Health

“Health is a means to get to the end.”

To one, health can be bread on the table.
To one, health can be being able to pay for monthly bills.
To one, health can be strength to studying overnight.
To one, health can be strength to work.
To one, health can be strength for pleasures and fun.
To one, health can be being able to think rationally.
To one, health can be being able to dream.

There isn’t really definite meaning to it, isn’t it? Health is rather relative than absolute.

What does it mean by "health"?

In the book "Concept of Heath", it was written, "Seedhouse suggests that the perceptions of health can be combined in a unified theory of health as the foundation for human achievement. Health is thus a means to an end rather than a fix state that a person should aspire to. "

Provided certain central conditions are met, people can be enabled to achieve their potential. Working for health is to create these conditions:
- basic needs of food, drink, shelter, warmth
- access to information about the factors influencing  health
- skills and confidence to use that information

People should be able to have health, whatever their circumstances are. However, it doesn't seem to be that easy. "By health I mean the power to live a full, adult, living, breathing life in close contact with what I love... I want to be all that I am capable of becoming." (Mansfield 1977)

Within this context, I don't think many people are healthy in this world.

Perhaps health is a state of mind. Many people have no disabling disease, illness or handicap, but they don't seem to live a happy life. Or the goal in life was to after wealth that had made them unable to "live and breathe life in close contact with what they love." But what if wealth is the only subject that one loves? Possible, but I do see many elderly suicide was a cause of social isolation and chronic illness. Will the definition of wealth change when one catches up with age? Possible.

In the case of Nic Vijucic, I think health is a personal strength and ability. Nic was born handicap, no medical reasons were established for his handicap. He was born in a Christian family, his father was a pastor, I guess. Religion and believes were questionable in his upbringing. He tempted suicide, and I'm not surprised. However, as he realized of his own values and potentials, he discovered God, and he discovered himself, and then he achieved. Then, he scores! What he did and he does, had surpassed many of us which are in the healthy state. He appeared more healthy than we are. Physically, mentally, both.

I was introduced to Nic by my deaf friends. The deaf circle was tremendously excited about him.

Are my death friends healthy? Many of them are Christians, for we know each other in church. Some of them are not Christians. Some of them have poor health, some of them stay good! Some of them single, some of them married. My desire while I was with them was to promote awareness the needs of social support and social capital for hard of hearing. Health promotion does not help the disadvantage group of people, if the surrounding is ignorance about them. Legislation is needed to protect them from being ill-paid and mistreat in their working environment. Support is needed to provide funds for those who are uneducated and lack of family support. Support is needed to create equal opportunity in employment. The effectiveness of health promotion lies in the community! How well do they accept these people, and how willing is the society to come in to help in promoting changes? To be effective, these are fundamental questions!