Lucky Man: A Memoir

What a story. I finished reading Michael J. Fox's Lucky Man: A Memoir the other night and am still turning it over in my mind. It's hard to make sense of it all.

Basically, Fox, better known to me as Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy, comes out and says that his early onset Parkinson's Disease is a blessing. It's a lot more complicated than that in the book, but everything in his life changes because of his diagnosis. The support of a wife strong enough to encourage him to give up drinking, the love of a family when he needed it most and the support of friends and loved ones helped him get through the crisis and treasure each day, the small moments, with gratitude. It hasn't been an easy walk for Fox, but it's been a blessed, eye-opening one that has transformed his life.

Fox is not religious, and the language can be a little harsh, but it's a fascinating adventure in which we see the depths of celebrity as well as the high points. He invites us into his struggles, not claiming perfection or a higher wisdom, but revealing his path and what he has learned. It's a good read, one that expands my horizons, for which I am always grateful. Plus, I get to remember this: