Come and Take It

The Come and Take It flag may touch a little closer to home. In the Texas Revolution, on their way to the Alamo, Santa Anna’s men attempted to retrieve a small cannon from the city of Gonzalez. Rather than give up the cannon, the people of the city made a flag that said, “Come and Take It” with a picture of the cannon above. This showed that they would not give up without a fight, and that if Santa Anna wanted that cannon, he would have to earn it.

When you think about it, these examples serve as battle cries for your fight against Parkinson’s. You don’t have to let it control your life. Yes, pending any significant medical breakthroughs in your lifetime, Parkinson’s may win – just as the Persians defeated the 300 and the Mexicans defeated the Alamo. However, I am referencing those stories because they far outlived the lives of the men they tell us about. The bravery and defiance of those men and women inspired others to win the ultimate victory.

Wake up each morning and make Parkinson’s work for its control of your life. Do not let Parkinson’s conquer you without a fight.

Take pride in your battle. How do you want to be remembered? Will you be remembered as the person who sat at home, and each Christmas lamented about how the disease had taken more and more control of you as the years go by? Or will you be remembered as the one who made Parkinson’s fight for every twitch, every spasm,  every freeze…and made even a terminal disease shudder?

Spartans - Heroic Resisters

Courage, training, equipment, and discipline created the famous legacy of why 300 Spartans and nearly 3,000 Greeks held the pass for over three days against overwhelming odds during the battle of Thermopylae around 480 B.C. The Persians numbered between 70,000 and 300,000.   

 Eventually the Spartans and Greeks were over-run in the battle.

Courage, training, discipline, and positive attitude will equip YOPD resisters in their difficult battle.  Resisters must be high performing.

“This is Sparta” is a way of showing the world that I am a force to be reckoned with. I will not surrender. I will not compromise. If you want to beat me, you will have to toil for every inch of ground you wish to gain. As far as it depends on me, I will make you toil; I will make you pay. And when you overcome me, I will be remembered as the force that made my invincible enemy shudder.

Lesson 3: When you get discouraged, ponder lesson 1 and lesson 2. These are not learned, they are truths.