Together — Mark Harrington

Published in 1759, Voltaire’s satirical novella “Candide” follows the adventures of its protagonist as he travels the world. Along the way, Candide encounters the suffering, misfortune, and ambiguity that is characteristic of human life. A college philosophy course was my introduction to this masterpiece. I can visualize myself walking across…

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 accepted that cigarettes helped relieve stress and that germs were an idiotic concept. What we know…

Recently I noticed that expressing gratitude results in a change in my body. It’s hard to put into words, but I feel warm and peaceful. Something is different — better. I decided to investigate this phenomenon. I wanted to know if the symptoms of myasthenia gravis (MG) are…

When I attended a college staffed by Augustinians, five theology courses were required for an undergraduate diploma. Those classes helped me develop a mature understanding of religion and spirituality. Back then, I couldn’t know that one day I’d find a valuable lesson in the work of the four Evangelists, other…

In the Sept. 24 article “Y’all Vs. Ya’ll: Here’s How To Spell It” in Southern Living, the author Grace Haynes writes, “The South is known for its laundry list of unique, quirky, cultural sayings, like ‘Bless your heart,’ ‘Too big for his britches,’ and ‘Well, I s’wanee,’ to name…

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus, king of Corinth, offends the gods and is sentenced to spend eternity rolling a stone up a mountain, only to have it roll back down just as it reaches the top. The punishment doled out to Sisyphus is horrifying. How awful it is to…

Early this month, I spent the seven most stressful and challenging days of my life. Stress of that sort — financial and physical — can severely affect my myasthenia gravis (MG) symptoms. This column is my call for comfort to those in the MG and other rare disease…

As summer comes to a close, with cooler air just around the corner, it’s a good time to reflect on the past three months and share my experiences. I also have an important announcement. In July, the Republicans met in Milwaukee to nominate their candidate for president. In August,…

I’ve struggled with body image issues since childhood. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t believe there was something wrong with my body. When I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), I viewed the disease as yet another manifestation of my body’s faulty design. I recently discovered…

For the past three weeks, my struggles with fatigue have greatly affected my life. I think others who, like me, have been diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), as well as those who care for them, understand this experience. One minute life is rolling along and everything seems…

Soon after I was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG), my neurologist told me that keeping track of my symptoms could be an important factor in successfully treating it. She recommended I keep a daily journal. She told me that MG is a snowflake disease: Just as…

I was caught off guard recently when a friend asked me what one word describes my ability to cope with the ups and downs I’ve had since my 2020 myasthenia gravis (MG) diagnosis. I asked if I could give my answer after dessert. As we ate, we reminisced about a…