Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

Depression is isolation (and that is a terrible thing). By no means do I want the person who is experiencing depression to feel guilty but I want to explain the results of depression and why you need to break that terrible cycle.

A person’s natural reaction is to become terribly egocentric. You simply do not want to see anyone. I would tell my daughter to do anything, walk to the post office, buy a stamp, anything to get out of the house.

Depression makes you very selfish. You can not see beyond yourself. It is so important to break the cycle of depression. It is done in small degrees by grabbing the power you have.

Every person can gain more control of some aspect of their life. You do it in small steps and eventually the depression will lift.

By all means if a doctor or therapist will help use their services. You do not have to do it alone. You can break the sphere of isolation. It will not happen overnight.

Tags: breaking your spell of depression, cycle of depression, depression and isolation, do not have to do it alone, doctor, gain more control, get out of the house, getting help during depression, mental health, the small degrees of grabbing the power you have, therapist
Posted in balance, knowledge&learning, life, mental health, relationships, wisdom | No Comments »

Thank God for fatigue. It is your body telling you you have to rest. That is a good thing. “Speed” kills you for it overrides that message and given enough time you keep going and eventually your body deteriorates from within. Rest is a period your body recovers. If you consistently don’t sleep enough you don’t feel well for during sleep your body rejuvenates itself so observe the messages your body is telling you. Your body is an incredibly complex piece of machinery.

Tags: fatigue, God, listening to your body, rejuvenating quality of sleep, resting, sleep, speed kills, thank God, your body
Posted in balance, death, God, health, knowledge&learning, life, mental health, time | No Comments »

The dynamics between our dogs have changed. The first day after Pax was put to sleep the remaining three dogs lay around depressed. All of a sudden the remaining three dogs were quieter. The “ring leader”, Pax was gone. He was the alpha dog and extremely vocal. He always had something to say. When the dogs were let loose into the yard, he always ran into the furthest corner of our yard barking every step of the way. Now sometimes you did not realize they were in the house (or outside): there was no barking. Let us see how they continue to act now with Pax gone.

Tags: alpha dog, dogs, dogs barking, dogs depressed, Pax, Pax was the "ring leader", Pax was the most vocal of all the four dogs, pet dynamics when one dog leaves, pets
Posted in animals, death, life, local, pets, relationships | No Comments »

Being a father is not a right. It is a privilege. Sunday was Father’s Day. My son called me to wish me “Happy Father’s Day.” I did not hear from my daughter: she had hung up on me several weeks ago and cursed me out. I had written her a letter and she reacted violently to my words. Either we have a relationship based on truth or we have no relationship. It is her choice not to talk to me. I am not her friend but her Dad. And I will continue to speak the truth whether or not she likes it.

Lynelle and I celebrated Father’s Day by taking the Millersburg ferry across the Susquehanna River and eating at a great restaurant that was walking distance. Millersburg is a great quaint town. I took many pictures with my new digital camera of the river and of the town. I could not think of a better way to spend Father’s Day.

Tags: being a father is a privilege not a right, dad, digital camera, Father's Day, Happy Father's Day, Millersburg ferry, Millersburg is a quaint town, my daughter, my son, relationships based on truth, Susquehanna River, we both took pictures of the river and Millersburg
Posted in children, life, local, love, marriage, relationships | No Comments »

We had to put Pax to sleep last night. My wife could not witness it. He was a great dog–fourteen years old. This did not make it any easier. He had a full life as a big dog. With much difficulty we got him into my car. I had to wait in the waiting room about fifteen minutes. Pax was in such bad pain. He could hardly move. He had two ripped knees and just got worse with his medication. He would not stop panting. I talked to him softly, stroked him lightly while we were waiting.

Finally we got into the room and he lay on the stainless steel. I did not stop stroking him lightly and talking to him. He lay there and I kept softly stroking him on ___ and talking softly to him. It was his last few minutes. The vet explained to me what was going to happen, shaved one of his legs and gave him his injection. I talked to him softly and lightly patted him as he went from one realm into another.

I burst into tears uncontrollably when he became still. I knew him for twelve of his fourteen years. He had such dignity. In the end no matter how difficult it was for him to exit into our yard and navigate the steps, he still went out into the yard to pee.

We did this for him not us. Now he can run freely, with no pain. Maybe, one time we will meet in heaven. He was a great dog. I loved him but I had to let him go. He is now in a better place.

Tags: a great dog, big dog, burst into tears, dog fourteen years old, dog had such dignity, Doggy heaven, dogs, had a full life, his last few minutes, I saw Pax slip from one realm into another, in a better place, Maybe I Will see him in heaven, my wife, Pax, Pax and his last minutes, Pax was now pain free, pets, putting my dog to sleep, vet
Posted in animals, death, God, life, local, marriage, pets, relationships, time | 1 Comment »

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 | 1 Comment »

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 | 1 Comment »

“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 | No Comments »

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 | 1 Comment »

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 | No Comments »

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 | No Comments »

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 | No Comments »