Category: Digging for Courage

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Drug overdose deaths top 100,000 annually for the first time, driven by fentanyl, CDC data show – CNN

Lockdowns shut down narcotic, alcohol, and grief support groups while protecting liquor stores and celebrating isolation. I personally felt, and continue to feel, the pressure on my own grief and sobriety journeys. Pretending that Lockdown wouldn’t have grave consequences is no longer possible.

This epidemic is driven by the irresponsibility of pharmaceutical companies and the medical community. Continuing to turn to them for answers is folly.

And all for what? More reported Covid-19 deaths this year than last? What has the high price of Lockdown measures bought us?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/11/17/health/drug-overdose-deaths-record-high/index.html

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Dear Delaware Art Museum,

Demanding that I consume a pharmaceutical product means that I will not pay for a membership for the first time in ten years.

You have shut your doors to one of your most loyal families. I am heartbroken at this rejection due to private health decisions.

I’ve been trying for weeks to compose an articulate response to a policy that discriminates against the very communities you have been claiming to champion.

I remain too emotional to formulate convincing arguments. I am sad and angry that I do not feel welcome at my favorite labyrinth or the tree dedicated to my late wife.

Edit: To be clear, the sculpture garden is open to all. However, I do not feel welcome. The vax mandate is an extreme position and I do not feel comfortable associating with this organization in any way.

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There is Only Today

I watched a man die through text and email updates. I didn’t know him well, but he was one of the important educators in my sons’ lives.

I hated every update because my heart told me what was inevitable. I proudly refer to my optimism as “stupid” and “irrational,” but I do not ignore reality when the path is crystal clear. The news of his ailment and hospital admission mirrored my journey at my wife’s side as she faded from life.

Like Mary, and many of us, he was disconnected from his body. Long before hospital intervention I am sure he was using multiple pharmaceuticals. By design, they assist us in ignoring what our bodies are telling us.

Much like grief and difficult emotions, physical discomfort is something most of us do not want to deal with. Whether through intervention or mental tricks (e.g., “I guess this is what getting old feels like.”), we don’t listen to ourselves. We miss the signals that communicate important information. 

I’m not blaming Mary or this gentleman. It took a tragedy for me to get here. Five years ago you wouldn’t be able to find a person that didn’t think Mary or I was healthy. Alcohol, pharmaceuticals, coffee, and a signifigant portion of our eating was slowly killing us. It weakened Mary enough to be vulnerable. It could have been me, maybe a couple years later due to my age, genetics, and physical activity, but had I stayed in that routine, I would have not survived the flu at 47.

No one but me could have seen any of that. Keeping up appearances and self medicating hid my vulnerabilities, even from myself.

If you end up in a hospital, you’re not going to come out healthier. Maybe you’ll come out alive, but getting healthy will be a longer mental, physical, and spiritual road after a hospital stay.

There is only today. Today you can opt not to take the aspirin, reach out to that healer you follow on Instagram, or simply give yourself 15 minutes of quiet to feel what parts of your body are asking for attention. It is a type of prayer, ask God for guidance. Reconnecting with your body is not easy or fun. It is okay to ask for help. God wants you to be healthy and happy because He loves you. Accept that love and then give some of it back to yourself.

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Confused as Fuck

Wait. What? The NYT is confused AF in this article.

Mostly they show data indicating that social behavior has nothing to do with Covid spread. I hope you look at it. Masks, distancing, Lockdowns, and vaccines don’t appear on Covid’s calendar. It continues to affect those who are vulnerable. Make a change today to make yourself less vulnerable.

Regardless of the good news, the author commits to the state of panic in his later expository.

200K possibly saved by choosing the vaccines? We were told 600K had died before the election, before vaccines were available (don’t forget, these are still “Trump’s vaccines” according to Biden/Harris).

Ask yourself, am I as confused as this NYT writer? Does the data not fit the narrative? How much more autonomy am I willing to secede? How much life am I willing to put on hold?

You don’t get those months back, you don’t get today back. Spend it wisely, passionately, and lovingly.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/04/briefing/covid-caseload-retreat-us-cases.html

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I’m Not Convinced

Trying to write on this subject tonight as I try to get my boys to sleep so we can have an amazing adventure tomorrow.

Failing at all the things.

They’re awake and talking. I have lost my temper to yelling and threatening. I want to throw away all the planning and money and skip the adventure.

My mind is split and I can’t finish the post I wanted to write.

I don’t know what to do.

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Celebrating a Creator

James Greatorex is one fine creator. I met him on the soccer field and he quickly became my sons’ favorite player to trade comic book banter with…check that, he is their favorite HUMAN with which to commiserate on all illustrated narrative matters.

I’ve loosely followed the creation of his own title and I was totally excited to see that it hit the streets today!

Purchasing details have yet to be revealed, but I promise to share links and info here (heck, I’ll deliver you a copy if that’s what it takes) soon.

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Stand Up for Children

This mom is standing up for her children:

Letter to the Editor: U-CF board avoiding parents

Posted by ChaddsFordLive on September 17th, 2021

After the August school board meeting, the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District board members decided to retreat to a virtual format in order to avoid having to face parents who could not be trusted to act with “civility” and, in the words of Board President Jeff Hellrung, because there was a controversial topic “likely to spark even more parent anger than masks” on the September agenda.

There were other reasons given, such as fear of Covid spread and “fears for their safety” due to the behavior of parents in other districts (the worst thing they could say about our parents were that one parent “refused” to stick to his three-minute time limit, and they were interrupted in their business by some heckling which they shouldn’t have to tolerate).

Clearly, at this point, there is no legitimacy to their “fears of safety,” and it was clear that the primary reason they retreated to a virtual format was to avoid having to deal with or be interrupted by angry parents as they conducted their business.

I’ve engaged in a lengthy email exchange with Mr. Hellrung, at first inquiring why the board changed the September format to virtual, then informing him of his legal and moral obligations under the state Sunshine Act to the parents of UCFSD to allow them to attend and face the board in person. But I have been stonewalled.

Although at the current moment, the October board meeting is still scheduled to be held in the auditorium, Mr. Hellrung has made it clear they reserve the right to move any meetings to a virtual format, so clearly, we cannot trust that the October meeting and others on the future docket will not be moved to virtual as well.

Lori Peters
Birmingham Township

The following was my response:

Rules for thee, not for me.

The Board is clearly willing to break the law in order to protect itself. Is there no law enforcement official willing to stand up to protect the rights of children and parents?

The lack of transparency and backbone in these politicians may be criminal.