My Black History Influences My Life With MS

Each year, we set aside the month of February to honor and revere the grand attributes, various contributions to society, and the wondrous marks of strength, diligence, courage and/or martyrdom of African Americans that were pivotal in the fight to push past unfair, unconstitutional, and prejudiced boundaries. We pay homage to the plethora of ways in which they tirelessly fought to make a positive change in a world where inequality was the culprit of the degradation, cruelty, enslavement, and unjust treatment of a race of people simply based on the color of their skin. Their strength was immeasurable.

Inspired in my fight against MS by those we honor this month

"A man without knowledge of himself and his heritage is like a tree without roots,” said Dick Gregory. I feel that my perseverance, determination, optimism and hope to OVERcome and not SUCcumb to the woes of social adversity, personal afflictions - which definitely includes the struggles of living with multiple sclerosis - are definitely attributed to the influence of the examples of those whom we honor this month.

Strength and resilience

“If you know from whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go,” said James Baldwin. My lineage was strong, proud, courageous, and resilient. I won't let a chronic disease or any other trial or affliction defeat me. I espouse these qualities to forge through this life I lead where MS compounds any other challenges that I encounter along my trajectory. These are the qualities that help me live by the adage 'where there's a will, there's a way' - even when it's not easy.

I don't allow my hatred of my disease to impact my mental wellbeing

I absolutely abhor MS and all it has taken from me. When Coretta Scott King says, “Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated,” she wasn't specifically speaking about me and my MS journey. But the principle - that living with hate is too much for a person to bear - can certainly be likened to it. If I allowed myself to focus on loathing MS and its effects on my life, it could have a great negative impact on my mental well-being. My mental well-being is as important as my physical well-being.

Finding the joy

"Whatever we believe about ourselves and our ability comes true for us," said journalist Susan L. Taylor. I believe I can live this life and appreciate the joys it still brings in spite of its troubles, in spite of the unpleasantries. And so, I practice just that: finding the joy. A life with assistive devices, minimal independence, hostage to a chronic disease makes family time, scenic rides, or a productive therapy session even more special. Enhances my quality of life that much more. “If there is no struggle, there is no progress,” said Frederick Douglass.

My legacy

I also feel that I have a responsibility to those who are a witness to my living - specifically my children. My legacy to them is showing, not just telling them, that you can thrive despite adversity. “I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving up.” Like Rosa Parks, they will see that their mother didn't give up. Though they may slow me down, I refuse to accept hindrances as forever obstacles. "Don’t let anything stop you. There will be times when you’ll be disappointed, but you can’t stop,” said Sadie T. M. Alexander.

I rise

The walk with MS has been and is a difficult one. I seek strength, encouragement, and empowerment from any positive, effective force; hence, the influential African Americans quoted in this article. I refuse to succumb, and instead, I choose to fight to live for a better day or to simply stay in the race like so many others before me. From relapsing-remitting to secondary progressive MS and all of the symptoms, life changes, and hardships in between, like Maya Angelou I say, “Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.”

Happy Black History Month!