As I approached the new year, I spoke with my assistant, Debi Gudema, about my vision to curate content with an emphasis on gratitude. I told her, “Life is short, and we must share words of gratitude as they bring light to others.”
In December, I completed a piece that recognized people near and far who supported me as a leader, Rabbi, friend, relative, and colleague and the many roles I have been fortunate to play. May that piece be the onset of my gratitude writings.
A few years ago, I composed an article about the arts and how singing became my new voice for sharing my words and thoughts. Since childhood, my goal was to prosper despite being afflicted with Dyslexia. Dyslexia, while a challenge, encouraged me to become an achiever, much to the chagrin of my school teachers, who had little faith in my ability to succeed. I could sit here and feel sorry for myself, but Dyslexia gave me the highest platform to grow and reach mountains I could not have imagined. This is how I think about music and my challenges with Parkinson’s Disease.
A short background: In June 2005, I retired from Temple Beth El, ready to bask in a life of pure bliss and relaxation. God had a different life plan for me when I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. As Michael J. Fox describes the disease, “Parkinson’s is the gift that keeps on taking, one little bit at a time.” And yet, to add to Fox’s description, Parkinson’s has also been a gift that has opened up an entire world of expression that I never knew I had within me. Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a disorder of the nervous system, also known as a movement disorder.
To put it bluntly, when you have an impairment like PD, it makes it harder to be as relevant and available as I used to be to my community, colleagues, friends, and family. There is a level of detachment you experience and, in many ways, are forced to accept in this new Life. Yet, the silver lining of hope and joy was discovered through singing. For many years now, I have been involved with a choral group for people living with Parkinson’s. This platform of music has been the language that enables me to accept my new world as less than perfect but filled with hope and magic.
The curative power and therapeutic value of singing music for restoring my voice lie in the flexibility to change tempo, rhythm, and key or to move seamlessly from song to song with complete clarity. It is as if Parkinson’s did not exist within my being. The creation of the choral group was driven by Judith Simon, founder of the Alzheimer’s Project. With her vision, she answered the need for a music-based support group for people with PD in South Florida. Through the music group, singing enhanced my improvement in social, personal, and work engagements and strengthened my vocal ability, which in turn heightened my self-esteem.
What remains beautiful about the program is the magic of music. Music and singing give me a new purpose and hope rather than feeling withdrawn or enslaved to PD. Music provides the group members a common ground, a shared joy, and a new meaning in our lives. While the physical and vocal ailments remain evident to the public, what remains hidden is the emotional part of the illness. Our reasoning becomes more circular, our emotions constrictive, and our thinking leads us to a path of hopelessness; as a result, we withdraw and feel frozen in time. Yet, it is through resources such as The Parkinson’s Choir that remind me and my fellow constituents of PD that there is hope.
As long as you have someone to help and support you, your lives grow a higher purpose and more significant meaning. When we find ways to help others, we help build a brighter future for everyone. Finding ways to enhance the confidence in others rewards anyone with a reason to move forward. So, for every person out there, family, friend, community member, and colleague who has given me support and faith, I thank you. My active participation in singing with the choir keeps my hope abundant, and with that, I can still reach milestones I never knew possible. Thus, I want to thank Judy Simon for curating the Parkinson’s Choir and for the gift it has been for our choir group and me.
If any congregant or member is out there reading this article, and it resonates with you, and this is something you need, then join me next time at my choir practice. The requirement: if you can sing “Happy Birthday,” you are in! We meet on Zoom on Mondays at 3:30 pm for an hour and in person at SFC. We also welcome anyone (no age requirement) who wants to enjoy the sound of music and offer support and encouragement.
I look forward to singing with you!
Rabbi Merle E. Singer | Words with Merle 