The Dragon Slayer's Guide to Life

Inspirational Interview with Dan Gottleib on NPR

Psychologist and family therapist Dr. Dan Gottlieb's new book Letters to Sam is a collection of lessons on life he wrote to his grandson. Two decades ago, Gottlieb became a quadriplegic in an automobile accident. His grandson is autistic, and the letters have lessons about what it's like to be different. Click here to listen...

The Powerful Poetry of Eli Clare and BIG Questions

Grab some tea, this may be a long post and not particularly linear.  It also may challenge a few of you in ways you did not anticipate I would do, being a white, straight, cisgendered (same gender I was born with), Midwestern, suburb dwelling, middle aged woman. 

I was recently introduced to the poetry of Eli Clare, a white, disabled, genderqueer poet and essayist.  Eli's newest release, a compilation of poetry entitled The Marrow's Telling, is incredibly moving.  I actually sat up on my roof to read it. Just felt like the right place to be. (My roofing season is almost over for the year, quite sadly).  Eli speaks quite powerfully and poignantly about the experience of being disabled, of being sexually abused, genderqueer, losing a child, being a peace advocate...Oh my, that sounds like such a depressing read when I write it out like that but it is so beautifully written.   Somehow it blasts you and challenges you without feeling at all militant or hostile. And not every poem is a blast. Some are quite tender. I came away feeling that Eli is an incredibly compassionate individual, highly intelligent, and not afraid of any question.  There are lines in there that I won't soon forget.

And this is leading me to the VERY beginning stages of investigating more transgendered writers as well as disabled poets and essayists. 

Why?

Don't Blame the Game: The Michael Schwass Story

Yes, it's really him. He's not just my invisible friend. May I present my friend, teacher and inspiration, Michael Schwass...

Go here to purchase your own copy of Don't Blame the Game.

Lessons from the Rishi: Dragons I Can't Kill

"I think my dad would really like to have these."

Things Michael says are never quite what they seem to be at first.  Many is the time I have realized what he was telling me months after the fact.  I'm much quicker now. This one only took me 20 minutes.

Michael said this to me the last time I saw him.  My custom, on our "Fridays with Michael" visits is to bring him treats. Always flowers from my garden since he never gets to see it himself.  "Accessible" food that he can manage himself, like protein bars and trail mix.  Maybe a home cooked meal.  This particular visit as a special treat I brought him just picked, fresh with morning dew, gorgeously ripe wild black raspberries from my yard.

He ate four before making the above comment.

Powerful Story of Survival: Thirty-one Years and Still Standing

For those of you who don't know Michael Schwass, in whose honor I am lauched the first edition of the Carnival of Courage, allow me to introduce you.

He's a member of the National Speakers Association, a therapist, a coach,  an author... and quadriplegic. The first quadriplegic ever to walk again without the aid of braces. I encourage you to read his compelling autobiography, Don't Blame the Game , for details of his personal journey. I met Michael sixteen years ago when he spoke at a group I was leading on the spinal cord unit of at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, IL, during my doctoral internship in counseling psychology and we became fast friends.

Michael was a star hockey player injured in a high school playoff game 31 years ago, later watching his team go on to win the Illinois State Championship. He never stopped being an athlete, though and his grueling daily exercise routine has been critical to keeping him functioning at his absolute maximum.  While he is no longer able to walk, he is still able to stand, a miracle I witnessed myself this past June.