Not just a cute pet trick, this video made me think about how much our attitude towards life shapes our lives. There are optimists, there are pessimists, and there are realists who still manage to make the most of their situations. I am constantly inspired by my friend, Rachael, whom I see in the third category. She has faced many challenges in her life, but has never let them stop her. To the contrary, she has used those challenges as jumping off points for embarking on new directions in her life and career, and with little, if any, complaining. She really embodies the saying, "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." (I don't think she actually says this.) Rachael was diagnosed with a chronic illness during college, which has brought her many physical challenges. But she has always faced those challenges and not only adapted to them, but thrived. When the brilliant Hawaiian sun became off limits to her, because sun exposure worsens her illness, she did not stop playing tennis. Instead, she switched to playing tennis at night. Similarly, when Western medicine caused seemingly more side effects than benefits, she turned to holistic or integrative medicine. She is now working on a DrPH (doctorate in public health) that is investigating the use of integrative medicine by transplant recipients like herself. She has also been recently appointed the Executive Director of the Hawaii Consortium for Integrative Healthcare, a community of Hawai'i organizations dedicated to improving quality of healthcare by finding common ground with Western medicine and traditional, natural healing practices. The Consortium's primary activities include education, research and collaboration. To me, it seems like she is able to find not just the bright side, but the absolute benefit in what could otherwise appear to be a negative situation. Or as she put it herself, "maybe perspective is but an aspect on living versus thriving." The video clip is a great example of this. Waylaid temporarily by some medical issues that are limiting her activity recently, Rachael had to come up with a way to walk her two new adopted dogs, Mana and Pua. (Manapua is the Hawaiian name for a Chinese style pork bun.) Check this out! These are some lucky dogs to have been adopted by someone with so much ingenuity and resilience.
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