Failure to Love

I have met anumber of people in the past two years with the same sad illness -- "fear of love."  I guess that fear has always been around, but now it has become the norm. "Why kiss when you can just smile, and walk away?" "Why go out of your way when you are likely to be disappointed anyway?"  "Why give love and affection when you can just as easily hoard it for yourself?"

Solipsism is the "new" relationship choice. My way -- IS -- the highway. The only way.  I am my only solace, my only refuge, my only hope!

Trump has shown us the "living hell" of "SELF -- ALONE!"

What I Know -- Father's Day Edition

That I love my daughter Tosha. That Trump is still bad for America. That my extended Mrochinski- et al family is the best gift I was ever given. That in spite of Sheila's unfair and untimely death  more than a decade ago I am still somewhat glad to be alive. My sister Linda's more recent untimely death confirmed everything I know about Death  -- it is always unfair, untimely, and undeserved.

Death is not the proper end of life; it is instead a "mistake" made by the "creator." 

My students over time have told me things both right and wrong. Some have lied to me; some have told lies about me. Many have succeeded spectacularly; some have disappointed many, including themselves. Life is ... a conundrum. Just as many students are.

Though I try to be consistent, positive, and "good" I am sure I have made mistakes. I am equally sure I have not made mistakes to ever "hurt" any other human being with deliberation or evil intentions.

Zoloft and Abilify

People need relief from depression, anxiety, panic attacks, simple fear. And so they attempt to find some kind of chemical help. But there is always, always, a price to be paid. Having now seen several young people "using" this particular combination of anti-psychotic drugs I am ready to make some observations.

These drugs are addictive -- in the worst sense. They give the user the illusion of normal focused behavior. But the highs and lows of cyclic activity remain -- only cloaked in a cloud of calm and confusion. The confusion comes from a seeming lack of control. A lack of recognition of typical behaviors. An anger at having one's decisions not seem like one's own.

Many people who use Z and A will use them for the rest of their lives. They will experience some diminished cognitive skills along with a dulled sense of joy. And they may not even be able to perceive any of these effects. This is only good for the drug companies, the therapists quantifying results for their ads, and the families of the users -- who only want "better" behaviors. It all depends on how one defines "better."

Things To Do

If there are still thoughtful and intelligent people out there (who may be reading this) -- pay attention to this list. And feel free to add to it.

Stop Trump. He has proven what he is and what he represents,

Restore your own thinking about basic values: human life, all life, respect for nature - spirituality - beliefs in God, goodness, tolerance, compassion. RESIST all hatred, bullying, belittling, arrogance -- that attempts to define or control others.

Be authentic to your highest understanding of yourself.

Fight against repression that circumvents the previous precepts.

Live in "kindness."

Failed Friendships

Why do they fail? Lying will kill friendships. So too will hiding behind half-truths. Posturing or posing to impress will lead to larger lies. And failure.

On the opposite side unreasonable expectations can stifle growth of friendships.  Friendship also cannot exist in confusion, or artificial connections. Mysterious "gaps" in information hamper the growth of trust and understanding.

I have been involved in friendships that have ended so quickly and violently, to say nothing of unexpectedly, that I will never decipher the reasons. I can only he sure of one thing -- lack of honesty was at the core of the failure.

Fools for Love

For love of babies many extreme religious types would execute abortion doctors; for fear of their own fragile morality some people will not admit they are gay; for fear of learning something new many would insist on remaining ignorant; for fear of living in lies some few of us would crusade for our entire lives.

Morality is not perfectly fixed for all situations, nor is it mutable for all occasions. Truth is always true, whether we accept it or not.  Truth is not our plaything; it is our pathway. Whether God exists or not, truth does -- and it provides our final judgment.

He Who Would Be ... God

Liberty University (film and drama program) are putting finishing touches on a film tentatively called: The Trump Prophecy. The implication of this horrid and scandalous film are that this "man" Donald Trump will bring healing, truth, and righteousness back to America. Yes, the evangelical elite have decided that Trump -- the abuser, the pervert, the liar, the phony dealmaker, the racist,, the misogynist., the un-American crooked businessman; somehow suits their own ridiculously one-issued agenda. Trump is the man they trust and --worship. All hail to their Tin God!

Now Trump, the "god" in question, has undercut our best allies on trade, defamed our Canadian partner as weak, refuses to "live up to the G-7 trade terms," and now is in place to negotiate away the rest of our peace with his autocratic solipsism. This is no "god" Evangelicals -- this is a flawed idol, a plastic -- "god" of his own imagination. Hail Trump --the "god of nothing and no-one!"