ground you walk on, because they are the reason you walk on that ground each day. It is that jittery, bounciness of happiness, surging through, jumping up and down, that propels us to want to do the most ludicrous of things. Love is warmly clasping a hand and never wanting to let go, or that gentle kiss that sings “You mean more to me than you could ever know,” or the tear droplets with the message of “I miss you,” or that tight teddy bear hug that says, “Don’t leave me,” or the dancing sparkle of the eyes resonating with, “You’re amazing.”

Love is happiness and the unity to stay together no matter what tribulations decide to come your way, because without your loved ones, there is no life, no giddiness, no will, no respect, no wants, just an unfortunate unwelcomed void of solitude and sadness.

Sand-Dollared Cataract by Sofia Mitchell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

What's Essential is Invisible to the Eye

Dr. Leo Busgalia
“What is essential is invisible to the eye,” quoted Dr. Leo Busgalia from The Little Prince. The essentiality he is referring to are the qualities within us which makes us unique and limitlessly interesting. He believes that everyone has the capability to love; however very few of us realize that potential, or even know who we are and what love is. As the cliché goes, we “look for love in all the wrong places,” when, through it all, love is within us. Busgalia points out that humanity searches for answers outside, where the light is, and we fail and fear to explore the dark, the dark uncertainties that make up a vital part of who we are.
We build up insecurities and attempt to fulfill the requirements and roles outlined for us by society. All the while, we fail to realize that these laws were put in place because we are trying to find the one right way to live, to differentiate between good and bad, and to invent the perfect lifestyle. As we do so, we move further away from nature, an essential part of us, and label ourselves as superior. Our society is practically running by remote control. It is so technologically plagued that we are destroying ourselves and our world by forgetting ourselves ( a slight exaggeration, but you get the gist).
No one looks inward anymore. He suggested that we take the opportunity to collect all the holy books and read them, and then reflect on them because we will be amazed by the “commonalities” they share. We constrain ourselves with roles and labels, when we should be painting the world with our colors and beauty. He tells us that beauty lies within us, and it is what there is to love. We worry extensively about insignificant details, about what brand of shampoo we use or toothpaste, and about clothing. It is a waste of a time that could have been used to meditate on a journey of self-discovery. We worry about our body, which he says is “metaphysical and weightless.” It carries “what’s essential, but it itself is not essential.”
Throughout life, we search and search for an answer, hoping that out there somewhere, the millions of questions bubbling within each of us will be answered by some philosopher or some random person with a PHD. But “nobody has your answers.” The way to live is through simplicity. To forgive those who hurt you, be kind to your enemies, to know who you are not the “you other people tell you you are.” The moment we find that serenity within us, we’ll understand what he meant by “only with the heart can one see rightly,” the magic and the wonder people forget they are. If we are lucky enough to find ourselves, then we can give the best of who we are, and share with others that beauty. We will know, through sharing, that when we cry and laugh, we are not alone. We will know that love is living, giving, hurting, unity, despair and hope, and that “to live in life is to live in love, and to live in love is to live in life.”


Sand-Dollared Cataract by Sofia Mitchell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

Nietzsche: He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how

"Everywhere man is confronted with fate, with the chance of achieving something through his own suffering" - Viktor E. Frankel

Human suffering is relative. Even the most stoic individual has a breaking point, even  if they choose to hide it. What do you do when you hit rock bottom? Maybe your dreams were crushed and set to flames, a loved one dies, you're drowning in debt, you're trapped in unrequited love's insufferable grasp, your boyfriend/girlfriend cheats and lies to you,  your computer crashes and gone are all your essays and pictures, you're ignored or rejected in some way, demoted at your job, maybe you lost your job,  everything just went wrong in one day or for the last couple of months things have been flying downhill. What do you do when you feel as though your prayers aren't answered? When you realize that your tears aren't shooting stars? What do you do when you turn to a friend and not even they really understand? How many times have you heard, "it will be okay," and yet know that those words have done nothing to purge you of the terrible gut-wrenching aches overwhelming your being. You're at your most vulnerable, now what? It's through challenges you discover your potential.

 Viktor E. Frankl, a holocaust survivor and a psychiatrist who studied both neurology and psychology,  uses his harrowing holocaust experience and his skills as a psychiatrist to help others find meaning in life through his book, " Man's Search for Meaning." He discusses logotherapy,which he founded, and which centers on finding a purpose in life to continue living, and the power of optimism.  He "[considers] it a dangerous misconception of mental hygiene to assume that what man needs in the first place is equilibrium or, as it is called in biology, "homeostasis," i.e., a tensionless state. What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task. What he needs is not the discharge of tension at any cost but the call of a potential meaning waiting to be fulfilled by him."  Sounds rather strange, right? No one actually wants tension, but at times tension offers an opportunity for growth.

Today I read a novel telling true sad stories about various Chinese women. A daughter crushed in an earthquake and dies fourteen days later in her mother's arms. Waiting for the love of your life for 45 years only to discover he remarried because someone told him you were dead during the Cultural Revolution where both of you were separated. Discovering that during an earthquake your son's legs were crushed and your daughter was gang raped. Falling in love and discovering that that man is cheating on you and when you confront him and the woman, he beats you and humiliates you. Growing up with the knowledge that your father raped you as a little girl. There are countless of horrifying stories, and maybe you might think that yours just can't compare.

 In any case, there's a time where the world feels like it's crumbling around you and all you really want to do, despite the admonitions from your friends and relatives, is curl up into a ball and cry (maybe you just wish to fall asleep unhindered by the pain plaguing your being) that's when you  have to stop, release the emotions from your system. Then stop yourself before you go too far and contemplate jumping off a cliff or sinking into the claws of death.

 Dr. Frankel makes a valid point when he states that "suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death. Without suffering and death human life cannot be complete. The way in which a man accepts his fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, gives him ample opportunity-even under the most difficult circumstances-to add a deeper meaning to his life." It's important during times of suffering to never lose hope. Indeed, "What does Spinoza say in his Ethics? -'Affectus, qui passio est, desinit esse passio simulatque eius claram et distinctam formamus ideam." Emotion, which is suffering, ceases to be suffering as soon as we form a clear and precise picture of it. The prisoner who had lost faith in the future-his future-was doomed. With his loss of belief in the future, he also lost his spiritual hold; he let himself decline and became subject to mental and physical decay."

Dr. Frankel expounds on this later when he tells a tale of a man who lost hope and died of typhus:

Those who know how close the connection is between the state of mind of a man-his courage and hope, or lack of them-and the state of immunity of his body will understand that the sudden loss of hope and courage can have a deadly effect. The ultimate cause of my friend's death was that the expected liberation did not come and he was severely disappointed. This suddenly lowered his body's resistance against the latent typhus infection. His faith in the future and his will to live had become paralyzed and his body fell victim to illness-and thus the voice of his dream was right after all

What if I can't sleep? What do I do? CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE AND KEEP OCCUPIED

Drink some tea. Read a book. Start telling yourself a story where you're somewhere else, somebody else, where everything is okay. Start planning your next step forward. Stop replaying the events that caused you so much pain. Instead view your suffering as your strenght and utilize it in a manner that will help you achieve future goals. Give your life meaning. Frankel states that "according to logotherapy, we can discover this meaning in life in three different ways: (I) by creating a work or doing a deed; (2) by experiencing something or encountering someone; and (3) by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering." Maybe it's easier said than done, but the most rewarding experiences are difficult to achieve.


 At some point, you have to accept what happened and move forward. Just don't over think, don't abuse your already tired mind and heart. Sometimes depression saps away all your energy and desire to do more. Try to do something. And if you're alone, not wanting to let the world know your troubles, talk to yourself, take a break, and write down your goals. I know sometimes it's hard to force yourself to go to work the next morning when you're bone tired from crying, but it's getting up that gives you the strength to move forward. It sure doesn't feel that way, but the greatest satisfaction  and achievements stem from moments where you push yourself when you're at the bottom. Frankel points out.that "what...matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into a triumph, to turn one's predicament into a human achievement."
Have you ever ran uphill? And as you run,  the hill slopes higher and higher, steeper and steeper. Your legs burn. You're panting. You have no water. You're probably complaining about how much it sucks.  It's getting harder and harder to push yourself forward. In the end, your legs are stronger, your heart healthier, your stamina far higher than before. Sure, you wanted to collapse, give up, lose hope. But after you make it, you realize it was better to give it all your energy.

I got lost once and was forced to keep walking uphill until the sun set. I couldn't stop, because if I stopped  I would never find someone to help me. I had no food and no water. It was a tiring and terrifying experience where I walked and ran miles and miles uphill, surrounded by tall bushes, and the sounds of frogs and crickets. I trudged through mud and walked past cow dung. My hope sank when I saw the sun begin to set, and then set. But several hours later everything was okay.

You will be okay too. Just keep on pushing forward. Find the best way to deal with your grief.  Remember, your suffering, your experience is unique to you:

"Was Du erlebst, kann keine Macht der Welt Dir rauben." (What you have experienced, no power on earth can take from you.) Not only our experiences, but all we have done, whatever great thoughts we may have had, and all we have suffered, all this is not lost, though it is past; we have brought it into being. Having been is also a kind of being, and perhaps the surest kind."

Don't lose faith...

Sand-Dollared Cataract by Sofia Mitchell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.

The Greater Good

In the Skull Mantra by Eliot Pattison, Shan gives advice to Yeshe that demonstrates the general essence of happiness and could possibly explain the Dalai Lama’s perpetual happy state. He tells Yeshe that “it is a mistake to think of courage as something you show to others. True courage is only something you show to yourself” (271).  While Shan is referring solely to courage, the concept applies to any feeling. The keyword in his statement is “think” because it truly is a mistake to think of emotions as having a sense of obligation. Others may sense and see your emotions, but there is no need or desire to show it; it simply happens and you just are.  Still, many wonder what is the source of happiness and if it is possible to attain this state.

I remember, once, sitting back trying to give happiness a definition. I laughed. My reasoning, I realized, was defective because I was trying to constrain an abstract concept, a feeling that we label as happiness but never had a label for before words existed. And for that matter, I could invent as many words as I believed needed to fully explain it. Likewise, any definition I thus applied would be fitting. So happiness is amtacularlous. Amtacularous:  An amazing, spectacular feeling akin to a miracle and found in the reatastical gorium.  I feel free to pronounce it how ever I feel; whether I sound French or Spanish or Arabic matters not since I invented the word. All the thoughts coursing through my mind were nothing but obstructions leading me to construct happiness. Happiness, as with all feelings, is best understood and felt without the lock imposed upon us by finite thoughts.

Whether it exists depends heavily on your perception of what happiness is; everyone, being different and sharing a plethora of varying views, will perceive it in a diversity of ways. For example, if many see perfection as the key to happiness then it is undeniable that they will feel a great deal of daily dissatisfaction, unless they have a unique definition of perfection that defers from the norm. As for me, while I was sick, I realized where a portion of my happiness stems.When ill, I lose clarity of thought and the freedom to function properly; therefore, I found that the key, for me, was freedom in many forms. If one cannot think, eat, sleep and breathe, then it seems that the purpose of living becomes null and void. Nevertheless, there remains an approach through which, even in the most despicable state (there are exceptions, always), peacefulness and happiness can be found.

If happiness is based on how one perceives a situation, then some situations can bring about, if not happiness, peace. In order to do so, one must be willing to see the positive side of any situation and willing to make the most of the worst possible scenario. In other words, one must rise above the many obstacles in life. In Eugen Herrigel’s Zen in the Art of Archery, Eugen, when discussing the art of the swordsman, mentions that “the swordmaster is fearless….He no longer knows what fear of life and terror of death are. He lives….happily enough in the world’ (78). Furthermore, the master’s counsel, in Zen in the Art of Archery, reveals the way to happiness when he says that “you must free yourself from the buffetings of pleasure and pain, and learn to rise above them in easy equanimity” (60). Happiness is not only a choice,  it might be the freedom from fear, worry, and ignorance which is the cause of suffering.

 For the most part, it is you who are in charge and you who affect your state of being. Your perception dictates how you feel and therefore influences how you approach life. The Dalai Lama enjoys the present moment, accepts that bad and good things happen, but most importantly he detaches himself from the negative feelings that may arise. He acknowledges that certain episodes may cause sadness but I feel that he sees a beauty in life, that through his own happiness he can make others happy, and in turn become happier himself. It seems he has a greater purpose, one for the greater good. There is no doubt that that must be extremely fulfilling.

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You're not suffering alone...

Check out this video about the multimillion-dollar industry, the sex trade. The speaker is Sunitha Krishna who is fighting against the sex trade, and rescued thousands of girls.  Help make a difference.


Once in awhile I'll sign into Facebook to be flooded with people's rantings about how awful their life is because they found out that their boyfriend/girlfriend has dumped them for someone else, or long dramatic soliloquies (I think Facebook caught on and  that's why statuses cannot exceed 420 characters, should be less though) about how lonely, unloved, and neglected they are and yes, people, the world is surely going to end because nothing is going right for me. I have nothing against people exercising their rights to pour their souls out to the world, after all it may just be their much needed outlet, and we need one sometimes, even if it takes the form of Facebook. However, what bothers me is the insignificance of their complaints in comparison to the many abominations circulating the world. It's for this reason I chose to recommend several books that delve into some of humanity's most heinous crimes.

Slavery continues in the Sudan, villages raided and burned down, little girls raped and sold into domestic slavery and permanently separated from their loved ones (Read Slave: My True Story by Damien Lewis and Mende Nazer). Move right along to the degradations women (for instance in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand)  endure as they're sold into prostitution, at times by their own family. Their daily existence consists of being beaten to the point of death, being raped by toothless smelly men, fearing the onset of AIDS and other sexual diseases, and other atrocities. Mind you, some of these girls haven't reached puberty yet. ( Read The Road of Lost Innocence by Somaly Mam). How about little girls--in places like Yemen--at the age of 10, sometimes younger, being forced to marry a man 20 or 30 years older, taken away from their family, unable to escape because they'll dishonor their families, left to uphold ancient traditions even if it means nightly rapes and beatings from their husband, when all these little girls want to do is go outside and play? Nujood Ali was ten years old when she was married and divorced in 2008. (Read Nujood Ali, age 10 and divorced). What about those children that live in a household that should be full of warmth and love, and instead are threatened with knives, thrown into a bath of bleach, maybe prostituted off, drugged,  for the selfish gains of others (Read  Invisible Tears by Abigail Lawrence). Even on my island, the year has barely begun and we have had four homicides. Then recently the case continues circulating the gruesome murder of Zahra Baker, a  beautiful ten-year-old, disabled girl who battled cancer, wore a prosthetic leg, and was not only killed but dismembered. Pause for a minute and change your focus. Why not make a difference in someone's life?

Then there are those who do not complain despite blindness, autism, and other disabilities. Instead, somehow, they manage to channel a greater force and become a musical savant, like Rex (Read Rex by Catheleen Lewis).

 In comparison to the nefarious acts taking place around the world, count your blessings and make the most of your situation. At times emotions cloud your mind and, thus, your ability to think clearly. It takes a very disciplined individual to be able to control a meltdown, and sometimes, honestly, you need that breakdown to release a battalion of emotions. Sometimes you tell yourself, "I know people have it worse, but I just can't ignore my feelings. This hurts." And yet at times you have to stop and realize that your bickering isn't going to bring about an apocalypse. Life will go on. Just keep moving forward. Relax, read something funny, and get a grip of your emotions, or read inspiring stories...just DO something instead of wallowing in self pity.

Want to make a difference, raise awareness, or learn more? I won't list every possible link. But here's just a couple to get you started:

http://www.somaly.org/slavery  - Learn about Modern-day slavery and prostitution and what you can do to help.
http://www.mendenazer.org/en/content/author-mende-nazer -more on Modern-day slavery

Sand-Dollared Cataract by Sofia Mitchell is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.