Life has changed in 2020, individually, society, culture, and religion. Currently, striving to remember that change is inevitable. Change triggered by life choices, community growth or decrease, medical, culture, and social change as events and individuals age and change their view on life and how they impact society’s culture and society. Contemplating the United States community, I see from behind a register and on the floor helping people find things. People used always to thank and wish the employee a Merry Christmas. Now, very little is said, even for my part personally. Christmas is a time of incredible joy from a faith perspective. We are celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ.
No, this is not; it would be best to say Merry Christmas, or I feel attacked religiously. I felt joy when someone wished me a Merry Christmas when mental health-wise struggled with my depression. It was just a reminder of seeing children get gifts, celebrating family and friends, calling or sending cards to people in the address book that brought up memories of why they were in that book. Sometimes calling them because you realized you had not talked to them in six months. I feel on edge now in saying Merry Christmas. I ran across the below articles when I searched for why it has become a stressor and taboo to say Merry Christmas. Even Happy Holidays can set people off.
Had gone in search of why the increase in past years and even worse this year there is no joy but hesitancy in wishing someone Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.
One was from Politico Magazine, who presented the article written by Daniel Denvir, who works at the Philadelphia City Paper written on December 16, 2013, A Short History of the War on Christmas. Found it fascinating that as many things impacting our culture, it began from a small Society or Association that wanted to change their culture. Does reinforce a small group of individuals changes whether that is good or bad; we shall see as the years move forward. The information presented was excellent in that it showed the polarizing extremes of liberal versus conservative sides. My takeaway is that Christmas is not to listen to the extremist and celebrate Christmas based on a family tradition, not a small society segment.
Christmas meant to generate hope and goodwill for all, not anguish unless there was a loss personally. If there are no traditions, make some of your own. It could revolve around helping an individual or groups all of next year or getting together with friends in the same situation. Get out there, be creative, make your tradition, meditate on your faith, or begin contemplating what worked and what did not, and how to make changes starting in the new year. Moving away from the minefield of Christmas, I tried to find a positive spin toward Christmas.
I came across an article in Country Living by Rebekah Lowin written December 9, 2020, reviewing how Merry Christmas came around. Here’s the Origin of ‘Merry Christmas’ and Why We Say It Today short article but was packed with information that Merry Christmas may have begun in the fifteen hundreds. Found it fascinating that the phrases in many forms have been around for centuries. My takeaway is that using Merry Christmas is not an insult; it is a tradition. Let’s bring joy back by returning to a practice that was an aspect of culture, not an attack on religious freedom. Ground roots action, let’s say Merry Christmas.
For some prayerfully many, the words are the reminder that Christ Our Saviour was born. For others, it is a celebration of family traditions. Merry Christmas is a cultural phrase of joy, peace, and sentiment. Many need this more than ever to figure out how they will make the money stretch to handle the basics. Others need the reminder of joy in the world, not the negative.
For me, Merry Christmas brings back memories of being at my grandparents baking cookies, helping decorate, and helping cook the Christmas meal. Remember listening to Christmas Music on records from John Denver, Frank Sinatra, and many more, and the Snoopy Christmas Album and love the below song. Sitting writing this up cannot even tell you why, but I feel joy just listening to it again.
Since I went from two ends of the spectrum of information, let me wrap this up with two videos from Matthew West presenting first the season’s sentimentality and faith this year. The other is the nitty-gritty of this year. WARNING the second video shows a negative view of Santa for little ears and eyes (children) and does finish with a fantastic reminder of ‘the reason for the season.’
Thank you, Matthew West, for your exceptional talent and ability to put this all together.
Get out and start your traditions and memories of Christmas. Ignore the stores putting up Valentine’s stuff. Let’s strive to go into 2021 with hope and peace for a future year of more change and adapting to a new way of life.
MERRY CHRISTMAS. For those from different religious traditions, may you find joy and happiness? Maybe even start the practice of using your religious connotations. Merry Christmas and _______________! Let’s strive to bring joy to those around us. Let’s not feed conflict from both sides of the aisle. Merry Christmas in whatever form you find yourself celebrating. Life is change, and that is okay.
Personal random observation from a valley of depressive thought. Depression and Anxiety have flared up this last week. Unsure if the flare-up is due to being that I live in the Northern part of the United States, feeling of no value, or the constant empathy and wanting to help others. The struggle has become in listening to the media. Media presents all of these families facing poverty and the consequences of losing a home, education, and food. Being in a grocery store cashing out individuals who have to decide what to buy when there is not enough money do they buy peanut butter or deli meat, etc. Our politicians on the Federal level do not seem to care and keep squabbling like selfish children. Our State and Town officials, at least in Ohio, make decisions that seem to help but follow through seem to be more lip service than actual change. We have a stay at home 10 pm to 5 am; most people are home at the point those that are not are anti-social anyway and enjoy shopping and being in areas where there are no people regardless. Then there is my employment struggle.
Being part of the Home Health Aide industry and working in people’s homes to care for the paralyzed or infirmed. Retail Industry and caring for another base’s needs and finding my place in covering for call-offs. Finding the balance between home life and making sure that an individual or client can have their primary care needs taken care of but not at the cost of my health mentally and physically and my family needs. A friend of mine graciously pointed out my internal need to fix all problems.
Got me to thinking about why I try to fix things when the corporate owners, policymakers, and lobbyist should do so or at least what we are lead to believe but see little here in the US. I also feel that we should still be accountable for the problems we see and help where we can. What has been making me ponder my value in a cynical look due to my mental health? Also, taking a view of the media presentation of information? The roll-out of vaccination to the city hospitals. I see little that goes to the smaller cities and towns. Also, there is no information or planning about the general populace mid to late next year or the fall out when people realize that 2021 will be a copy and paste of 2020.
On the other hand, I do not want to take the vaccine NOT for any anti-vaccine reason, but personal health concerns. I usually run on odd reactions or allergies for prescriptions. The concern is the allergic reactions documented out of Britan. Unique value where you go when you see you have none and those around you gives you the impression you have none.
My takeaways are that I have value to my family even though the words are not said. Value to the client I take care of in helping care for the basic needs that a spinal injury caused to decrease physical self-sufficiency but did not harm the mind. Finally, there is value in caring for the feeding, clothing, and primary care need supplies to those coming into the store. The weight must be found by myself and not seek to see it through the words or actions of the people I care for or the media. Simple to say but harder to follow through.
For me, COVID has not impacted my interaction with others just due to the employment I have. As individuals searching out and determining personal value may be challenging, but now is the time when you may have more time on hand. There are employment opportunities. They may not be glamorous, but the retail, home health aide, kitchen help at hospitals, and more. Working lower pay jobs is physically taxing but can help the budget extend and strive to meet some basic needs.
Thank you for reading this random observation of my value struggles not genuinely impacted by COVID and 2020 chaos. Low value has always been a part of life. My takeaway is to stop making COVID the bad guy and accept that things are hard to step back and try to find where you can adapt to change and make the change. For me, was start saying no or trimming back the time available to the jobs I work. Stop giving COVID the power it does not deserve. Look around, make changes search the web or friend groups, and problem solve. As a lower-income society, we have survived before showing the world we can survive and thrive in these financially challenging times. Yes, government help would be beneficial, but it may come too late. Keep fighting. You can do this.
Thank you for reading for those that have communicated changes to my page or articles. I will try to get to them, but honestly, I think some of them may have been a trigger to my lengthy anxiety attack, and in November, I worked on an additional component to my blog. It just will take time for me to make changes. I work 60 hours a week, fatigue from health needs, nevermind the blog, and family care.
Life is a challenging journey meant to succeed in the individual eyes, not a comparison to another.
Sample of having a problem and finding a solution.
Something to think about mental health and striving on how to implement changes into one’s personal life journey from a larger picture presentation of information.
Ohio had the first snowstorm of the season. Saw this image at work, that brought to mind our 2020 World and Personal view. Many communication avenues are saying we are stressed by not having personal connections with those around us. Yes, that is true but is it not time to thrive as we move into 2021? We should readjust our view or GPS on our emotions and life expectations.
Picture yourself as the tree in the middle surrounded by the taller trees. Does this tree not look beautiful, all covered in the snow surrounded by others covered in snow just as well. The center tree has a limb outstretch to converse, interact, and shelter those around. Strong to support the snow but also surrounded by others in the same situation. Transferring this into an individual human component is that it is stifling to be social distancing but we all are. Let’s change our narrative to thriving in this time of change instead of looking back. How stifled are we indeed in this day and age of transportation, communication, and problem-solving?
The limbs spread out shows the reach we can have as an individual. Take time to continue to develop a routine of quiet time, not planning; this will look different for everyone. Still, some suggestions read a book, listen to soft music with a clear mind, and concentrate on searching out the positive around you even it is small that you even have quiet time, or read the Book of John, Psalms, or Proverbs of the Bible. Part of the tree is sheltering you, the individual, from the elements. Limbs are reaching out.
As you see the limbs reaching out, those limbs support the birds, squirrels, and other small animals as they climb out to the edge. As individuals climb out to the edge and change our path or thought process, we are as trapped as we make ourselves. Yes, you may not be able to leave your home but contact your local library to get on their home program to drop books monthly for you to read. Strive to look around and what kind of exercise you can do. Not being physically mobile, or you are those who can walk your neighborhood, google or bing search local parks and walk them, limited mobility stretches your arms try to reach the end table where you could not before. Make new goals we are as little as our mind, and sometimes our physical bodies place us. Physical example, during fifty to eighty percent of my day and work, my fingers become numb with pins and needle feelings. I make more mistakes, but I enjoy working and writing. Nevermind, there is spell check, and if I stopped, I would be giving in; as humans, we can adapt and change. Trees do that all the time. They lose a limb and keep growing, and even when a tree dies, they nurture the ground around it or warm a home. As an individual, are you going to prove the negativity right, whether it is your mental or physical health or the world around us right now that we need to accept there are aspects of our life we have no freedom we need to follow the rule given to keep us and those around us safe? Do we not do this in the workplace or social services presented by job and family services?
The smaller tree nurtures the larger trees, but that can turn just as negative if the smaller tree becomes ill. Illness (Dutch Elm Disease) can spread to the larger trees, and then you have many trees dying that may not contribute through the nutrition of the ground or warmth to a home due to not wanting to spread. As citizens, it is also our responsibility to keep those around us safe if we had the flu, pneumonia, and now COVID.
Instead of railing against what we cannot change and return to the familiar of ‘normal,’ let’s look around at the positive. At least in the United States (probably other countries as well), our politicians are allowing us to leave our homes to walk our local streets, parks, and other areas. The malls, shopping areas, churches are still open. At least a portion of our society can still work. Why not instead of saying I cannot go anywhere wough is me what about trying to walk or drive to a friend’s place just to put a card or gift on their door that you made yourself that you are thinking of them. Please make it a goal to walk somewhere in your town or city instead of driving there if possible. If you are genuinely unable to leave your home, reach out through Facebook messenger and say hi to someone or call. Make it a goal to contact at least two to three people a day. If you are like me and do not have that many people in your circle, send out thank you cards to business or call and thank them, they are open. See if you can volunteer at the local food bank. See if you can help at a homeless shelter.
We are a people that can adapt and thrive if only we will reach out like the tree. It may initially look like it may buckle under the snow it has on the limbs, but it does not, most times, and it bounces right back up. Even if it does lose a limb due to much strain, it is still standing and thriving just differently. As society and culture, do you choose to buckle and break under the perceived stress of what is happening around you, or are you going to step back a moment, refresh, regroup, and change the situation’s narrative and thrive? Yes, thriving will look different, but that is the beauty of humanity. Find shelter and celebration on the little and large successes and losses because every day is new and ever-evolving if you allow it. We can thrive to a new and beautiful 2021 if we choose to accept the things that are not changeable but change the aspects of the narrative that we can.
I choose to celebrate social distancing it has eased the strain of my social anxiety I do not have as many people to please. Which has helped to quiet my depression and allows me to concentrate on readjusting how I live my life, find what is important to live well, and interact with those around me. I choose to find those I can support or shelter under my limbs and find the positive among the negative. What can you choose to change and adapt to strive to thrive in 2021 and make it a year of positive change even if we still are under the same policies as 2020?
Song of showing adapting the struggle we have to thrive but shows we still can.
I think we have all heard multiple rumors or opinions about wearing masks. I am not bothering to repeat them here. What did spark a Random Observation is the US is not the only country struggling under the perceived lack of freedom in wearing a mask. Here is a piece from Canada that could easily be the United States. When searched too many to count.
The aspect that disheartened me is a human being who chooses not to agree or medically cannot follow the current 2020 mask mandate. The individual took their anger out on an hourly employee who follows procedure based on government and company policy. Also the amount of people that just stood around. Personally, this reinforces the lack of value people have toward hourly employees. Yes, coming from me is a broken record, just continuing my plea to treat hourly employees with a small amount of respect. All employees are asked to enforce rules whether we agree or disagree; it is a choice to have a job or fired after multiple verbal and written write-ups for not enforcing the policy. Here is a thought if you are unhappy with a government policy, write or call the government. Please do not take it out on someone who is doing their job.
Perspective on the lack of freedom people keeps railing about. The individual already felt trapped in their life existence, and this new culture and lifestyle that we find ourselves in was just the straw that broke the camels back. An individual can either feel trapped in work, culture, marriage, relationship, race, lifestyle, rules, and regulations. The list is never-ending because as individuals our perception of life is different. No, the man should not have beaten an employee, but an idea of why the man snapped and maybe people to offer help to those around them that look like they may burst. We can change our circumstances. It may be challenging, but with friends or family, there is a light at the end of the tunnel if you are ready to make that or those changes to move forward out of the emotional or physical pit you find yourself in.
One may feel trapped by the lifestyle one lives in with the struggle. You can change the location or thought process to find joy in the smallest of things.
Included is a song I find great joy in playing often. The video shows celebrities, but the words hold so much meaning when I want to call off work and family obligations and not get out of bed. Another is when I am in the parking lot pushing carts because it is my job, and someone almost hits me with their car or gives me a look of anger because I have slowed them down. New is the walking into work, and a customer is yelling at another customer; they came in without a mask. There are still people that medically cannot wear a mask. We do not know people’s mental health or physical needs toward wearing a mask.
No offense on a silly point if you chose not to wear a mask just out of protest there may be a mental health concern. Wearing a mask is a simple yes it is difficult to breathe but drink off and on let me clarify water, coffee, tea, etc not liquor, head to the restroom, if you are in a store aisle take it down for a moment then wipe the area down in front of you, and many more ideas. Problem solving we are amazing and creative individuals who find a solution to the problem instead of waiting. We got this problem heck I have thoroughly enjoyed social distancing, not worrying about makeup from my nose down, and being able to yawn without covering my mouth. Look for the positives in the new lifestyle of 2020 and beyond; because I doubt this is going to change it is a virus they are ever evolving.
I have been tempted to re-market the two shirts I made when this first started. Link to the shirt at the store is under the picture if someone did want to buy one through Teespring.
Ohio Police Request: Going to include this for awareness since the police in Amherst, OH, have been looking for a month. Posted 11/27/2020, including date, so this does not get forwarded five years from now.
Working retail during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving and Christmas always makes me question why I enjoy my job. One to two weeks before Thanksgiving, a portion of our customers increase in being mean and unforgiving of the slightest infraction. With masks, it is even worse because they feel more comfortable talking under their breath. Why do shoppers think that employees have no feelings?
My thoughts come in several components of why and how to counteract it mentally—unique ideas or perspective of why people are disrespectful and forgetful of goodwill toward all. One is people do not want to spend the money on the holidays. Two The family is making demands unachievable, or the individual is exhausted trying to provide. Three adverse holiday history but everyone around them is cheerful and happy and questions why they are not. Four keeping up with the neighbors or relatives and cannot compete or even have a desire to compete, but think they must keep the trend going. Five corporate entities have put holiday decorations and reminders out since September. Six all the personalities have to be appeased, but no one cares what and how they impacted. These are my perception of why, and there are probably many more.
Honestly, when a shopper is nasty to me, I strive to remember the above list. I do not know where they are emotional or physical. My feelings do get hurt; treated like I have no worth. I strive to remember some of that is my depression. The other is that being an hourly worker is considered menial and low value. Even though we did not work, people would have no way to buy food, products, etc. Another aspect I strive to consider I do not know where someone is the cell phone conversations people have prove that.
Given cell phone conversations, I hear when people are walking through the aisle, in line, put their items on the belt, and paying are numerous. Here are some, so YES, be aware your conversation is not private. Those around you do hear. Unsure about anyone else, but I would prefer not to listen to your private conversations. Why are you on the phone when it is about leaving your spouse, a child ran away and trying to find, money is tight, mother in law verbally attacked you and unsure how to handle it? Other conversations heard is you just needed space and left your spouse and staying with your affair, that the underwear not folded and needs put away, and many more. Nevermind the hourly employees that are supervisors that are still taking work calls off shift. Sometimes for questions that could have easily waited for the next day. The best one for me is when, as a worker, I am considered rude because I am not acknowledging you are in my line except to say hi and give the total of your purchases. You are in a private conversation; if I was at a party or networking event, it is inappropriate to approach; being on the phone is the same. An alternative is text questions and answers more private. You have also verified you tried to reach your family to find out if you needed to pick up milk or another blanket, or a present for a friend or family.
Opps did not realize I had so much pent up frustration over the phone conversations I hear and shoppers’ attitudes. No, we are not perfect workers. Yes, we have the workers that sit or stand around and talk instead of work. There are the workers that are slow as turtles. A worker is ignoring you; I have an explanation for, at least personally, I have poor hearing, and with masks, it is even harder now. For me, I periodically misunderstand someone or plain do not hear unless I catch a person’s lips moving before mask-wearing. Now, I have no reference point. But I do not need the attitude that you have to repeat yourself. Most workers are trying to get things right.
Another aspect is the screaming children that are not in an infant carrier. Please, if you are shopping with another adult, have that adult take the child outside or if the child is at an age to compromise and let them pick a toy or candy if they behave through the whole store. Please do not give them something if they have been screaming through the entire store. It is draining, whining, crying, and repetition wants candy or toy every minute at the register. One, it is distracting when trying to converse with other customers. Nevermind the headache; many of us have halfway through a shift.
Now with the mask-wearing mandates. Some of us are not allowed to speak to a customer due to company policy. Remember, some of us still have to wait on these people who chose not to wear a mask. Customers get huffy if we take time to wipe down the areas and slowed down. Other customers are huffy that we have not had a chance to wipe down because we have a line of six people to wait on. Nevermind, we sometimes run low on supplies. Surveys are continually saying they had to wait, so what do you want us to do. Wait on you with speed, and no cleaning or slowness, and surfaces sanitized. Due to the pandemic’s change in cleaning policies, we will be slower to adhere to CDC health guidelines.
Above are constants throughout the year; there tends to increase screaming and customer attitude during the holidays. Some are due to children’s schedules being thrown off by get-togethers and parents concentrating on prepping for a holiday and not spending as much time with them. Another alternative is trying to pay for the holidays and just asking people to be aware that we are human too and respect that we are providing care to you. Yes, we may not be police, fireman, doctors, and nurses, but housekeeping, call centers, clerks, waitress, and any other public encounter have a place in this world.
Sorry for the rant. Being in the Customer Service industry in many varieties, I just reached a breaking point since I had all of the above in an eight-hour shift that seemed constant.
Side Note: from the supermarket industry or any that provide carts. Can everyone go back to putting the cart into each other instead of just rolling into and leaving them loose in the corral? Lifting them when they have fallen to the side is frustrating and hurts. Since today is a mentally gloomy day, why do some people feel safe to put a child and elementary, sometimes the middle-school-age child, in the cart’s large area? If they do not fit in the front room, they are supposed to walk with you?
Have to say sorry, but this is heartfelt, so it is draining treated like we are expendable, which I guess job-wise is everyone right now, just from the eyes of a Service Associate that is already tired and has a month and one week left of the holidays. Which will then move into four to five months of decreased hours and still cranky customers; we will not have enough staff to provide speedy service due to budget cuts till sales increase. Another factor of the grumpy customers is that the bills from the holidays come in, and have to balance buying groceries or paying the credit card. Another reminder of Loving All even when we do not see eye to eye; like the customers who give puns every time they talk, you hate puns but have to smile like they are lovely.
Thank you to those who thank us and acknowledge that we are trying as best we can.
Found uploaded on April 24, 2020, but it is a reminder that we are still at a difficult point. We do not have an end date yet for the outbreak. As a world, we need to keep caring for all of us. People are stressed, depressed, starving and out of work, and that number will continue to increase. Those working do not know if they will get sick or have a job the next week. Everyone is under stress, not just you; let’s try to remember that when we are out and about this holiday season. Maybe it is time to stop trying to Keep up with the Jones, instead strive to love our families be they blood or not as they are not how we want them to fit our wish.
Thank you for reading. Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Holiday, Happy Hanakana, and all unknown holidays.
Just a perspective of the public and investigative media on supermarkets: My only concern for these spots mentioned is again time and staff hours are given to the store is limited. These limits do not always provide time to take care of all of these aspects mentioned. The tap pay mentioned, not all companies have that possibility. I liked how they said it is the customer’s responsibility for self-care, not just the company.
Thank you to all the industries that deal with the same or similair issues but I do not feel right speaking for a bus driver, landscaper, or anyother service industry that I do not have a direct reference to. Keep up the great work the world could not run without us. Would love to return to a time that all forms of employement where considered valuable instead of just the college degreed.
Thank you for those who read. Again a reminder my anxiety and depression I am not a position at this time to read and respond to comments.
Where do we go from here during this time of change and the upcoming Holidays about family and gifts? Personally have reached a limit on the phrase of ‘return to normal.’ We are not going to return to what once was. Previous outbreaks have brought change to how civilizations and cultures live. Where does this leave an individual with mental health when surrounded by so much negativity?
Unsure about anyone else, but living in an agitated, selfish, and malicious culture has become extremely difficult. Living with depression, at least for me, is a struggle to see the positive; when surrounded by the negativity coming from family, friends, social media, and media—struggling how to balance out living in the world without my depression getting worse. Over the last two months, I have found and been working on why my depression has increased in severity. When this happens, I always strive to see if it is an exterior or interior life component triggering a spike in my depression. Looking over the exterior is when I was thinking over my interactions with people, social media, and news.
When people irritate me with their selfishness, or you’re a moron voice and unrealistic expectations. I pull out my crazy smile and phrase, “I love people!” once I leave the area. I started saying this many years ago when working with the public. People I interact with expect perfection in everything; for the most part, that is not achievable. The daily person does not live an episode of ‘The Rich and Famous’ or have the money for an HGTV perfect home. Many components impact what people can have or a company or individual can provide. Be this information, services, and products. Considering other alternatives to why what you want is not available, supplies delayed, information can change at the drop of a hat, so many other things. (Side note: people stop stockpiling cleaning supplies, toilet paper, and paper towels; you are causing a problem that was not there until you created it). Never mind that an employee can be tired but has to work and cannot think as quickly of the options available to offer if there is any available or even care to help. Accepting that not every interaction will be perfect helps reduce the negativity or agitation that personal business brings. Social media is another component that prompts quite a bit of turmoil and negativity.
Social Media should be considered more of a gossip column, not facts. Many things are posted, which is an individual’s perception of facts, not facts unless linked to a professional well-researched website. It has reached a point that a part of self-care that I have done is that I only have a Facebook account to be aware of what is happening in the family and close friends. Additionally, a separate account to post my blog and store link. There are some individuals I do not unfriend, so I do not cause agitation by my actions. Still, I do not read or like their posts anymore—the dissemination of information causes more doubt in public officials or friends and family activities. Steps we need to take to move forward out of this current outbreak and political conflict. We may not always agree with the situation as a whole, but we must strive to keep the chaos to a minimum and seek to help those around us not agitate or become agitated. I will say that some of the facts may be true, but is it necessary to stir up trouble and upload to a public forum that will create so much agitation or, in the end, false information. If you want facts to get out, send it out as a messenger, not a public post. I am for returning Facebook to the point of family contact and marketplace, not a field of social agitation. Media is a whole other ball of wax.
Media, routinely covered of just touching base on the basic. I wanted to offer how to approach viewing the process outside of just touching upon the idea of avoidance. When considering and the commentator becomes negative, view it through the scope makes this impact personally and change it. If it does not personally impact is emotionally moving it to knowledge but unobtainable fix by me. When I cannot fix something, I need to move it to not worry about it emotionally, more worry leads to expanding my anxiety and depression, and I cannot afford to take on more than I can handle.
Weather Report: Selfish, you are on your own. If I could move, I would, and then I remember that Ohio has mild winters compared to others and rarely have severe weather like hurricanes or tsunami.
Schooling report: Personally cannot fix this, so worrying about the children is not productive; I have my high school student I am trying to graduate. If I felt I needed to fix this, I would contact my local school, library, churches, and recreation centers to see if I could volunteer to help or contact a local mom or mom’s group and assist with homeschooling.
Local shops and restaurants support: Supporting local business this I can do. I can buy gift cards and donate them to Goodwill, Salvation Army, pregnancy centers, homeless shelters, and other help groups. I could even send them as thank you to the voter poll workers, teachers, postal workers, local grocery, retail, or restaurant workers.
Just a look at examples of how I am trying to live successfully in a perceived hostile culture; nothing is perfect, and striving for it will only exacerbate one’s mental health.
Documentary of Why to Help. Examples of at least people striving to improve the lives of others and that more help is needed.
It is not meant to be a down on the United States, but we a genuinely blessed nation for the most part. Our society’s large segment conflicted on mask-wearing, race, poverty, corporate greed, fact or fiction on medical information, and political landscape. I have mentioned we need to look at the local needs and help. Here is an international and local example of why we, as individuals, should strive to find where we can help others.
Texas Country Reporter – Kind House Bakery This is an example of an international from Texas. If one is to look around or network through social media, there is something local to you or create something close to heart and doable. Changing how the International local communities see the US and helping others is just as important as local.
What did strike me and prompted the US culture is spoiled in a large portion of our country because the showing living in a war zone and the money will buy fuel for people. We need to acknowledge, though, in the US, large segments of our society are just as deprived. One can volunteer or give financially locally if one looks.
Watching the BBC News does show what prompted the race riots that started in May and many years prior. It gives an example of why it turned violent since that is what surrounded by violence can create. We are such a large country we can strive to change by giving people opportunities.
I ask myself why the media does not present yes, there is shooting, but these are groups that are striving to make cultural changes. Change takes time and effort, but as individuals, we can change our culture; it is one less individual that needs help. Some will not accept assistance and return to what they are comfortable with, but trying is something better than nothing. Doing something can be direct or indirect, whatever an individual’s comfort and interest level is.
Here is another national presentation of the impact of the needs of our local community. CBS Sunday Morning – The rise in Americans’ Food Insecurity what struck me is that this is a national face of the condition. How to help give to national food banks, support and help people understand how to grow food at home even if in an apartment during this Christmas time gift a how-to and physical package of how to succeed at home, and give or help where you can. As one can tell, our government will not help, so find where to assist because the government will not or will take too long. Search for a personal or local situation to help, even if it is a word or physical health. As individuals, we can make a difference, do not wait for the government to help. For me, that is donating financially to a local food bank and helping where I can at my job in a local supermarket. Sometimes that is just contributing a nickel, dime, or a dollar to someone trying to buy food and is short a little. I cannot afford or be allowed to pay a whole bill, but someone in line can see this happen. It is not much, but I can personally do that makes me feel that I am helping. No, I am not affluent; my bills are severely tight, but if I can help those worse than I, I will be the best of my ability.
Let’s strive to not look at the negative as woo is them or me, but as can I or someone else helps with this. There are so many organizations that are struggling for volunteers and money. Do one or the other to help or just a thank you card for all you do. Do not look to the government because, realistically, what I see, they do not understand or care. They look at the fiscal bottom line and their lobbyist, not the people that need them. Seek to help others, or if you need help, seek out those who can help, whether mental health or physical health. As a world, we can survive the changes ahead as a community of individuals looking to support our local needs.
Upcoming Holiday of Thanksgiving in the United States: Stressors are money for meals or travel, family arriving, or inability to come.
Here is an idea plan a menu that you will all prepare at individual homes and set up a time on Zoom or conference call on the phone to talk and eat as a family. Another idea is watching the game or family movies through Zoom, Facebook, or any other communication method. Communication and compromise are how to make this holiday work safely. Yes, it is not like last year or other past events, but you are still as a family, just a new view.
Food will look differently for others. I have included two videos that I found that gave lovely ideas that are different. Our family has a simple menu of stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, squash, Gravy, and Thick slice Low Salt Turkey or Regular Turkey from the Deli. We are not big turkey eaters, so three slices for a family of three work perfectly. Also, we will be calling my husband’s dad and talking with him. Due to Covid, we are not getting together because my father-in-law is in his late seventies and has several health issues, and he asked us not to meet at a buffet or restaurant as we have in past years.
To celebrate family, YES, it is different but is it not better to create new memories and successes of working around a problem than it is than be bitter and angry that you let a problem conquer you? We are a world of fixers fix the problem within the constrictions you have and call the holidays a success toward change. Live Your Life: T-Shirt
For a silly look at life through a music video and the upcoming Christmas Holiday, which will bring new challenges that we will succeed if we stop comparing to the past and see a new beginning, you can change your lens to follow a new future.
Home Free – Cold Hard CASH (For Christmas) – I love the humor that this brought. Christmas is about family, not about the gifts. For Christians, it is Birth of Christ. Maybe this year, it is time to look at spending time with family playing games or going through a photo album. Yes, you may not be together; make someone the central clearinghouse of information or photos. Scan and upload family videos or images to a created website, Facebook, or a locked YouTube account that only goes to the family. Go out and create new memories, not more significant agitation of comparing to years past that is not obtainable due to the changes brought on by 2020. We will survive and thrive if we look out for those around us. Call or drop a postcard to someone that they are loved and remembered. We can succeed if we accept that replicating the past is not feasible but creating new memories will be worth it in the end.
Quick Thank you to those who have read and linked to follow. I will apologize I currently have not acheived a level of comfort with my depression and anxiety to read comments. Thank you to those who leave them. Have a great day.
Was going to title the 2020 US Civil War? In a moment of depression, but did not want to get anyone thinking I was advocating such action.
The US Civil War idea came to me as I was looking at the CNN Politics monitoring of votes counted during the election week. The red and blue separation just came to mind listening off and verbal diarrhea in various media and communication forms. Random Observations and contemplations of these past weeks of US Elections and all the hoopla presented by the sound bites, media, and just individuals. Currently, the media is placing Biden and Harris as the elected officials. Where does that leave my anxiety and depression?
This past week should not have been beneficial mentally during this time of verbal civil unrest that the US seems to be in over the Presidential election. Whether it is an aspect that the individual you voted for got in or not. The words used around is not needed. Acting like spoiled children who do not get their favorite toys or candy does not accomplish anything. We may not agree as a whole unit but living in a constant state of agitation or worry is not beneficial during the diverse changes that 2020 has brought. People are making sounds that there will be many critical changes or that politics rigged. How do these conjectures and stories help our country go back to being unified as Americans, not whatever we are now? How will January twenty-twenty-one impact the future?
Change is inevitable. The incoming President has a help everyone script, and the outgoing had corporate support. Both are different mindset and planning. The change will take time; our politicians give verbal cue they want to help, but the actual presentation that they do not understand what it takes to live as a lower to middle-class individual or family. This change and people disagree are what scares me to lose everything that my husband and I have striven to achieve. Nevermind the life my daughter will have. I will be honest, selfishly, the idea my Federal Loans zeroed, is excellent. Would no longer owe a degree that has caused financial drain and no job prospects. Mental Healthwise, where am I?
What keeps me from being overwhelmed by anxiety and depression over the anger chaos I see moving forward due to this election. Our country is divided over political discussion and health mandates. But hopefully, we will see little change because our government will keep squabbling and accomplish little. This opinion comes from how little help small businesses and low-income individuals and families have received from our government during this pandemic. Additionally, the money that to the unemployed was more than many make in a month. When you make more from being unemployed, then many companies have had a hard time hiring. Nevermind, Biden kept mentioning shutting down the country till the pandemic is gone or the vaccine found. Unsure financially how Biden and the government intend to pay for this, but then again, I have seen government budgeting does not act like residential budgeting. I also ran across this article from a law firm presenting what a government can and cannot do. COVID-19 AND THE CONSTITUTION: What Government Can and Should Do Posted by Gary L. Wickert on March 16, 2020, Last Updated on March 19, 2020. Found this informative and a simple scale. Even though it is from mid-March, it still presents facts.
For the pandemic, my thoughts let it run its course with precautions as we are doing and continue toward expanding the economy and getting people back to work. Let’s keep moving toward ground roots progress. Our country has been through outbreaks before and survived and recovered. As time moves forward, the verbal and, in some areas, physical attacks will continue throughout our country due to the opinion being considered fact. Facts being misinterpreted and considered an attack.
Additionally, having our police and military decreased instead of balancing out the high state of on-call, our law and the army need to be daily to protect themselves and us. Please give them a space to decompress safely; it may also save some marriages. Also, the social services and counselors’ training that some politicians want to throw at the problem. Are they going to have self-defense training or how to kill someone to protect themselves? Due to the individual being so high on drugs that they are a physical danger. Prescriptions for some use to mute the mental health needs that our government assistance and insurance do not provide. Nevermind the fact that, in general, people still are not comfortable around those with mental health.
Where do I emotionally go from here as I dread the time ahead? I see one political party that wants me to work for what we have. An aspect of life that I thrive, other political party wants to govern my every action and tell me what I am worth. I do not want to be babysat by our government and told when I can and cannot get healthcare and have to live in fear that there is not enough military or police to protect me.
Unsure if I have found any mental health balance toward what is ahead. I have accepted that outside of the election. Have no control over our politicians who genuinely do not care about or understand the needs of all the citizens that voted. All they are interested in is protecting their power in a government structure that is no longer ‘Government of the People, For the People, By the People.’ What is available for me to control my mental health is that I need to concentrate on caring for my family. Check-in on the news and do what I can to protect my daughter’s future and my husband and I retirement plan. Just continue finding homeopathic methods to care for my physical and mental health needs. Additionally, live on a tighter budget to balance out that finances will be less than they are now.
Again all we can do is go forward and care for our local needs and be aware of how our government will impact our life; becoming anxious about it will not give us space to find ways to work around the constrictions. Let’s stop arguing. We need to return to care for those around us instead of tearing them down with our words and actions.
Meaningful Video – Centralized my thoughts to strive as an individual to survive in this current struggling and divided country.
Faith/Religions Thought – From a Faith, perspective is that my church or I will not be able to speak on my personal lifestyle choices in five years or less. We will become people under attack. For me, it has always been love, the sinner, not the sinful decisions. We are all sinners. Why can we not let everyone live their lives as they see fit instead of attacking others? Yes, there will be people who attack, but it does not have to be so many. What if we stop trying to set up people or businesses that do not agree with how you live? What is the point of destroying a person’s life dream by words or actions? God loved us all. He does ask us to make individual safe choices, these choices can cause consequences, but that was our choice to say yes or no. But that is off topic but part of why I fear for the laws put in place by the next four years of politicians that want to suppress our religious freedom by labeling it hate speech. Because it is not attacking religions to hate speech, just like speaking against lifestyle choices hate speech. We are heading toward a slippery slope of perceptions, options, and actions.
In September, my Anxiety and Depression spiked. With October, there is still a problem with my anxiety and depression, and striving not to increase meds, I tried essential oil, which I have done with not as much improvement as I would like. Was looking for a decrease in anxiety episode or length and found ease in managing an anxiety spike. November will pursue diet options and change up the oil amounts. Still had the internal dialogue of self-hatred. Oil wise just kept it at three drops in the diffuser for Balance in two drops for my wrist of Lavender. Not sure much about the Lavender. November Balance on wrist and diffuser. Lavender will be at night under my nose to see if that works. Where else to look?
I looked at sleep and thyroid. Unfortunately, thyroid numbers were standard, which took that aspect away, and according to the sleep specialist, my sleep is showing well. Neither has an answer for me why I am still sleepy and depressed. As I have over all of my life, I will keep journaling and reviewing my food, vitamin, and mineral intake to monitor food more than the other aspects. Some may point at my work schedule of 60 hours as a home health aide and retail sales associate. Maybe a contributing factor, but I had always worked sixty hours in one form or another up to two years ago when I went down to thirty hours of work as an on-call Home Health Aide for a friend and my exhaustion and migraines. I am so unsure if that is a valid option to change, never mind that this is not something I can modify just due to the financial needs and goals that I have for myself and my family. Thyroid thoughts hmm where to start?
Thyroid has been the bane of my existence since nineteen-eighties with an ongoing battle of a dis-content plan to expand on that but will probably not be extensive in my monthly synopsis. The only comment is that I have had better numbers success with combining the assigned medication and a herbal supplement from GNC. Unsure yet, I post the name because, according to the bottle, I am not supposed to take it if you have thyroid. The only downside is that I have more energy, and I have lost weight, and my numbers were balanced. My numbers have never been balanced before. Sleep Apnea. Oh, why does sleep have to be such a large component of functioning in lives we try to thrive in successfully?
Okay, so all the research says that 8-9 hours of sleep are necessary before the C-Pap machine. I have always slept 4-5 hours and felt sufficient in the morning. Depression and anxiety wise no different than now. Unless I take melatonin (1mg) and GNC HERBAL PLUS® NATRA SLEEP™, I sleep at five to six hours. I get seven if I am exhausted or have additional Reishi Elixir or chamomile tea. The few times I achieved eight to nine hours, I feel worse and have difficulty achieving clear functioning thought takes at least three hours to feel clear-headed. I am still trying to determine if it is worth changing what currently seems to work to achieve eight to nine when it makes things worse. Hmm, rambling thoughts aside, where to go from here?
This month has been a success. Anxiety and depression have been challenging but manageable. Thankful for the ability to keep functioning without impacting anyone around me at work or my family.
The sermon starts at 33:05; for anyone that did not want to go through the music, I find it relaxing. Challenges in life enjoyed the humor of his experience of the St. Andrews Golf Course. The dress code, rules, and expectations; how this looks in living life as a Christian in today’s world.
The quote he gave that struck home to me was, “Understanding what others value can give us an audience to share what they truly need to understand.” For me, the biggest take away was listening and striving to understand—the importance of listening and understanding and caring for a person’s need, not attacking. Appreciate the reminder to care for all, not to condemn, Acts 17:16-23. How did we go away from helping others and striving to assist? Enjoy the Las Vegas story. The reminder is excellent to engage gently with ideas and communication with quiet without attack. As an individual, it is a personal desire to treat all equally, even if I disagree. Strive to go forth myself is to live this and not become agitated when I see others’ opposite. I can only control myself, not others, but my life can be an example, Colossians 4:2-6.
Did also find the Myth of Epicureanism from Epicurus (341-270 B.C.), The Myth of Stoicism by Zeno the Cypriot (340-265 B.C.), The Myth of Polytheism by Euripides (480-406 B.C.); these Myths were exciting to see. They fit the multiple lifestyles of enjoyment and without morals, ethics, or rules; since the 1960s eye-opening, this underground battle of culture, lifestyle, and religion has been around since time began.
Pastor Shawn talked about and continued the need to engage with the world around us with humility, gentleness, and God’s truth. He spoke on anxiety and fear of life around us and used an example from DL Moody’s life. A fear acrostic is False, Evidence, Appearing, Real. Also, we spoke of Paul going to Corinth from Acts 18, found the reminder about how we can live in this world, but as an individual does not mean we have to conform.
I began with hearing the Noel’s who are missionaries on sabbatical in America for a year. Reinforces the tremendous power of God and how diverse people that we care for and teach.
Acts 18 reinforced the perception that God is a potter. By being a potter, He remodels our life through our experiences. As individuals, we are responsible for how we react to these changes to our lives, both good or bad. Do we accept and learn, help others, or do we respond in pain and anger? Our lives are a Work in progress, not at the speed we would like but at God’s timing. Briefly, Pastor does reference the hypocrisy of the past, present, and future religious, and the damage they do by searching out the meaning and living Faith in Christ. God will use all experiences to further introduce and live Faith in Christ and Living and represent Christ. A reminder that no one is perfect, even those we set on a pedestal, can fall from a beautiful path with God and present the failing as human and can negatively show a presentation of following Christ. We are individuals, both good and evil. We must search out God based on the Bible, not the examples of people that have made choices of the word, not faith in God.
Having the Holy Spirit in our lives is so comforting during the trials of life. I cling to this comfort during my intense moments of anxiety and depression. It is hard to see the beauty of Living for Christ in the pit of depression, but it seems to take the edge off and gives me a path to stumble back to a course of emotional Balance. Depression may not be gone but having the comfort to know that the Holy Spirit helps ease the pain of anxiety and depression. It is thriving daily to function in public without too much exterior presentation of my depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety do not disappear when you accept Christ as Lord and Savior. Still, it does give another layer of protection to survive another day as well as possible in the situation you currently live in. Christ is a teacher and a healer, but he uses the life experiences of believers. We are his tools to assist others that have lived a life of pain and struggle. At times we would prefer not to have the experiences. It is beautiful to help others understand the beauty of Christ even during times of negativity or struggle.
UGH, so which Pastor Shawn has asked about prayer life because that is an anxiety trigger. I feel like a failure in that aspect but understanding that is fixable and not as a crisis as my mind makes. Love the transparency of Pastor Shawn that just because we choose to be a believer, we are not perfect, and we all fail at times, and that is okay.
Sacrificial Ministry of believers and doing this to deliver or witness Christ’s message; life is about making choices that either help or distract away from learning if and following God.
Breaking patterns of comfort that bring false comfort. For me, that is reading Fanfiction. For many, there is nothing wrong with fanfiction reading. For me, it takes hours away, I will sit, and hours bleed out without me realizing it. Reading Fiction is a method of mental running away that creates a sleepy feeling in me. For many years this an ongoing struggle. When I stop or shift it to a timed hour, so much more is accomplished in my life.
Ephesus’ lifestyle seems like Spain with Siesta. Paul’s example of teaching and prayer during the siesta is what I want to strive for—replacing Fanfiction with learning more of God’s Word and caring for the home and family blessed having. What struck me was the reinforcement that knowing God’s Word is a lifestyle choice, and we must always strive to respect our Sunday teachings but strive to learn and grow, never-ending until our passing. I loved the duck’s story and how, as people, we mimic this methodology of living in comfort. Walking with God may not seem easy, but blessing us with that security of knowing that emotionally God supports us even with mental health may seem like it. Even in those moments of doubt of this support, God has always been with me. My mental health could be so much worse if I did not have God’s help.
As Pastor mentioned, it may not look like one is following Christ. It is how you, as an individual, feel and able to witness others the joy of knowing Christ. It is not a cure-all but living well in God’s name.
Matthew 7:20-23 Lord Word is essential for knowing Him and not truly understanding the seriousness of striving to live for the Lord and keep struggling with the items of our lives that distract from learning and living for Christ.
Not sure if I can do this with Fanfiction has always been an aspect of my life that numb my mental and physical pain. Gave me the ability to ignore my physical and psychological health pain and not address and make changes. This struggle has been there for over fifteen years.
Questions
What makes it hard to leave some of our sins behind?
What are the consequences of this sin?
Response: deleted all my links and fanfiction updates. Have done this before and pick it back up when life gets too hard. Consequently I do not have the time to pursue other tasks in life.
Found the below video about how international news commentators and journalists see the United States and the current election and many past years. One aspect that I came away with that I am embarrassed to be called an American. It is not just one person’s fault. Personal Perspective is how proper communication, problem-solving, and compromise are no longer implemented or shown. Additionally, we seem to have forgotten our history that made America the ultimate destination for a melting pot of nationalities, cultures, skills, and religions.
As November third approaches here in the United States and voting nears, I struggle with my mental health needs and the conflict between Democratic and Republican sides. This battle between the two political sides brings forth anxiety when speaking with people. Personally, choose not to speak about either political label. Due to my strong illogical desire not to offend others and start an argument, I cannot win depending on which side of the political divide the individual is speaking from politically. Part of this position stems from my home; we are a two opinion household running a government. So, where does this leave me when moving around this politically charged landscape we currently call living.
Somedays, I want to throw up my hands and move to land in the middle of the forest or island, become a nomad van orR.V. dweller. My perception is that these make it easier to avoid others. Currently, that is not feasible, and I am sure many from that lifestyle or culture still interact with others; it gives the impression that it is easier to avoid conflicts. Well, now that we know, I cannot avoid things like I desire. Currently, I live with others, and my two jobs are industries that have me working with people face to face. Where do I go from here to not only survive but to thrive in this land, we call America that claims to have pride but is so fractured that the individual’s perception of what being American means.
Let us break down American Pride definition-wise. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, American pride does not even have a definition. It is just sad that there is no definition of something that the media spouts about that America is Amazing. So if we are wondering why, is there no definition describing American Pride? Let me see what I can determine by breaking down the two words. American is a word to describe an American Indian of North and South America, a native or inhabitant of North or South America, and a native or inhabitant of the U.S. citizen. Pride is the quality or state of being proud either with conceit or reasonable self-respect. Well, I guess that explains why American Pride avoided having a definition in the dictionary. As culture shows or presents the good and evil as Americans, we can be the arrogant or present culture of ingenuity and self-respect. Contributing to the world that we are conceited would not be something that, as a culture, we strive to ignore or negative over the top behavior.
Some people’s actions show conceit by feeling that they are owed things without following the rules in place or earning by effort. Just saying you are American does not give you the right to be seen as royalty. I saw that in being a Voting Poll worker in the last election. Many times, I heard, “What do you mean I cannot vote? I am an American Citizen.” Suppose one has not registered or followed the laws in place by one’s state or local county. In that case, people need to accept a mistake, learn from the error, take personal accountability, and change individual action from that point. Acknowledging the conceited behavior shows that we are abusive to those around us instead of the country of inclusion that we pretend we are. There has always been a culture entering our country that was attacked because they are escaping severe situations. Immigrants, mean the different perceptions of how life should live based on their societal and cultural norms to mesh with the new culture they find themselves with, not what the tv or movies present.
We have forgotten the melting pot that America began termed starting in the early seventeen hundreds and a method of living our religious and self-rule freedom. This desire for self-rule is why the revolutionary war was our leaving a monarchy. What is scary to me is when delving into some of the political rhetoric presented to the general public from social media or political rhetoric, we are striving to return to why immigrants left their countries of origin. Being told how to live, spend our money, and what healthcare we are allowed without a free choice. Yes, some can get insurance, and some cannot. Companies need to return to offering affordable and beneficial health insurance to all employees, not just full-time employees. Most part-time employees cannot get insurance, and with companies that do, it is low quality and takes a third to half of an individual’s paycheck. Insurance companies, the Doctor, and Hospitals need auditing. Not our Government paying for something that they can barely afford for those that are disabled or infirmed. Scared about what our future will look like when I cannot get care on time and cost due to not getting to a doctor. I have this trouble now with insurance, and I have watched over individuals with medicare get less care than I do, so why do I want a government to rule every aspect of my life. Below is a presentation of Canada and French and how it matches the U.S. system. I am not promoting any particular political party, just presenting information allowing for the blessing that living in the U.S. gives, which is the freedom of choice in voting. Yes, the presentations sound right, but U.S. government parties cannot even agree on how to help those impacted by COVID, so how would our Government even implement or pay for this supposed healthcare for all.
Making America Great or Build, Back Better, living in our country, is a personal choice. We must take responsibility for our actions, and that means re-building our nation. As individuals, we cannot wait for the Government to do it for us. We must do it as individuals, not the Government’s place to tell us how to make our country. We need all economic and social society levels, but evening this out would be lovely but impractical; there has always been a society based on financial separation. What is essential is to strive to take care of those in need without stripping away their desire to improve themselves. We can all, at a personal level, survive and can be thriving. It is all in the perception of our circumstances. What is essential food on the table and family safe. What if we reached for that instead of things that have minimal value.
Voting and Living for Pride in America is learning and presenting a society and culture, celebrating the differences in all of us. Culturally, Economically, or Religiously that may not always agree but disagree with humility and genteelness. America began from a desire to live with a free religious and governmental rule; our forefathers fought the Revolutionary War for independence from a monarchy and tax without representation. World War Two, we rationed to support our troops. How have we gone away from this get-up and go to sit and talk/complain? It does not mean riot but research extensively and get out and vote what your conscience leads you to. Get out and volunteer with groups that help underprivileged, abused, or sex traffic. Needs are plentiful in our country. Please get out and volunteer or financially support the needs of the many who do not expect a government that no longer understands the financial needs of their constituents. Suppose you cannot help with time or money and support word of mouth by talking or posting on social media. Making America something to be proud of again is a ground roots action of taking care of the needs of those around us, not waiting for the Government who probably could not even agree on what color to wear one day. We are a melting pot, and right now, we are not a cohesive aromatic blend. We are a rotting separating mess.
Let’s get out and vote based on research and conscience. Let’s get out and help others and accept that we will not all agree, but each of us can make a fantastic blend in this melting pot we call the United States.
Here is a music video that registered, and I kept thinking of how many of us live in self or situational cages. It is time to strive to step out and break the apathy wall that has fallen on many of us. Make choices to change the world around us individually, not the big picture that will take care of itself as time moves forward if we return to striving to treat people as equals and care for their physical and emotional needs.
‘Feed a man a fish he starves the next day. Show a man to fish he will eat every day.’ Of course, my depression just took over my writing and finished that with ‘then the man starves when he overfishes the stream.’ But that is the beauty of humanity and the diversity of people. Where one association can show a man how to fish, and others can come in and show how to do so sustainably. Suppose we return to working together and stop pushing ourselves to strive for the media’s idea of an ideal life and determine our perfect personal experience that brings a sense of mind and heart peace. Peace looks different to all of us. I would be happy on 500 acres of land providing care to RV and van dwellers through a laundromat, wifi, showers, place to stay for a couple of days to a year privately. Another individual may be happy living in a prominent downtown city or small town caring for our immigrants, police, youth, military’s emotional needs, career training, or financially supporting a food bank.
Get out and vote and look to yourself to make changes to a better society to understand that mental health, physical needs, culture, lifestyle, religion, and life experiences will impact yourself and those around you. Agreeing to disagree is okay. Strive to help those around you through word, action, or both. Let’s make American Pride something to be Proud of again.
Random Observations 
