THE MIRACLES IN THE CAR PARK
There are, as they say, patron saints and patron saints. Some famous, some not so much; some outstanding in they’re chosen departments, monopolists of miraculous favours.
St. Anthony for things lost; St. Jude for hopeless cases; St. Blaise for the sore throat; St. Christopher for the traveller-we each of us have our own favourite.
But surely, if there is one who has been ignored, neglected and unknown (as far as I am aware) patron saint of car parks. His identify may be a secret, but his works are the essence of heavenly intervention.
Have you not noticed, those past few weeks, the recurrent miracles played out in the public car parks of town and city? Disabled drivers (for what else can they be) gently manoeuvre their vehicles into the only unoccupied spaces in town, those marked with the wheelchair logo. Minutes later, they can be seen heading off to the shops, agile and able-bodied and fleet of foot, just like you or me, their crutches and Zimmer frames thrown to one side (or somewhere), their wheelchairs no longer needed.
But where is their gratitude? Is there a leper among them to come back and say thanks? You will scan the Thanksgiving small ads all you like, but you will see no mention of thanks to that mild and good saint who has restored their crippled bodies to full and instant health.
The good saint is long used to such ingratitude, and all the better for it. If there is a complaint, it is his blatant discrimination in the matter of which he decides to bestow his great favours on. Invariably, the occupants of the miracle wheelchair spaces are those bearings the distinctive yellow number plates of Northern Ireland motorists.
But then it would be churlish to begrudge a visitor the miraculous cure to be found south of the Border. Think of the benefit which-properly marketed-the car-parking miracles would be to the tourist trade.
Respectfully yours,
…………………..
Tom Chambers
“The Billy Ranch”
Knocknageeha
Newport
Co. Mayo
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Wheelchair Jeet Kune Doo
Wheelchair Jeet Kune Doo
Newport man pushes the boundaries to conquer yet another challenge
There’s something about Tom Chambers that enlivens the spirit. Wheel-chair bound since an accident in 1981, the Newport man’s spirit knows no bounds.
The sports fanatic has completed numerous marathons, pushed the wheels through countless races and inspired a multitude through his unyielding belief that anything is possible.
The big man was always active, playing football with his native Burrishoole in his youth and later lining out across the water in England.
Then a car accident in 1981 left him disabled but nothing could harness his love of life and ambition to push back the boundaries time and time again.
Tom never ceases to amaze, but his latest venture is even more interesting than usual. The Newport man has taken up Martial Arts.
Jeet Kune Do (The Way of the Intercepting Fist) now has a Newport exponent and Chambers is more than enthusiastic about his new achievement.
“If you always put limits on everything you do, it will spread into your work and your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”
“It’s a method of self-defense for those of us with spinal injuries and it really works. I was delighted to get involved. I’ve met some amazing people and I’m learning new skills all the time,” Tom explained this week.
The well-known sportsman travels to the National Rehabilitation Centre in Dun Laoghaire regularly to hone and perfect his skills and he loves every minute of it. “I’m really enjoying it, but it’s hard work too. We put in some very tough sessions and there’s nothing easy about it. We learn how to defend ourselves and that means learning the skills that might save our lives one day. Many wheelchair users have been attacked over the years and it’s a serious business,” he added.
One of the seminars which took place during the self-defense program had Andy Kimura as the guest instructor. Kimura, senior instructor at the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle is son of Taky Kimura, Bruce Lee’s closest friend and highest ranked student.
The course participants received a special personal message from Taky Kimura before his son took them through a day of very intense and rewarding work on the program.
Kimura even got into a wheelchair himself so that he could better understand the different balance requirements for wheelchair users.
Tom Chambers was especially commended for traveling all the way across the country to take part, but that was nothing out of the ordinary for the Newport man, his dedication and spirit has been surprising people for a generation.
The core principles of Wheelchair Jeet Kune Doo state that it’s “Better to hold and injure rather than just inflict pain.” The training sessions teach Chambers and his colleagues numerous movements and the deflection and minimization of the assailant’s power. It teaches defensive and then counter-attacking moves.
Chambers is enjoying every aspect of his new knowledge, but he is also aware that there are many new challenges out there for him to conquer. He can’t wait.
Special Injuries Ireland self defense programmed modules
To be confident that you know how to protect yourself
Simple moves which will work for a person who uses a wheelchair
Understand the psychology of aggression and how to diffuse it
To know when and how to strike first
Understanding how to turn fear into a positive defense response
To have a self-defense mindset available if ever needed
Newport man pushes the boundaries to conquer yet another challenge
There’s something about Tom Chambers that enlivens the spirit. Wheel-chair bound since an accident in 1981, the Newport man’s spirit knows no bounds.
The sports fanatic has completed numerous marathons, pushed the wheels through countless races and inspired a multitude through his unyielding belief that anything is possible.
The big man was always active, playing football with his native Burrishoole in his youth and later lining out across the water in England.
Then a car accident in 1981 left him disabled but nothing could harness his love of life and ambition to push back the boundaries time and time again.
Tom never ceases to amaze, but his latest venture is even more interesting than usual. The Newport man has taken up Martial Arts.
Jeet Kune Do (The Way of the Intercepting Fist) now has a Newport exponent and Chambers is more than enthusiastic about his new achievement.
“If you always put limits on everything you do, it will spread into your work and your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”
“It’s a method of self-defense for those of us with spinal injuries and it really works. I was delighted to get involved. I’ve met some amazing people and I’m learning new skills all the time,” Tom explained this week.
The well-known sportsman travels to the National Rehabilitation Centre in Dun Laoghaire regularly to hone and perfect his skills and he loves every minute of it. “I’m really enjoying it, but it’s hard work too. We put in some very tough sessions and there’s nothing easy about it. We learn how to defend ourselves and that means learning the skills that might save our lives one day. Many wheelchair users have been attacked over the years and it’s a serious business,” he added.
One of the seminars which took place during the self-defense program had Andy Kimura as the guest instructor. Kimura, senior instructor at the Jun Fan Gung Fu Institute of Seattle is son of Taky Kimura, Bruce Lee’s closest friend and highest ranked student.
The course participants received a special personal message from Taky Kimura before his son took them through a day of very intense and rewarding work on the program.
Kimura even got into a wheelchair himself so that he could better understand the different balance requirements for wheelchair users.
Tom Chambers was especially commended for traveling all the way across the country to take part, but that was nothing out of the ordinary for the Newport man, his dedication and spirit has been surprising people for a generation.
The core principles of Wheelchair Jeet Kune Doo state that it’s “Better to hold and injure rather than just inflict pain.” The training sessions teach Chambers and his colleagues numerous movements and the deflection and minimization of the assailant’s power. It teaches defensive and then counter-attacking moves.
Chambers is enjoying every aspect of his new knowledge, but he is also aware that there are many new challenges out there for him to conquer. He can’t wait.
Special Injuries Ireland self defense programmed modules
To be confident that you know how to protect yourself
Simple moves which will work for a person who uses a wheelchair
Understand the psychology of aggression and how to diffuse it
To know when and how to strike first
Understanding how to turn fear into a positive defense response
To have a self-defense mindset available if ever needed
Irish Mothers
Irish Mothers
The Irish Mother is one of the greatest resources we have when we sustain a spinal injury. If you think back to when you had your accident, particularly if you were in your teens, your Mom’s role as career is re-established when you arrive in the Hospital. Very quickly after arriving in the hospital your mother’s maternal instincts kick in.
This is all very welcome and we probably abuse it as we did when we were younger. It is a very understandable reaction after having to deal with something as life changing as a spinal injury. The absolute fear that invades our very existence, the daily questions with either no answer, or worse, and answers we don’t want.
Your family becomes a daily resource that you feed off. We can get angry with them, no pretence is necessary and you can just be yourself. They become our punch bag, our cradle to cry in and a safe haven in the dark fear that invades our being.
At this stage you start to understandably become quite dependent on your mother, and naturally your Mom is a willing participant. However, there comes a time when we have to recognise that once again we must take responsibility for our life.
The difficulty arises when both of you have become entrenched in your new roles. Ask yourself, since returning home, how much do you let your mother do for you? It becomes so easy to let your mom make that cup of tea, or get you that book in your room.
Of course, maybe you were this way before your accident, but if you are honest with yourself and you can now see a pattern of dependency that was not there pre accident, and your level of injury is such that you are well capable of doing the tasks yourself, maybe it’s time to look at changing this.
Of course your Mom also has to take some responsibility for this stage of affairs. Your Mom has become comfortable at being needed, and while she may complain about having to run around after you, in reality, she has become comfortable with her role.
This is not a criticism of either you or your Mom; we all did it to some extent. But there comes a time when you have to start taking control of your life again. It is far too easy to just sit back.
And Irish Moms ask you, could your son or daughter do a little more for himself or herself? You are not doing them any favours running around after them.
I know what I am writing about, as I was that soldier.
.
The Irish Mother is one of the greatest resources we have when we sustain a spinal injury. If you think back to when you had your accident, particularly if you were in your teens, your Mom’s role as career is re-established when you arrive in the Hospital. Very quickly after arriving in the hospital your mother’s maternal instincts kick in.
This is all very welcome and we probably abuse it as we did when we were younger. It is a very understandable reaction after having to deal with something as life changing as a spinal injury. The absolute fear that invades our very existence, the daily questions with either no answer, or worse, and answers we don’t want.
Your family becomes a daily resource that you feed off. We can get angry with them, no pretence is necessary and you can just be yourself. They become our punch bag, our cradle to cry in and a safe haven in the dark fear that invades our being.
At this stage you start to understandably become quite dependent on your mother, and naturally your Mom is a willing participant. However, there comes a time when we have to recognise that once again we must take responsibility for our life.
The difficulty arises when both of you have become entrenched in your new roles. Ask yourself, since returning home, how much do you let your mother do for you? It becomes so easy to let your mom make that cup of tea, or get you that book in your room.
Of course, maybe you were this way before your accident, but if you are honest with yourself and you can now see a pattern of dependency that was not there pre accident, and your level of injury is such that you are well capable of doing the tasks yourself, maybe it’s time to look at changing this.
Of course your Mom also has to take some responsibility for this stage of affairs. Your Mom has become comfortable at being needed, and while she may complain about having to run around after you, in reality, she has become comfortable with her role.
This is not a criticism of either you or your Mom; we all did it to some extent. But there comes a time when you have to start taking control of your life again. It is far too easy to just sit back.
And Irish Moms ask you, could your son or daughter do a little more for himself or herself? You are not doing them any favours running around after them.
I know what I am writing about, as I was that soldier.
.
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