The breeze, though welcomed, does little to relieve the sweltering heat of the summer sun. Even sitting under the huge maple tree as the grandchildren play excitedly in their inflated new pool exposes one to humidity that engages a flood of perspiration almost instantly. Scorching temperatures and soaking perspiration means nothing to our delightful grandchildren splashing intentionally in the crystal blue water of the pool. The trio thrashes and splashes for hours, seeming never to lose even a tad of the stored energy. Eventually, the need for food to restore energy manifests itself and the trio reluctantly leaves the water to be restored and renewed. The seemingly hyperactive six, five, and two-year-old succumb to the biological urge to restore and respond with a nap or a series of insistent screams at one another about the possession of an obscure toy. Ultimately, restoration is obtained, and the “grands” move on to more of the wet and wild time until led to their proper and “cleansing” bath before their evening meal. With great enthusiasm the three have engaged activity that builds skills, satisfies a quest for knowledge, and exerts energy toward that for which they have passion. They are now skilled in the use of a garden hose that washes away clutter and debris from the pathway to the pool. They have learned that misuse of that flowing garden hose can result in the loss of all the water from the pool if the three of them simultaneously lie on the swollen edge, causing the container to overflow. They have also learned that they have the “power” to maintain a workable and sustainable instrument of joy and refreshment. This elderly and not very sprite possessor of PD observes and is inspired to begin to align his thoughts and energy toward that which yields rewards for the attention given. The inclination to shuffle the often seemingly stiff feet while crossing the room can be turned into a more rewarding exercise when engaging the intention of the mind with the “lifting” of the feet (without regard for how someone may view the action) that takes the movement from shuffle, to exaggeration, to a reasonable act of walking across the room. The act of having taken the shuffle and turned it into a semi-normal walk seemed at first to be a rather ridiculous exercise until the realization that the side effect of this imposing depletion of endogenous dopamine progressively deprives on of what we virtually all consider to be “normal” forms of movement. Regaining the “normal” and or reducing its decline begins to find a habitat once we “make friends” with the fact that “normal” no longer is what was and embrace the fact that “normal” must now be discovered and embraced. Even that thought must be exercised repeatedly as if exercising a muscle that keeps us swimming in the pool of adventure and discovery. The enthusiasm of the grandkids does not yet underpin the perceived motivational splashing of intentional movements to exercise that which will reduce loss of voluntary movement taken for granted for so many years. We will see if and how the discovery of engaging different “actions of intent” will lead to a new and perhaps different place of thriving and away from activities that remind us of “our loss” (failure).
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