It comes in threes.
Yesterday I was the recipient of some really bad news. Three times.
A good friend is not recovering on his health as planned and the outcome and prognosis is not positive. This news really hit me hard.
Then I learned that a business associate from a few years back evidently took his own life and was found dead and alone at his apartment last weekend. We await final confirmation of details from the local authorities. Such sad and odd news.
Finally a friend of mine is wiped out and has to file for personal bankruptcy. He has lost his job; his home; and his savings even though some friends and I have tried to help him with some gifts and loans. He is clinically depressed and needs our support.
There is true real life suffering in the world with great family and personal setbacks. The day’s news reminded me to tune up my personal empathy and gratitude for all we have and to cherish our own health and to keep all setbacks in perspective. It is a tough way to have life lessons reinforced. Reflect on the positive.
Ted:
Thank you for sharing. I have some very close friends that are dealing with the very same issue. No one seems to be immune.
There’s a lot of sad news out there, and the economy with the help of the money-spending new administration is not helping. I pray the American people will wake up and take their country back or there will be more suicides and clinical depression.
The word of the year for my generation; Late twenties-early thirties; compassion – everyone seems to have forgotten what that is.
Regret to learn of these things. We are very fragile; breakable creatures; America does need change. We have to have it, or we won’t make it. Not being negative; the changes are simple and evident; and it’s not Barack Obama that is going to make them happen. He already did his part. The moment I decided to stay; in America; DC NYC and work to fix our society; I instantly began to gain a new concept and understanding of it all. The health care situation; it’s over. That goes. It has to. No other way. First; 24 hr Metro (rode a new train today. It was nice. Good sign.) Then I’m going after the pharmaceutical companies. That changes. It has to. It’s not going to work that way. The power will not remain in the hands of so few. The power will belong to us all. There was no FEMA ladies and gentlemen. We had all been watching X-files and thought that maybe there actually was a vast national network ready to spring into action. No. No. There was a figure head; and our money. Our government has failed us and continues to fail us.
Enough about that. A new concept of last year.
There is no comprehension. It does not exist.
Don’t even try.
“Understanding” only exists insofar as it is a synonym for compassion; the personal admission of ones fragility and recognition that it is exactly the same for the man or woman sitting next to him or her.
There are no questions. There are no answers.
No problems; no solutions.
It’s a process of conceptualization. That’s what it is; what is and what will be. – j
(and this is the type of stuff my peers call filling their inboxes with diatribes; whatever they happen to be doing at the moment obviously far more important and superior than anything I could have taken the time to write for them and ask them to read; my Audacity. Don’t blame them though. Everyone is ridiculously overburdened and overworked. it’s all we do. work. that’s it. America doesn’t really exist right now. It’s a concept; unattainable by the younger generations. There is no support structure. These same generations already decimated by the social segregation of American suburbia enabled by the affordable automobile mass produced on the assembly lines now ubiquitous in our society exponentially progressing the nuclearization of the family and increasing the mobility of the specialized worker expected and demanded of the individual simply to live a life in this country we call America. No. Enough. No GM. No Ford. Enough. Stop. Go away. Exist in history. Not our future. Diatribes indeed. I prefer to call it; Puttin’ It Down. If you’re not ready to hear it your not ready to hear it. Don’t be a hater. HOPE and CHANGE for the future. Hey; I’m in on that. I’ll do that. Absolutely. – J
Dear Ted,
Terrible news. I am sorry to hear that.
On a related note, I don’t know a single household of any of my friends who haven’t been hit in the last 2 years with a layoff, loss or medical problem. These are trying times.
Sapper
You know, I completely agree. I feel for your friend who suffers from clinical depression. It’s not as easy as people think it is. Please give him my condolences and let him know that even though he might feel alone at times, he’s not the only one feeling that way. I am silently rooting for him, too. And for you too, Ted. Please take care of yourself.
Thanks for sharing that. It does put things in perspective. There but for the grace of God go any of us. We must always be thankful. . .and prepared.
the world is, at the end of the day, still a dangerous place… I hope our kids remember that when we’re not around to remind them…