A Boston native, Mark has spent 25 years on the faculty of the Dallas Independent School District. A believer that what Hanna Arendt termed “the life of the mind” is the richest gift we give the young, Mark continues to find inspiration and joy in teaching. Mark has been published in The Dallas Morning News, The Boston Globe, and various professional publications. His classes have been featured on KERA, the local public television station. Mark knows the MG journey is not solitary. Blessed with wonderful, loving family and friends, he hopes his writing will assist others as they navigate life with myasthenia gravis.
Throughout history, we can find examples of people getting things wrong. In 1903, a banker said, “The horse is here to stay, but the automobile is only a novelty — a fad.” Science once…
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My earliest school memories revolve around reading class. I couldn’t wait until after lunch, when we’d get out our books and take turns reading. I loved Dick and Jane, Sally, Mother, Father, and…
In the novel “Till We Have Faces,” C.S. Lewis wrote, “Don’t you think the things people are most ashamed of are the things they can’t help?” These words resonated with me as…
If you grew up in New England, you’ve most likely heard about a fictitious exchange between a tourist in need of directions and a reticent Mainer. When asked the best route to the tourist’s…
I’ve had epilepsy since I was 9 years old. Because of this, I’ve spent part of my life around hospitals and doctors’ offices. I became aware of the pitfalls that can arise in patient…
In his book “Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life,” Alan Deutschman presents his belief that humans are resistant to change. According to Deutschman, even when we…
On many weekends when I was a kid, my parents would take the family to the Boston Public Garden. We loved the iconic “Make Way for Ducklings” statues, inspired by the children’s book of…
The short story “Rip van Winkle,” written by Washington Irving and published in 1819, ranks among the classics of American literature. It tells the tale of a man living in colonial America who…
Many kids hate the end of summer, which brings a return to school. I was never one of those kids. I’ve been a nerd since kindergarten. I loved — and still do — the…
The exceptionally hot summer weather in Texas, where I live, has made life for unhoused people more difficult than usual. It’s troubling to see so many people standing outside in the heat at…
The limitations and frustrations that accompany life with myasthenia gravis (MG) have dominated my thinking the past few weeks. I wish I could say I’ve gleaned inspiration from the experience, but I can’t.
As a historian and teacher, I often make connections between current events and the past. Because I also live with myasthenia gravis (MG), recent events called to mind a connection between the past…
If I’m not careful, myasthenia gravis (MG) will take control of areas of my life I don’t want it to. I’m not referring to the daily exercise regimens or the employment challenges, but…
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