Living life with a chronic illness is definitely not easy. But I do my best to push through all the barriers this illness puts in front of me! In my heart and mind, I believe maintaining a positive outlook on all situations in life will carry us through to much better times! I hope you find the information that I provide both helpful and inspirational!
Twas the day before Thanksgiving and many are excited to visit with family with COVID numbers decreasing. This time last year many were isolated due to fears of COVID, which caused most to feel sad about not being able to spend a holiday with their families. Unfortunately, last year we were seeing high numbers of COVID, and no one wanted to get sick or cause their loved ones to get sick. Yes, this year the numbers have decreased, and many have been vaccinated so all we can do now is hope for the best😊! I know that I am not the only one that is tired of hearing about COVID, as we dealt with it for far too many years!
Thanksgiving is a time to remember the things that we are thankful for. Of course, we should show how thankful we are daily, but with tomorrow being Thanksgiving this post is going to be about being thankful! What are a few things you are thankful for? Unfortunately, many of us have lost loved ones and we wish they were with us to celebrate, but we can still honor those we have lost by cherishing their memory. Our lost loved ones would want us all to keep living our lives and be happy while still remembering them😊!
Years ago, my husband and I would try to spend Thanksgiving with my mother. It was a nice time to get together and catch up. This year, my mother is living in another state, and it will be a little different. I am beyond thankful that my mother has found love and happiness and is living her best life. We were talking about having her and her husband come to visit us around Christmas, but I am logical about money and thought it would be a less expensive flight to wait until after Christmas for them to come!
I am very thankful that my husband and I are safe and healthy (besides my having Multiple Sclerosis). We have a wonderful life with our three amazing cats that bring us so much joy. We do terribly miss our cat Chloe whom we had for almost 16 years, but the two little cats we adopted are wonderful and all three cats get along so well. We both find it incredible to watch the three cats interact with one another, the bond they have formed, and the unconditional love they have for each other and us.
Another thing that I am thankful for is my husband’s side of the family. They have all been so welcoming since the day he and I met, and they continue to be the best in-laws any girl could ask for. Family can be unusual and unique, but love is consistent and unconditional.
In a very strange way, I am thankful for my job and my work family. I have not met any of my co-workers in person but have built strong relationships with several of them. The few that I have made a strong connection with are my supervisor and a few of my other co-workers that share the same title as I do. One of the girls loves her cats as much as I love mine, and sadly lost two of hers back-to-back a few months ago. We spend more time at work than we do not at work, so it is nice to be able to work with good people!
Too many people in this world forget how to be thankful for what they have in their lives and then take things for granted. I think that is sad because there are so many people, especially in the United States that do not have a roof over their heads, food on the table, or love in their hearts and are unable to have compassion or understanding for anyone else. We all share the world we are living in and it does not matter the color of someone’s skin, who they love, where they are from or anything else, this world is for us to live and grow in!
Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you enjoyed this post and I look forward to reading your comments and what you are thankful for. I was going to make beef stew for dinner tomorrow, but we are now going to order a turkey dinner to have for Thanksgiving. My husband was looking forward to turkey, so this saves me from cooking! I am still hopeful that everyone around the world can remember what love means and start being kind to everyone! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!
What does it mean to be an empathetic person? To be an empathetic person is to show an ability to understand and share feelings with another person. After reading what it means, do you think you are an empathetic person? Is it possible to feel too much empathy for others? I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I am a very empathetic person. I would never say anyone can feel too much empathy because I believe everyone’s feelings are meaningful and should be respected. Of course, I can admit that I am an emotional person and act based on emotions before logic most of the time!
On Monday, I learned one of my co-workers lost one of her cats. Her poor cat was hit by a car and sadly, her kitty did not survive. This struck a cord in my mind because I remember losing our cat, Chloe, and know how incredibly painful this is. Unfortunately, when my co-worker was taking her cat that was hit by a car to be cremated, her other kitten escaped her home. I know how hard it was losing one cat and cannot imagine losing two within two days. I was in tears Monday when I learned about the first kitty and then last night was hysterical because it broke my heart for my co-worker.
In my heart and mind, I think animals are important and full of love. My husband and I have three cats and we treat them like they were our children because, for all intensive purposes, they are. I cannot imagine life without them because they bring SO much joy to our lives and for that, we make sure they have everything and then some they need. When I see things about animals being mistreated, it makes me so angry because animals are the only creature that loves unconditionally and they do not judge, as most humans do.
Thank you for visiting my site today. I know this is a rather sad post, but I hope it resonates with you and you understand what empathy means. I am looking forward to reading your comments and I promise to respond as quickly as I can. Remember, if you have a pet to give him or her a little extra love. If you do not have any pets, remember to always be kind to all animals! Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!
In 2011, former President Obama issued the first-ever Presidential Proclamation designating October as National Substance Abuse Prevention Month. This is meant to be a month to raise awareness of the various health effects substance abuse causes the individual, families, and communities. It is also a time to remember those who lost their lives to substance abuse, recognize those in recovery, and those who are continuing to support them. When someone battles with any type of addiction, it can wreak havoc on their lives and everyone around them. We need to try to understand the struggles and help get anyone not already in recovery, to find their way to the road to recovery.
Studies have indicated individuals who start smoking, drinking, or using other drugs have a greater likelihood of addiction. Unfortunately, those who began using addictive substances before they were 15 years old are about seven times more likely to develop a substance abuse problem than those that delay their first use until at least 21 years old or older. Each year substance abuse is delayed during their adolescent brain development, and their risk of addiction and substance abuse decreases.
The National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics suggests slightly more than 60% of Americans have abused a type of drug during the past month. This includes illegal and pharmaceutical drugs but also includes tobacco and alcohol. Pew Research Center, which is an indirect viewpoint has reported that 46% of American adults have a close relationship with someone who is or has suffered from addiction, some may not even know someone they are close to is dealing with an addiction. It is sad and unfortunate, but this is a common and VERY real problem in the United States.
As I have already mentioned, substance abuse tends to start with the youth and younger adults. Over 12.5% of our adolescent population has used illegal substances during the past year. It is crucial to help the youth understand the importance of avoiding drugs, as this can prevent them from further issues when they are adults.
Substance abuse is a known issue in the world, but in the United States statistics show that you or someone you care about has fallen victim to the addiction epidemic. Addiction can be a dark and lonely place for the person suffering from the addiction and in turn be painful for their family. This can cause many to feel powerless to discover a resolution and treatment.
Sadly, there have been countless celebrities and musicians the youth view as role models that fell into the addiction trap and lost their lives because of their addiction. Highly successful individuals such as Chester Bennington from Linkin Park and Chris Cornell from SouthGarden and Audioslave are just a couple of examples. So many become addicted to various types of drugs because they are self-medicating due to mental health issues, previous traumas they want to forget, negative home environments, or various other stressors.
The number of overdose deaths continues to increase each year. The CDC estimated in 2021, more than 107,000 died from a drug overdose, with 75% of these deaths involving opioids. Sadly, the number of overdose deaths increased to 109,000 as of March 2022. The vast majority of these deaths were due to synthetic opioids, which include fentanyl and stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine.
It is important to keep yourself educated on the signs of addiction. Understanding signs can help you to identify the behaviors and help the person suffering from addiction sooner rather than later when it may be too late.
Behavioral Symptoms:
*Increased aggression or irritability
*Changes in attitude or personality
*Lethargy
*Depression
*Abnormal messages on social media
*Drastic changes in habits and or priorities
*Criminal activity
Physical Symptoms:
*Bloodshot or glazed eyes
*Dilated or constricted pupils
*Abrupt weight changes
*Sleeping too much or too little
*Poor physical coordination
*Unusual body odor
*Appearing untidy
Communicating with someone that is battling addiction can be complicated. Of course, each person is unique and may need different strategies than those that I am sharing with you. Regardless of the way you discuss the issue, all people need love, support, and compassion. The following are some strategies that you may find helpful.
Always Be Kind:
Be advised there is already a negative stigma engulfing our society regarding addiction. This causes people to be criticized, insulted, belittled and rejected. Although you may have accepted the person’s addiction struggles and disapprove of their behavior, you can slowly begin building a bridge to forgiveness and the person’s recovery.
Carefully choose your words:
Understanding language matters and we cannot erase words that are spoken. Remember to communicate as respectfully as possible. It is crucial to evade using language that encourages harmful cliches. Refrain from words such as addict or junkie because the person’s addiction does not define who they are as a whole. These names are dehumanizing and not helpful!
Educate yourself:
Society tends to blame people for their addiction like it is a moral failure. Be sure to understand before speaking to your loved one that addiction is a disorder and not a failure. The National Institute on Drug Abuse describes addiction as an inability to stop using drugs, failing to work, or failing family obligations. Currently, people working in the medical community refer to addiction as a substance abuse disorder. Even if you disagree with this, it is important you do not let the person you are trying to help know because it will not help the person recover.
Talk Less, Listen More:
An important part of communicating is listening to what the person is saying to you. When someone struggling with addiction confides in you, try to simply listen without interrupting or criticizing. You may disagree with what the person is saying, but it is VERY important to withhold your judgments. Remember to continue speaking to them as if they do not have an addiction. The person suffering from addiction is still the same person they were before the addiction took hold of them and they have the same likes, dislikes, and hobbies.
Set Boundaries:
Communicate through actions and words. Keep your message consistent so your loved one does not misunderstand. Communicating with someone with an addiction is NOT easy, especially if you have a history of supporting their behaviors. Letting the person know how they hurt you may help to motivate their recovery.
Believe the person:
If your friend or loved one decides to talk to you about their addiction, do not disagree with what they are saying. Your perspective about addiction is NOT the reality of their experience. Trust, they know what is happening because it is their body going through the addiction. Respect how they are feeling and what it has been like for them. Do not make excuses and enable their behavior, because they are responsible for their addiction. Even with this say, you can still support their recovery.
You cannot control the recovery:
Naturally, you want to help the person you care about with their addiction, but you cannot control how they do it. As long as they are not a harm to themselves or anyone else, all you can do is respect their ways to make positive changes. Instead of dictating how they get help, ask them how you can help them!
This post ended up being a little longer than I expected, so I am going to do another post that describes the negative effects drugs can do to a person’s body. Too many people around the world have fallen victim to addiction and others lost their lives due to their addiction. I might be wrong, but I think there is something more the government can do about this problem, but most are in the pocket for the pharmaceutical companies.
Thank you for visiting my site today. If you or someone you care about are struggling with an addiction, I hope the information in this post will help. Please understand, I am not a medical professional and the information provided was all based on my research on the subject. If you have any other suggestions, please let us know as I am sure it will be helpful. I look forward to reading your comments and will respond as quickly as possible. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!
Happy Friday eve, y’all! How has your week been? It seems to have been a long and exhausting week, but as my late Grandfather always said, someone else is always going through something worst. Of course, one reason my week has felt long is because of pain, but the thing about pain is it lets you know that you are still alive. Maybe that is my way of coping with it because I am aware some of the pain I deal with is never going away.
It has been a couple of years, but I mentioned how it felt when we lost our dear sweet cat, Chloe. That kind of pain is emotional and it is awful. Unfortunately, a lady I work with lost her dog yesterday and I know the pain she is suffering, which breaks my heart for her and her family. Physical pain is awful, but I think emotional pain is far worse. I know it is not much, but all I can tell this lady I work with is that I understand and I am here for her anytime she needs to talk. I also know right now the pain is so raw, she does not want to talk but that I will be available when she is. I still remember the pain from losing Chloe and still break down in tears when I think about her.
We are towards the end of the week and have the weekend to look forward to. We do still have one more day to make it through, but considering we survived the first part of the week, I hope the last part will be much easier. I do believe we could all benefit from a little pick-me-up to lift our spirits! I hope the quote I am sharing today offers you support to help you to shine as bright as you can. No matter what we go through in this crazy life, there is always something positive that makes us smile😊. It is crucial to look on the bright side because things can always be worst.
Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope your week has gone well and you are looking forward to the weekend ahead of us. We all go through different struggles in life, but when we learn someone we know is struggling I think it is important to offer our kindness, compassion, and support! I am looking forward to reading your comments and I will respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!
Today was a day of horrific memories, commonly known as 9/11. Four coordinated suicide attacks were said to be carried out by the militant Islamic extremist network, al-Qaeda which was following orders from Osama bi Laden to attack the United States of America. These attacks were organized into three groups of five members and another group of four members. Each of the groups included one designated flight-trained hijacker who took control of the aircraft.
Unfortunately, this will always be a day no one will ever forget. Everyone in the United States can remember where they were and what they were doing when the news broke about the plane crashing into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan at 8:46 AM. We did not have time to digest the tragic news of the first plane crashing into the North Tower before a second plane crashed into the South Tower at the World Trade Center at 9:03 AM. We all watched in horror as the two 110-story towers collapsed to the ground within an hour and forty-two minutes, which lead to the collapse of other structures in the World Trade Center including 7 World Trade Center, and caused substantial damage to the surrounding buildings.
A third hijacked flight crashed into the West side of the Pentagon, which is the headquarters of the American Military located in Arlington, Virginia thirty-one minutes after the first attack at 9:37 AM. This attack caused a partial collapse of the side of the building.
The fourth and final attack was heading towards Washington, DC. It has been suggested the passengers were alerted about the previous attacks this day and tried to take control of the aircraft to prevent another attack from crashing into its intended target. The passengers struggled with the hijackers onboard and ended up crashing the plane in a field in Stonycreek Township, Pennsylvania at 10:03 AM.
The tragic terrorist events that occurred 21 years ago resulted in 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries, and countless considerable long-term health consequences. In addition to the numerous lives lost, there was at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damages.
This terrible event remains to be the deadliest terrorist attack in human history. This was also the single deadliest event for firefighters and law enforcement officers in the history of the United States. There were 343 firefighters and 72 law enforcement officers killed because of this terrorist act.
Although it is not easy to think about what happened 21 years ago today, we should always try to remember the fallen loved ones and heroes that lost their lives. There are still many questions that will go unanswered, and we may never know the full truth because all we have to go on is what the government tells us, and given their track record for the truth, who knows what is real? In situations like this, we must hold onto hope and faith because those are the only things that can help us at times.
Thank you for visiting my site today. I know this is another rather sad post, but I do hope it helps you remember the good people that tried saving lives during this terrifying event. I hope you are having a good weekend and staying safe. I look forward to reading your comments and I will respond as quickly as possible. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!
Of all the posts I have written and will write in the future, posts like this one are always the most difficult. September 9, 2013, was the day when my entire world was turned upside down and inside out because I lost someone that I considered to be my hero. My Grandfather, that I called Poppy was my rock and he kept me grounded through many life struggles. Losing him was one of the worst times in my life and I did not have my rock to help me through it. I thought my Poppy hung and moon and stars, and he could do no wrong in my eyes.
When I lost him nine years ago, he took a HUGE piece of my heart with him, but the lessons I learned from him will always live on in me. As much as I continue to try, there is no way I can ever be as great as he was, but I will never stop trying because I want to make him proud.
My Poppy was honest, caring, devoted, understanding, loving, compassionate, fair, and many other amazing qualities. I do not think there is anyone now or will ever be anyone else like him because he truly was one of a kind. I think that it is possible that God broke the mold when he made him. During my entire life, he never once disappointed me and I always knew that I could rely on him.
I have so many fond memories of him that I will never forget and will treasure until the end of time. He was a pro golfer that dedicated his life to the sport. I can remember times he tried showing me how to play and even though I was not doing well, he never gave up on me. I did not enjoy trying to play golf, but I did enjoy driving the golf cart around his golf course. As a young child, I loved being with my Poppy and rarely paid attention to the other golfers. There were numerous times I was in the way and had close calls with getting hit by the golf balls flying through the air, but he never raised his voice to me when he told me to watch where I was walking.
I remember driving in the car with him while he was singing. There is one songhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8A9Y1Dq_cQ that I will never forget because he loved to sing it. Every time I hear Seven Spanish Angels by Ray Charles and Willie Nelsonhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8A9Y1Dq_cQ, I can hear him singing. Of course, now I am unable to get through the song without crying because I miss him SO much.
I think one of the hardest things for me is, that I never got to say “goodbye”. I wanted to go visit him because I knew he was sick, but he did not want me to fly all that way to see him. I think he was trying to protect me because he did not want me to see him sick and suffering. It is so hard because the last image I have of him is when we went to his funeral. It is hard to get that image out of my mind because while it did look like him, that was not the man I remember. I am not sure he knew just how much I loved and admired him and that breaks my heart.
Out of everyone in my family, both my mother’s side and father’s side, my Poppy was my heart and soul. I idolized him and thought he would live forever. I will never forget when my uncle called me to tell me about Poppy passing away. The call caught me off guard for several reasons, one being that my uncle never calls me, but the other is because I could not believe the words coming out of his mouth. I could not understand how a man like my Poppy could be gone and I just wanted to see him again. I know someday, I will be reunited with my Poppy, and I just hope he will tell me that he is proud of the woman I had become.
In all honesty, I am thankful everyday that I had a grandfather as special as mine was. Everyone who knew him was lucky because he loved unconditionally and would do anything for those he cared about. Sadly, all his friends and family lost a magical and amazing human being nine years ago and will forever miss him. He touched so many lives and made a HUGE difference for so many.
Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you have had a good week and you are ready for the weekend to begin. I know this was a sad post, which I am sorry to end the week this way. Unfortunately, I will have a heavy heart today because I do miss my Poppy. I hope he is looking down from Heaven and he is enjoying the best golf courses ever created and he is proud of who I am today. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!
You have taken so many people that I cared deeply for. You seem to attack many kind and loving people without reasons that make any sense. I am not sure where you came from, who created you, or why there have not been ways discovered to eradicate you from existence because you are pure evil and need to be eliminated from this world for the good of mankind. You do not deserve to still be around and causing as much damage, pain, and heartache as you have been able to so far.
I am aware of things that are known to cause cancer. Some labels on cigarettes warn about the health risks. It is known that smoking can cause lung cancer, but why have many people who have never smoked died from lung cancer? The Surgeon General makes things causing cancer clear, but is it to protect innocent people or to cover himself and prevent major lawsuits? I think the Surgeon General cares more about protecting himself and his bank account than he does about human lives.
Women go through all the appropriate doctor’s appointments and suggested tests, such as mammograms and pap smears. Even doing everything they are supposed to do to avoid various forms of cancers and through no fault of their own, you still invade their bodies causing them irrefutable damage. The most common form of cancer for women is breast cancer. As of now, breast cancer contributes to 290,560 new cases each year. One in eight women, which is approximately 13% will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime.
Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common form of cancer death affecting women in the United States. Approximately 19,880 will receive this diagnosis and 12,810 will not survive the diagnosis. The risk of a woman getting ovarian cancer during their lifetime is 1 in 78 and the chance of dying is about 1 in 108.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of death worldwide. In 2022, approximately 236,740 people will receive this diagnosis in the United States, which is about 1 in 16 people. Unfortunately, 130,180 Americans lose their lives annually. In the United States, approximately 20,000-40,000 or 10-20% of lung cancers happen to those who either never smoked a day in their life or smoked less than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime.
Prostate cancer is the second most common malignancy in men worldwide. Approximately, one in eight men will receive this diagnosis in their lifetime. About six in ten cases are diagnosed in men 65 or older but is considered rare in men under 40. Although prostate cancer is considered serious, statistics suggest there are more than 3.1 million men who were diagnosed and are still alive today. Even though many do survive this cancer, 1 in 41 men will die from this type of cancer.
Cancer, you took my grandfather away from me, the rest of his family and friends, and the world. Why did you do this? His purpose here on earth was still needed. You took a piece of my heart from me, and I will never forgive you for this. My grandfather was an amazing man that gave so much to the world with his kindness, love, and gentle smile. I do not believe you have a heart or soul, but someone needs to find a way to eliminate you as it would make the world a much better place. No one deserves your fate or the massive destruction you cause!
I wrote this post today because Friday will be the ninth anniversary of my grandfather passing away. Cancer causes so much pain in our world, and it is no one’s fault. No one asks to get cancer and they should never have to face this evilness. I do not understand why considering the United States is the wealthiest country in the world with brilliant scientist’s cures have not been discovered. The rage of cancer should not inflict anyone’s life and we should be free from it!
Thank you for visiting my site today. I cannot imagine anyone will enjoy this post because cancer has probably invaded your life in one way or another. I do not hate much in this world, but I do hate cancer with a passion! I would like the chance to read your comments and I will respond as quickly as I can. I hope you are having a good day and doing something that brings you comfort, and peace. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!
Well, it is Monday again. Most of us probably are not ready for it, but they do happen every week and we manage. I am not as disappointed today because I only have a few days until I meet James Patterson. I do not think anything could ruin this week for me, well unless the meet and greet is canceled. How was your weekend? I hope you enjoyed every minute of it and you were able to rest and do what makes you happy. I did not do much of anything because I was battling a headache the majority of the weekend, but I did finish one of the books I wanted to.
Considering Mondays are often one of the most dreaded days, we all must find a way to be motivated and stay motivated throughout the week. Although it sometimes feels easier to give up and throw in the towel, we will discover many more amazing opportunities if we keep trying. Yes, sometimes pain can be a factor and that can make us want to stop trying, but pushing forward and continuing to try will make life much more fulfilling! We never will know what we are capable of if we do not try!
I do not think I will ever understand why the weekends go by so fast. It still feels like Friday afternoon and I am ready for the weekend to begin. I know my cats hate when the weekend ends because then they have to wait all day until they can fight over or share my lap, which they do love. For some reason, yesterday I broke down in tears thinking about our sweet cat Chloe that passed away. It is surprising how quickly and unexpectedly the memories come back. It always hits me like a ton of bricks. Please do not get me wrong, I love our three cats, but I would give anything to have Chloe back in our lives! She was a sweet little angel.
Thank you for visiting my site today. I hope you have enjoyed what I shared and the quote offered you a little motivation. I am counting down the days until Friday and it will never get here soon enough. This might sound crazy, but I even have an outfit picked out to meet James Patterson in. I look forward to reading your comments and will respond as quickly as I can. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!
Happy Friday Eve. Even though it was a short week, it still felt long and grueling week. Honestly, it was not all bad because I am being trained on a different process at work and the trainer is great. I have not met many people that had a similar personality to mine, and I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. It is unusual because while I will yell at my computer and use some incredibly colorful language towards the computer, and I will even say that it has a bad attitude problem, most people think that is ludicrous, the trainer does the same😊! We both enjoy adding humor to our day because it makes the day slightly happier and more interesting.
Life can be challenging, and we face many hardships throughout our lives. Everyone deals with painful times differently, but we all need someone to talk to and lean on when we struggle with various situations. A friend of mine that I have worked with at two different companies previously remain close over the years. We have talked about everything and anything during the years we have known each other. Last Sunday, she found that her grandmother was being moved into a hospice center, which was obviously extremely painful☹.
After learning that her grandmother would be leaving this world soon, she immediately made plans to go visit her. Unfortunately, her grandmother did pass away a few days after being moved to hospice. I told my friend that she could call me anytime she needed someone to talk to and that I would do anything I possibly could for her. The funeral is Friday and I know that will be one of the hardest days she will go through because I remember when my grandfather passed away. My friend has said the same thing I did when I lost my grandfather, she feels numb and like she lost a HUGE part of her heart and soul. I think the reason learning about my friend losing her grandmother affected me so profoundly is because I remember that pain like it was yesterday and it has been almost 10 years since losing my grandfather.
Losing someone we love is never easy. It is important to be supportive and understanding when we know someone is experiencing such a heartbreaking situation. Of course, we cannot make the pain disappear, but we can listen and be empathic. Sadly, we have all lost someone we loved, so we know how tragic and agonizing the pain can feel. I am sure we have all heard that saying, “It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all”. Even though that sounds so clique, it is true.
How has your week been? The news always seems to be hard to watch because there is so much sadness. So many people have been glued to the TV to watch the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard case. That entire situation has been beyond ridiculous. Of course, I do not know either one of them, but the accusations that were made about Depp were serious. Many people suffer in abusive relationships, so when we watch this on the news with clear lies it is infuriating. Lies and deceit does nothing but destroys lives, but this is something people do commonly. Those who lie as easy as it is for most to breathe make my blood boil, especially reading something so horrendous.
Thank you for visiting my site today. I am sure y’all are looking forward to the weekend and hopefully, you will be able to enjoy it safely. I would love to read your comments and I will respond as quickly as I can. Although, you do not know my friend who lost her grandmother, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers, she needs this currently. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes.
Unfortunately, there are so many tragedies happening in the United States, that many people have become desensitized. Sadly, in the five months of 2022, there have already been 213 mass shootings. As a result of the incredibly high number of mass shootings, 17,000 people, and 650 of this number were innocent children had their lives cut short. For an incident to be considered a mass shooting, four or more people are shot, injured, or killed, but these are typically a larger number of people.
On Tuesday, May 24th, a mass shooting took place at an elementary school in Texas. Nineteen innocent children and two adult teachers were killed. Tuesday was marked the deadliest school shooting in Texas history. According to reports from CNN, the gunman performed this heinous act alone. Before the 18-year-old high school dropout went to the elementary school, he shot his grandmother, allegedly texted a 15-year-old girl in Germany about his plans for the elementary school, and then took his grandmother’s truck to head to the school to carry out his deranged plans.
Gun violence is not something new in the United States but has been a problem for decades. In 1987, after a British gunman killed 16 people, the country banned semiautomatic weapons, which was the weapon that was used. After a school shooting in 1996, the country proceeded in the same manner and banned most handguns. At this time and after several bans, the country has one of the lowest gun-related deaths in the developed world.
Australia acted with gun-related violence and deaths after a massacre in 1996. The country prompted a mandatory gun buyback. It has been estimated as many as one million firearms were melted down making them useless and not deadly. The occurrence of mass shootings has decreased from once every 18 months to once every 26 years.
Our Canadian neighbors have also taken action against gun violence. Following a mass shooting 33 years ago in 1989, Canada tightened their gun laws. Other countries such as Germany in 2002, New Zealand in 2019, and Norway last year also tightened their gun laws.
With the levels of gun violence and innocent lives lost in the United States, something needs to change. Too many are caught up in their 2nd amendment right to see the bigger and more critical issues. Everyone wants their right to bear arms upheld, but what about the innocent people who lost their life’s right to a safe life?
I do realize that mental health in the United States is neglected, but something can be done about gun laws. We can hardly watch the news without hearing about shooting somewhere. There are innocent lives lost and families affected daily. Mental health and gun laws need to be narrowed and changed immediately. In the United States, we must worry about children going to school, going to the grocery store, movie theater, or anywhere outside the safety of our homes! Are we going to wait to fight for change until it hits close to home and someone we love is killed by a mentally unstable gunman?
It has taken me several days to be able to put this post out because it is extremely emotional. I could not read through the different news reports about this because it kept bring tears to my eye. I cannot imagine what the families that lost children and loved ones are going through. There is no logical reason for the recent issues that took place in Texas, and most are left to ask, was this man mentally ill? If this 18-year-old had gotten the help needed, would the 21 people killed still be alive? The 18-year-old gun man’s family was in shock he would shoot the grandmother he loved in the face or kill 19 innocent children and 2 teachers. The information I found was based on CNN who spoke to the mother of the disturbed 18-year-old.
Regardless of anyone’s views on what should happen with gun control, we can all probably agree that the mental health of everyone needs to be addressed. Many people feel ashamed of any mental instabilities they may have and will cause them to avoid getting the help needed out of fear of rejection and negative judgments. No one in this world is perfect and sometimes we may need help. Please if you know anyone that is struggling, help them find a professional that can help them get adequate help. I understand how difficult it can be to admit needing help, but the following website offers different types of help https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help.
Thank you for visiting my site today. I know how hard it is to read what I shared, but it is important to know what is going on in the country. Yes, it is depressing and tragic, but there is help. Even if we know someone that is struggling, we can try listening to the person, but when it is more urgent than anything you can do and it is too crucial to wait, you can call 911. Feel free to leave comments and I will respond as soon as I am able to. Please never forget that I am always sending y’all LOTS of love, comfort, support, and MANY positive vibes!
Fightmsdaily 