I read this article today with enormous interest.
On two fronts it left an indelible mark on me;

For one, the positive attitude of Eddy Merckx, the great Belgian cyclist, which led to him overcoming that dreadful spinal injury to become champion; and two, the obvious parallel with my own fractured and cracked spine.

This is an inspirational story, to a terrific extent.
We again see living proof of the scale of human endurance, spirit, and character, and where it can take us.

Eddy Merckx, a terrific character...

Why pain was never a barrier for fast Eddy
By Brendan Gallagher

He looked like a young Elvis Presley, rode like a runaway steam engine and, God bless him, enraged the French year after year, by winning all their big races and grinding their high profile superstars into the dust.

Lance Armstrong may have earned the worldwide headlines, notoriety and small fortune but the Belgian with the swarthy Mediterranean looks remains cycling's non pareil, indeed one of sports' legendary figures. Such was his voracious appetite for devouring opponents and spitting them out on the roadside that Eddy Merckx became known as the 'The Cannibal' and the nickname has stuck. Merckx, 61, arrives in London tomorrow. He will be opening the Cycle Show in Docklands on Saturday and conducting a Q & A session with fans, who will want to hear the old stories from the man himself.

These are some stories. There were 525 wins in his 1,582 career races, a 33 per cent success rate and on average a win every week for 10 years. Five Tour de France titles and a record 96 days in the yellow jersey and 34 stage wins. Five titles in the Giro D'Italia and 24 stage win. Seven Milan-San Remo Classics, three world championships, three Paris- Roubaix....There just isn't space to list his honours.

And all this depite a chronic back condition that should have left him on a walking stick for the rest of his life. Back in 1969 - soon after his first sensational Tour de France title when, uniquely, he won the yellow jersey, green jersey (sprints) and the polka-dotted jersey (mountains) - Merckx was involved in an horrific crash. He was being paced by a motorbike in a 'derny' race and a cyclist fell in front of Merckx's pacer, who was killed instantly. Merckx suffered bad concussion, cracked a vertebra low in his back and his pelvis shifted horribly. It should have been the end of his career but Merckx begged to differ.

"Cyclists live with pain, if you can't handle it you will win nothing," he told me earlier this week. "If you don't want to suffer, take up another sport. Winning big Tours and stage races is often about pain management. When the terrible accident occurred at least I escaped with my life. I was the lucky one, that was my reaction. I was positive and having worked so hard to succeed in cycling I was determined not to give up.

"I was only young and the injuries were to haunt me for the rest of my career but I got through. I had to adjust my position on the saddle and I was always needing massages and manipulation. But I got through. In the end I grew philosophical. I could still turn the pedals, the bike still went quick. Not as quick, but still very quick. The only difference between me and my opponents was that I started most races in pain, they hit the wall three-quarters through or at the top of a big climb.

"I began to use it to my advantage. Being in pain from the start made me sharp and on edge and well motivated. I had no fear of what lay ahead. I was already suffering. My opponents had all that to look 'forward' to but they didn't know when it would ambush them in the race.

"Sometimes,also, it was very bad and it was as if I raced so fast just to get the race over so I could stretch out on the floor or the bed to get comfortable. The mind can overcome great setbacks and make a person very strong."

...
from Telegraph Sport 5th October, 2006

A moment not too soon
from the sky's thoughts
a penny to a balloon
floating over a 1000 ports

nerves widest berth
seeking journey's binnacle of health
that time of eyeopening mirth
the enceinte of fortified stealth

a cataclasm avoided in steady course
the float of sound in water's found;
aqua vitae, a spring to reinforce
hopes to quench and propound.

written by lauren6

I greatly enjoyed this short animation.
It conjured up memories and emotions of the north of France. Of the battlefields and culture, the bravery and valiant deeds untold, the strife, loneliness of war, and the hope of life thereafter.
It is an optimistic animation, I feel, and the music has a comforting warmth.
Wonderful!

Not much is known about the Spanish director, born in Barcelona in 1980...but is a real talent!

J'ai considérablement apprécié cette animation courte. Elle a évoqué des mémoires et des émotions du nord de la France. Des champs de bataille et la culture, le courage et contrats vaillants incalculables; les différends; solitude de guerre, et l'espoir de la vie ensuite. C'est une animation optimiste, et la musique a une chaleur de soulagement.

Ce sont mes impressions après l'avoir observée pendant la toute première fois aujourd'hui. Merveilleux!

Pas beaucoup est connu au sujet du directeur espagnol, né à Barcelone en 1980... mais est un vrai talent !

Where do our beliefs come from, and why do we hold on to some of them even if there is evidence to the contrary? Why, for example, do we continue to be fascinated by God, religion, haunted houses, UFOs, conspiracy theories, and miracle cures, even when science can dispute many of these claims? Is it because we are uneducated, or are our brains designed to interpret and seek out such possibilities in the world? Simply put: Why do we believe what we believe?

In Dr. Newberg's new book, Why We Believe What We Believe, he focuses on the underlying mechanisms which govern our spiritual, social, and individual beliefs, arguing that we are biologically driven to find meaning and wholeness throughout our lives. In fact, our brains have the capacity to create and maintain a system of beliefs which can take us far beyond our survival-oriented needs. These belief systems not only shape our morals and ethics, but they can be harnessed to heal our bodies and minds, enhance our intimate relationships, and deepen our spiritual connections with others. However, they can also be used to manipulate and control, for we are also born with a biological propensity to impose our belief systems on others. This innate power of our beliefs to heal or injure, to foster happiness or disease, or generate societal friction or peace is the underlying theme of this book.

Based upon his neurological research (including new studies with Franciscan nuns, atheists, and evangelicals speaking in tongues), Dr. Newberg correlates a wide range of human beliefs with specific perceptual, social, and biological factors. He argues that some beliefs can enhance our physical and emotional well-being while others can function destructively, not only upon one's self, but upon society as well. Although our beliefs are rooted in the biology of the brain, Dr. Newberg emphasizes that they are equally shaped by parents, peers, and society. In the end, a better understanding of beliefs can foster a more compassionate perspective on people who hold other beliefs and point the direction towards a more positive life and society...

-The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences.