Embrace the Paradox

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr’s life, I’d like to
invite you to embrace this paradox -

You and I are equal.
You and I are different.
You and I are the same.

This combination moves mountains, shifts cultures,
and makes heroes for the ages.

You and I are equal. My dreams are as important as yours.
Your pain is as vivid to you as mine is to me. My differences
from you do not make me inferior. You may not understand me.
You may not feel what I feel, but what I feel is just as important.
Sounds easy, actually difficult. All human children have an instinct
of “me first.” It’s a survival instinct. But how do you mature out of that?

You and I are different. ”Equal but different” can be difficult to process.
When we find people equal to ourselves, we tend to assume that they
are the same. But they’re not. That’s the paradox. You and I are each individuals,
with our own experience, our own needs, and our own freedoms.
Appreciate that I am different from you, and that the way I see the world
is different from the way you see it.

You and I are the same. Once you appreciate someone’s difference
and their equality to you, with what emotion, what energy do you act
on that insight? Is it simply an intellectual observation? Or does it change
the way you live? This is where Dr. King became a leader for all ages.
He insisted not only on equality, but on brotherhood. In other words,
there is an underlying passion and love for the other’s being. It’s not
just about tolerating differences. It’s about appreciating them, relishing them,
and protecting your brother’s or sister’s right to be who they are. Beneath
the difference and equality, there is universal love.

The above comes from Mark Peysha, CEO of Robbins-Madanes Training, where they teach Strategic Intervention. To learn more visit the website.

At Oregon Exercise Therapy, we try to embrace these three truths with each client and how we treat their pain.

You and I are equal. We all share the same design, the blueprint for human posture. We all have eight load joints (2 shoulders, 2 hips, 2 knees, 2 ankles) that line up with each other vertically and horizontally at 90 degree angles. We are symmetrical. We are designed to live a pain free and active life without limitations and enjoy the peace of mind that comes from knowing that.

You and I are different. We are all individuals with different life experiences, different goals, and different dreams. Some of us want to run ultra marathons, compete in the Olympics, or play professional sports. Some of us want to sit at a desk and work 14 hour days and watch movies for fun. There is nothing wrong or right with either of these lifestyles and our role at Oregon Exercise Therapy is to recognize that and help you live the life you want to live – pain free.

You and I are the same. We are equal in our design, different in our goals, and the same in that our bodies are designed perfectly for whatever life we choose to live. When we appreciate each other for their amazing bodies, beautiful minds, and different dreams, we find universal love. We are all in this together.

Oregon Exercise Therapy takes the beauty in these statements and treats each client as equal, different, and the same to help you achieve your individual goals and dreams by giving you the tools to pursue them pain free. Knowing that you are not broken, that nothing is genetically wrong with you, and that nothing is wrong about your lifestyle, you can rediscover the resiliency of your human body and gain peace of mind to enjoy life to the fullest.