Health & Illness
A critical illness gives one a chance to contemplate death and reflect on one’s life. One can use the suffering of illness to face these deepest issues of life and death.
Don’t confuse good health with not being sick. A truly healthy life is one spent creating value—tackling the challenges thrown at us over a lifetime, striving to achieve something worthy and meaningful; constantly expanding the frontiers of our lives.
Health is not simply the absence of illness. . . . Real health is the will to overcome every form of adversity and use even the worst of circumstances as a springboard for new growth and development. Simply put, the essence of health is the constant renewal and rejuvenation of life.
Human life is indeed wondrous. You may be ill physically, but as long as your mental state is strong, it most certainly will exert a positive influence on the body. There may be no better remedy than hope.
Illness is not something to feel ashamed of. It is not a sign of misfortune or defeat. Suffering is the fuel of wisdom, and it opens the way to happiness. Through illness, human beings can gain insight into the meaning of life, understand its value and dignity, and strive to lead more fulfilling lives.
It is painful to suffer illness, but the most painful thing of all is to feel abandoned by everyone, that no one cares about you. When the dark hole of despair pierces your heart, your life force drains away. That is why it is so important not to abandon or forget those who are sick or in trouble. We need to continuously and gently communicate to them that we sincerely want them to get better.
It is precisely because we battle with sickness that we are able to experience firsthand the best and worst in life, allowing us to forge the strength within ourselves that will never succumb. That time of struggle enables one to empathize with the suffering of the sick.
Life is tenacious; it is endowed with the impulse to survive and the power to heal. . . . Ultimately, it is we ourselves who cure our illness, and the decision to undertake this battle arises from our inner resolve.
True health is to be found in having a positive attitude toward life and a strong self that refuses to be defeated by anything.
True health shines in the lives of those who continue to ardently devote themselves to creating positive value and the happiness of others.
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