Warrandyte’s Gerard Stevenson, pictured with wife Sue, may be paralysed from the neck down after a horrific fall at home almost two years ago, yet he powers on with what is a new way of life but with the same old love from family and friends. With that kind of support and finding inspiration in a famous Sir Isaac Newton quote, Gerard enters the blogosphere with his new blog ‘Stand on the Shoulders of Giants’ – www.standontheshouldersofgiants.com.au. Picture: REFLECT PHOTOGRAPHY (www.reflectphotography.com.au)
WARRANDYTE’S Gerard Stevenson suffered a fall at home in August 2014, leaving him paralysed from the neck down, but he has been nothing short of inspirational in readjusting to a new way of life. That includes starting a new blog about his experiences called Stand on the Shoulders of Giants, inspired by a quote from Sir Isaac Newton.
In a recent exam the question read, Who was Sir Isaac Newton? One young student answered: “He was the man who invented gravity!”
Well, he didn’t invent or discover gravity but he did revolutionise scientific thought with his theory of universal gravitation, the sticky stuff holding together the universe.
Sir Isaac was an outstanding scientist and mathematician. He literally changed the way we think about the world. He revolutionised our ideas about light. He invented the world’s first reflecting telescope. He invented calculus, making it possible to measure curved areas and determine the rate at which things change.
With his insights, world knowledge took a giant step forward. When he was pressed to explain how he could make so many important discoveries and inventions, he said: “If I have been able to see further than others it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”
Gerard has taken his lead for his blog from that quote. He weaves into his blog inspirational stories from the lives of greats as diverse as Columbus, early Australian sheep breeder John MacArthur and filmmaker Stanley Kubrick among others.
He describes the medical procedures he has had since his injury in easy to understand language. He keeps a keen eye on the latest developments in spinal research and brainwave technology.
Warrandytians are urged to be a part of Gerard’s journey by reading his blog at standontheshouldersof giants.com.au
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