# Illness is Illness

By [jer979](https://paragraph.com/@jer979-2) · 2025-04-16

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> The sage is not ill, because he sees illness as illness
> 
> \-Lao Tzu

Everyone has hardships. Everyone. Rich people. Poor people. Old people. Young people.

But, like Viktor Frankl says, “we always have the choice of how we respond.”

Illness is not only physical, as we know.

It can be mental. It can be a tough job/boss. It can be a marriage that didn’t meet expectations. It can be rear-ending a Tesla or a tweaked muscle in your back.

Allowing our mental states to be completely hijacked by the “illness” is the real illness.

I’m not entitled to a “perfect” life devoid of “illness.” Neither is anyone else.

Remembering, embracing, and accepting is illness prevention.

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*Originally published on [jer979](https://paragraph.com/@jer979-2/illness-is-illness)*