30 Days of MD: Life Lessons I’ve Learned Along My Journey

Photo courtesy of Adeel Rizvi

Day 15 of 30

This is Adeel Rizvi’s story:

Each of us is different and unique, and that’s a good thing. My philosophy on life is about recognizing that I am who the other is not. We must appreciate all that we have and welcome differences. As a person with muscular dystrophy, I appreciate my pathology and how it helped transform my life view.

Some people say life is a journey and that it is not the destination but the journey that matters. Others say that life is a test full of surprises (even some that may be unwelcome). If we combine the two philosophies, life then becomes a test that assesses our ability to identify and cope with the journey we are on and the (constant) surprise twists.

Life is about discovering and learning who I am and who others are. If life is learning, it must mean that learning is life; this is another philosophy I live by. We must continue to be lifelong learners. As life teaches us lessons, we must be open to being taught and learning, then going out and teaching others.

Knowledge is built on the shoulders of those who came before us. If we do not share what we have learned, future generations will be doomed to repeat our mistakes. This very reason is why I became an educator. I love sharing all that I know, hoping it will help others like me and others who are different from me.

When we create a connection with those who are different, we go beyond sympathy and create a sense of empathy. Once we create a relationship with others who acknowledge our differences, we can be ourselves and grow. Life is not about being perfect. It is about learning and making the most of what we have. There is no need to be perfect; make it work.

Don’t just learn to live, but live to learn. I know I want to leave a positive mark, and therefore I will do all that I can to make the world a better place than before I came into it.

Note: Adeel Rizvi is a columnist for Bionews Services, which publishes Muscular Dystrophy News.

Muscular Dystrophy News’ 30 Days of MD campaign will publish one story per day for MD Awareness Month in September. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more stories like this, using the hashtag #30DaysofMD, or read the full series.