Neil Diamond was ‘inspired’ by Michael J. Fox’s battle with Parkinson’s

Three years later, Diamond opened up about his battle with Parkinson’s during a candid performance CBS Sunday morning.

“When the doctor told me what it was, I just wasn’t ready to accept it. I said, ‘Oh, okay, I’ll see you whenever you want to see me, but I have work to do, so I’ll see you later,'” he recalled of his diagnosis.

However, the singer eventually found a sense of “calm” in the “hurricane” of his life.

“It’s become very quiet. And I like that,” he explained. “I find myself liking myself more. I’m easier on people. I’m easier on myself and the beat continues and it will continue long after I’m gone.”

“There is no cure, there is no escape,” Diamond continued. “You can’t just say, OK, it’s enough, let’s start living again. It doesn’t work that way. But I’ve come to accept the limitations I have and I still have great days.”