Samson and Hercules Part 1

In 2011 when I was enjoying my 71 years, my book “It Has Nothing to Do With Age” was published. This book dealt with athletes, at least 65 years of age or older, who competed in extreme or extraordinary sports. These competitive types overcame many personal obstacles and stayed with their extremely difficult activities without giving in, or giving up. Incorporating ideas from those individuals, I’m expanding and delineating the specifics of my notions of the strength of the Samson or Hercules effect behind or the push for optimum mental and physical health. Let’s begin with the birth of the baby and its established DNA structure. The human animal is the most dependent and vulnerable of animals in the sense that if left alone, it would perish. According to Erikson, the newborns first psychosocial task is developing a sense of trust, compared to developing a sense of mistrust. The infant is totally dependent on the caretaker for gratifying its need for food and water. The goal is the gratification of the need and return to a state of homeostasis. This means the infant may communicate its state of disequilibrium by crying. The mother or caretaker has a difficult task or test. She becomes the man-made barrier. It is for her alone that determines the appropriateness of providing breast or bottle to the unhappy infant. Her decision is paramount as she determines what the appropriate degree of frustration is. Should she over mother and respond immediately to the unhappy child? Or should she delay her response to teach a delay of gratification? It’s an important balancing act or ground floor development that results in whether or not the infant develops that sense of being able to trust that human or trust self for the need gratification. If one can’t trust self, one cannot trust others and this fact is a primary indicator of healthy socialization. To Be Continued