If we are not our brother’s keeper continue to house most of the mentally ill in jails. After all, who cares if they get put in isolation wards when they misbehave there. So that is a form of torture. They usually are put on the cheapest medications not always the proper ones. Families are being destroyed not to say anything of the individuals there. I am sure the suicide rate is high.
I saw this coming decades ago when the states started closing down their state hospitals. The money did not follow into community services but just “evaporated”. Hospitalizations are very expensive. Partials are very cost effective. There is no way a person can be stabilized in a few days. At least in a partial you can be monitored over a long period of time. The therapeutic level of a psychotropic medication is often one to two weeks.
Are we our brother’s keeper? Yes! Yes! We are commanded to take care of the weak, the infirm, those in poverty and the mentally ill. We can not turn our heads to them. Each individual must do his/her part to alleviate their suffering. Our society has become so far away from that. So do your part no matter the role you take. It is never too late to start.
Tags: alleviate suffering, brother's keeper, closing state hospitals, community services, do your part, God, mental illness and jails, never too late to start, partials, psychotropic medication, society, take care of the infirm, take care of the mentally ill, take care of the weak, take care of those in poverty, therapeutic level of medications
Posted in balance, God, knowledge&learning, life, mental health, relationships, wisdom |
I thirst. The drink I had with me for my picnic had spilled out. We ate and all I could think of was to drink some water. Usually when I become thirsty I immediately drink something but this time I did not have any thing to drink. The park did not have any drinking water. Minutes later we stopped at a store and bought a large container of water, which I consumed. I now knew what it meant to be thirsty. That was all I could think about: drinking something. Now I knew what it meant to be thirsty.
Tags: being thirsty, buying water, drinking water, picnic, the park, thirsting
Posted in balance, health, knowledge&learning, life, local, marriage, money, wisdom |
“I don’t want my doctor to think I am mental”. This is a fragment of an conversation I overheard. I wanted to shake the person, ask her why she thinks her doctor (or therapist) is perfect, does not make mistakes like her. Everyone has problems and why do you think you are less than human because you are exhibiting, maybe, some turmoil over some problem or conflict. The doctor is there to assist you, not judge you. And certainly don’t judge yourself because you are exhibiting what you consider to be some aberrant behavior. Everyone is in the same boat: each person sins, errs and is imperfect so don’t condemn any part of you and think someone is better than you because they have some diplomas on the wall.
Tags: do not judge, doctor, each person is imperfect, each person sins, everyone errs, everyone has problems, everyone in the same boat, I am mental, mental health, mental illlness, therapist
Posted in balance, knowledge&learning, life, local, mental health, wisdom |
I have to thank God even for the wet and cold days. My sister lives in California and they are experiencing a severe prolonged drought. Not us. Thank God for small favors and thank you for the rain.
Tags: God, my sister, prolonged drought in California, thank God, thank God for small favors, thank you for the rain, wet and cold days
Posted in balance, God, local, seasons |
I have a history with you. It makes a difference. I have to work on it. Communicate with you periodically. It is those histories that form your roots. Form enough and your roots go deep. It is those invisible ties that make you feel attached to an area. And roots take time (and energy and effort). Ultimately that is the only thing that matters: the people you have reached out and loved. That is your true legacy. The memories you have created in loving others.
Tags: an history and communication, histories form your roots, invisible ties, love, loving others, memories, roots take time, roots you have created, The only thing that matters, your legacy
Posted in balance, knowledge&learning, life, local, time, wisdom |
Suddenly I could breathe. The cold was really done. For now. Warmer weather was on the horizon. Spring has started. And March was typically wet. In fact, today was the first day of the trout season in this area. In May I will camp with my childhood buddy for the first time in three years. The last two I visited him in New Orleans. I have much to look forward to. Warmer weather, particularly. And trout fishing. And getting together with my lifelong friend.
Tags: camping and trout fishing, cold weather, lifelong friend, March, my childhood buddy, New Orleans, spring, warmer weather and rain
Posted in balance, life, local, nature, relationships, seasons, time |
I was struggling to fall asleep for five or six nights. I knew it was due to anxiety which was caused by fear. I happened to open up a book I had on faith and found several passages I had underlined. The words were just what I needed to allay my anxiety. I kept referring to them the next few days. I started sleeping better. And not taking so long to fall asleep. It was a book I had not opened in a long time. I must have been dealing with similar issues before. It was just the right words I needed to hear. Books can be lifesavers.
Tags: anxiety, books can be lifesavers, faith, falling asleep quickly, fear, God, sleep
Posted in balance, God, knowledge&learning, local, mental health, time |
We are in the second week of winter now. I will forget about the countdown sometimes. Other times I will do the math. It is a game for me. We are in for some frigid temperatures. Single teens. I am wondering whether we will face any big snow storms. We will see. We are in the middle of winter. There is no doubt about it now. My periodic countdown is a way I have of marking the end of that season and awaiting spring. As you can tell I am not too thrilled with the cold weather. I just bear it and make sure I am properly dressed for the day.
Tags: frigid temperatures, seasons, second week of winter, snowstorms, spring, the cold weather, upcoming spring, winter, winter countdown
Posted in balance, local, seasons, time |
I could not imagine moving back to NJ, where I had lived most of my life. It has been over twenty-five years in Central Pennsylvania. My roots are now here. I have fallen in love with this area. If you live long enough in one spot you develop roots there. You can’t go home again. You can’t go back.
Tags: NJ, PA, you can't go back, you can't go home again, your roots
Posted in balance, life, local, mental health, relationships, seasons, time, wisdom |
It is so easy to become unhappy. It is so easy to center on what you don’t have. I have to center on the multiple blessings I have been given: food, shelter, a loving wife. Humans have the capacity to want things they don’t have. It only makes me unhappy. For the rest of the Christmas season and New Year I will thank the Lord for the many blessings I have been given. There is so much I have to thank the Lord for. I will think about those things the rest of the year.
Tags: blessings, Christmas, count your blessings, food and shelter, God, gratitude, it is so easy to become unhappy, loving wife, multiple blessings, New Year, thank God, thank the Lord
Posted in balance, God, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, marriage, mental health, seasons, time, wisdom |
We are in the middle of a minor four day heatwave. Yesterday was the first day of official winter. It was in the low fifties, today it will hit the low sixties. Tomorrow will be in the low fifties. Then cold again. At least when I start my countdown to spring it is only one season I have to count down. Today I will just enjoy the weather. And the unusually mild temperatures.
Tags: countdown to Spring, first day of winter, mild heatwave, spring, weather, winter
Posted in balance, local, seasons, time |
Every day is a gift. And a miracle. There is no way to get around that but to lead a life of despair. I chose not to do that. Every thing in my life is only by grace. I chose to believe every day is a miracle. And sometimes I wallow in despair. And have to work through it. The dawn is always around the next corner. In fact, it is right in front of you. And life can be bitter and contain much loss and pain. I have to work through it. And walk toward the Light–the Light that is always there. And sometimes I stop seeing it. It is there but my vision is clouded. I have to remove the blinders over and over. It is a process. I chose to believe every day is a miracle. There is no other way to live. The only other choice is despair.
Tags: dawn around the corner, dawn right in front of you, despair needs to be worked through, every day a miracle occurs, every day is a gift, every thing is by grace, God, grace, life can be bitter, life of despair, much loss and pain, remove the blinders, sometimes stop seeing the Light, The Light, the Light is always there, vision clouded, walk toward the Light, wallow in despair
Posted in balance, beauty, God, health, knowledge&learning, life, mental health, seasons, time, wisdom |
