A time for every season...

This time of year is often a celebration, another year of school is over and another year of school to look forward to.  At the same time it is also a time to say goodbye.  These  past few years it has gotten harder and harder to say goodbye to people as when I like someone I like to open my heart to them and as I get older I realize that although we may always have social media we won't have the personal touch and connection of actually seeing each other and sharing stories and emotions.
I often think that schools used to be like an old-time sports team.  Where when a player was drafted they stayed until retirement.  When I started at Mabton there were a number of staff members who had been there for over 30 years.  They were my role models of finding a place and staying there. With getting married I changed jobs, then when Chris got a job in Richland I soon followed him, always thinking that I would love to settle down and grow roots in one place.  HomeLink was the first job that I had that I felt I had to leave.  Not because of one or more things but down deep inside my heart I knew it was time...long overdue time.  Each job was tough for me to leave, I knew I was going to somewhere new but it was going to start me on a new adventure.
Now that I am in a place that I feel I could stay until I retire, the energy that I bring and I get on a daily basis as well as the new job duties and experiences that I look forward to I should feel grounded and my roots should be established BUT today my heart skipped a beat.  The relationships that I have built were done with interactions intertwined with love for another.  You see the situations in the Orchard have been centered on the whole-child, their heart and their minds.  And when the team is all working towards a common goal, it is easy to see someone else's heart and want to be a part of their life too.  It is because of that that my heart is hurting today.  My office mate may be leaving me, my principal is leaving me, students told me that they were moving this summer and it hit me hard today, I don't like change.
I have been pretending all these years, pretending that I am okay with change.  I just am NOT!  I don't want to say goodbye, I don't want you to go, I don't want anything different, I think it is good, no strike that, it is great in the Orchard.  When things change I don't know what to expect.  I don't know if I should still be me or should I alter it to fit the new environment/climate?  You can tell me that nothing will change, things will be the same but I know 100% that is truly not the truth, things have to change, people have changed.  I guess now I just have to figure out what that means to me!
Some things I know won't change, I still will bring energy and love to the Orchard, I will still smile and make each day as great as possible.  I will do my best not to compare one to another, people and schools are different and rightfully so.
For those that I will say goodbye to, please know you have made an impact on my life and I am better because of you.  I will promise that I cyber-stalk you and will be cheering for you!

Modern Day Bullying

I have been mulling this blog for a while, working now at an elementary school I have had the pleasure of seeing education through the eyes of a Pre-Schooler to a Senior in high school!  The one theme that I have seen throughout all grades is the issue of "bullying".  I write this blog with some trepidation as some of you may be coming to this topic as a victim of modern or even old-school bullying and some of you are a parent of a child who has been a target of a bully but please know my heart that this has been something that has been a long time coming in my own thoughts.
First of all my slant of this comes from being a child of the 70's and a teenager of the 80's.  So my lens is from a purely non-technological one!  I have taught in schools since 1994 and have seen the development of bullying in this technological world.  I don't call myself an expert by any means but this is something that I hear about on a daily basis! Okay, here I go.
First of all I think that when many of us hear the word "bully" we think of maybe a huge brawny boy with a ton of muscles ready to dump us in a trashcan at school or gave "swirlees" to littler ones in the school toilets or maybe an attractive girl that is just mean with her words...we all come into this with a preconceived image of what a bully is or even what a bully does.
I shared with a friend of mine the other day that back in the 80's we could run into someone that we didn't like and we could often walk away knowing that no harm could be done to us if we didn't engage.  Even a note written in anger or malice could be torn up, burned or destroyed never to be seen again.  A fist fight at lunch in the park?  Well, after the fight there might be talks in the parking lot or on the phone but again, we could walk away and be done.  We went home to decompress, we could forget about the world and didn't have to worry about what was going on behind our backs as what was the worst thing that was happening?  Maybe someone having a phone call about you but none of us really thought a thing until we had to go to school the next day...and even then we could avoid the bully and although rumors would go around the school you just had to wait until someone else did something then you were yesterday's news!
Today our kids don't have that luxury.  A fight with a friend is often dragged out on twitter, snapchat, Facebook or the like. Text messages that include groups of people are kindling for a cyberbully attack on one or more individuals.  The physical fight that occurred so long ago in the park that we could walk away from with maybe a bruised ego is now filmed and uploaded for all to see.  A bully may even egg you on just to get you on film to show to everyone.
Social media while great to keep in touch and share ideas and photos with is also the tool of today's bully.  A bully is no longer just someone that can hurt you physically, in fact today a bully is more likely to rip the heart and soul out of another with just a picture, a click of a mouse or a post that goes "viral".  Think of these as those notes that are now out for the world to see, a 24 hour news cycle about something you did, something that now everyone knows about and could even be something that you DIDN'T do but was photoshopped or created to make it look like you did.  I mean, if it's on the internet it is true right?
Teaching kids about cyber safety is just the start, parents and any adult that has influence on a child needs to continue to monitor and educate throughout the years.  Teaching about deleting, going off the grid or not accepting everyone's request is just half the battle.  Unfortunately we can not stop children from posting inappropriate and sometimes downright mean things about others but what we can do is continue to create hearts in children that want to do the right thing and want to create love not destroy it. 
I  have heard many people say, "I am so glad my kids didn't grow up in this time period" to which I simply state, "But your grandchildren are or will."  We don't have an easy fix to this, it is a generational change of course, it is a societal ill that needs to be addressed, it is an adult issue that needs to be never given up but addressed and fought everyday.  If we truly care about each other and the future of our kids we need to be diligent, we need to continue to have conversations we need to know that the bully may look different and has now a variety of ways to destroy a person, it is worth it to keep fighting and standing up to those that want to tear our kids down.
For more information go to: https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/
For the truth go to your child's room, open the door, sit on the bed and talk with them!
Much love to those who have children that have suffered at the hands of a bully, you are not alone, find someone that can talk with you, help you and your child and build that foundation of safety for you and your child. 

Don't Blame the Kids!

Why blame millennials?

Raising a millennial I may be a bit biased but lately as he is entering his 20s I began to question all these assumptions of his age group. You see one of the insults I often hear is "oh wait there is no participation trophy you have to earn this" but let's look at that for a second...they didn't  ask for trophies WE bought them for all the kids! At the end of every season someone was in charge of ordering the trophies...an adult, a parent yes WE expected a trophy for our kid!! The kids were just playing for fun, I think we wanted the trophy more than they did! I know some of you reading this will say "nope not me I hated the trophies", so then I ask you, "why did you not say anything?" If you are a parent of a millennial you are the reason for this silly "insult" not them!

Another thing I often hear is that they are slackers and don't work hard...and that my friends is technology! I know I don't have to work as hard as my parents and they didn't have to work as hard as theirs! That is progress, just because the world was so closed to me in the 80's and my children can explore the world from their phones doesn't make them lazy it makes them part of their world! Each generation has seen changes and if this millennial generation can figure out a way to change the world for the better I for one will be cheering them on! They have schooling they can do from home, companies can be ran from their living rooms and families can live remotely and yet still stay in touch! 

I may be alone in saying this but I am envious, I see so many living fearless and doing what I dreamed of, seeing the world and changing it, not when I retired but when I was young and wasn't afraid! 

So for so many of us, let's celebrate what the millennial generation will accomplish not mock them for the world we created for them!

I want the Better way...

The American Way?

This trip opened my eyes to what I think I always kind of thought, the American Way is not always the Happiest Way. Let me explain, Chris and I headed out in a cruise to Mexico and along the way met some people that I will remember for a lifetime! One was Juri, our room steward. Another was Issac, our tour guide in Progresso.

Juri met us with a smile that made us feel immediately welcomed. He had to have been tired, he just got rid of passengers only hours before and now was on to us! The room was impeccable and we gave him some money to keep our ice bucket full. Throughout the cruise he did his job always with a smile and called us by name even when he saw us outside of our room! This couldn't have been a pleasant job and I don't think he ever got off the ship (I asked him several times and was always told maybe tomorrow). He told me he was going to be on the ship for six months, he loved the work and then he would be able to see his family. I thought of him and so many of the other workers as this couldn't be an easy job. I for one LOVE to cruise but I began to think, I am the 1% of the world, none of these workers were having the same experience I was and few if any could afford it.

When we docked in Progresso we were met with poverty, in your face poverty, the kind that shakes you from your American wealth.  Issac met us and just looking at him you knew he didn't have much. Worn shoes, shirt and pants that were too big for him but once again that smile! He was kind, informative and out walked all of us Americans! On the way back from the Mayan Ruins where we learned he had been a "conductor " aka tour bus driver/tour guide (he knew as much as any Archeological Professor!) he was 78 and he didn't want to retire! Talked about his years of work, love of his wife and grandkids, no regret in his voice! Talked about the people he had met along his journey and considered himself blessed. He didn't have much but he was happy!

You see Juri and Issac are just two people that once we stop our hurriedness of life we can see that we are doing life wrong! Neither of these men travel for pleasure, neither one has the comforts we take for granted but what they have so few of us have, true joy. In America we compete instead of enjoy, we believe we need more even though we have no true inventory of all we have, we don't cherish one another but find things to keep us busy rather than to keep us bonded. 

I don't know if Juri or Issac would want our way of life, part of me, a large part, is envious that the life they have although they work hard is one that their smiles tell their true happiness is from what they have not what they don't have.

I want to have that joy, that happiness that when someone meets me they see my heart and it warms them, makes them want to spread that feeling...lessons can be learned by those we think have so little and yet they have more than any of us could ever imagine!

The color and cost of Immigration

With all of the immigration hooplah that has been in the news I have been thinking about what is the truth about what it takes to become an "American".  You see, like most Americans who were born here in the USA, I had no idea what it took to become a citizen.  When I taught Government I often would have the students take the US Citizenship test (https://my.uscis.gov/en/prep/test/civics/view) and even at times fill out the Citizenship Application, neither did my students (or myself) think were too much or too complicated.  My students in Mabton would often say that it was the cost that often was the biggest obstacle to becoming a citizen. My friends from across the pond would say it is the paperwork and regulations.  The part that I never knew until I talked with some friends were that you don't go from new immigrant to citizen.  The steps from Visa, Green Card to Citizenship is not a straight shot, no matter how much time I spent with my friend "Google" there wasn't one site I could find that came from an official government site that shows Visa to Citizenship.  There were pages that showed Green Card to Citizenship but even then the number of twists and turns would make an average person's head spin!
For many people wanting to come into our country they must apply for one of the 185 US Visas!! 185 different ones!! CRAZY!! I know and love many an immigrant, some legal some not.  The part that gets me is that I think we all do.  Immigration is not about color or a race.  In this new amazing job of mine I have met a number of British immigrants, they are white, well-educated and happen to be married to Engineers.  Their stories are in some ways similar and in some ways completely unlike any of my friends who are immigrants from Mexico.  They do not experience the social disrespect, discrimination or political backlash that our southern border friends do.  They have jobs that they are given Visas by our government to do specific work and although in talking with them I thought "Wow!  What a huge benefit for them!"  Only to find out that between the pressure of keeping all their documents in proper order is no easy feat.  Also families that came over together and apply together are on a tough deadline that if their children turn 21 before the paperwork goes through, that child is no longer part of the process anymore and they must return to their home country.  And if a woman is married to a man who is the one with the job that got them into America, she must stay married to him or risk getting deported if she does not have her own Green Card!
So much goes into this, not just an application, a fee and a test!  Stories of years of work, taxes paid (with no Social Security), fees for applications and attorneys, fears that something will go wrong and that they will have to go home for family and the door is closed on them here in America.  The people I know that want to be in America are hard working, patriotic to this country and want nothing more than to live the American Dream.  So I will continue to say that the reason I am an American citizen is because "I was shot out of my mother's womb" and that is the truth.  I did nothing, I paid nothing, I risked nothing...it is time to listen to the stories of the people around you, listen to their stories so you will know, truly know, the sacrifices that others go through to become what I at times take for granted, an American.

When the loss is a permanent loss

This weekend we had a most amazing day of lacrosse.  So good to see all the parents and families after so many months but really it seemed like no time had even past! The conversations flowed, the hugs were shared and just seeing the girls back on the field were all things that I look forward to every Spring!  Three games of tough competition, lessons learned and skills that were highlighted that the girls need to work on this week in practice.  Yes, girls took a picture of win #1, win #2 and even win #3, no win would be complete without it. These girls are so bonded and lift each other up. Not many are friends off the field although they text, tweet and snapchat, they are not ones that spend physical time together other than on the field.  This is not unusual of most sports teams but there was an incident that happened after the third game, as the girls met under a popup tent to exchange Secret Sister gifts.  These Secret Sister gifts are a way to have them connect them on a deeper level, a way that they can think of another and give them something to show them that someone else is thinking of them. As I walked over from the scorer's table I saw Chris begin to tell the girls to grab their stuff and head over to the grass...mind you it was a stern "Grab your stuff and move" and the girls did just that, they moved.  Not knowing or truly caring what was happening I picked up some stuff and one of the parents whispered to me that they thought that there was a body in one of the porta-potties.
My heart sunk!  I had seen a note on one of the two porta-potties all day but didn't read it.  I think my mind just thought it was an "Out of Order" sign. Nope, one of the dads said he read it and let another parent know what it said.  Our parents worked together and called 911 and authorities were onsite.
You see, as a School Counselor I look for and I listen for words and signs that a student may be depressed.  These aren't easy to always see and depending on the age may seem like just the stage of life that someone is in.  As a human being I do the same.  I want to see the hurt, I don't want to ignore it, I want to reach out, I want others to know that they are not alone.  And yesterday, a part of me, a piece of my heart wondered when did this happen?  Did it happen before our first game? If I would've read the note the first time I used the other porta-potty could he have been saved?  I don't see myself as a superhero, just someone who wants to see depression eradicated.  The loss of this life, is a loss that will affect many.  The look of the young firefighter who opened the door told me he will never be the same. The faces of our parents who were impacted by the closeness of the tragedy to our own.  
This weekend, although filled with wins and victories as well as the bonding between all of us is also going to be one that few of us will forget.  Most losses are only tallies on a scoreboard but this loss is a permanent one.  One that although I don't know their name or anything else about them, will impact me.  I hope that it will impact me in such a way that I continue to focus on other people's hearts, feelings and faces.  Faces will often tell us the world.  This week, please look up from your phone, your computer, your distraction and look, truly look at those around you.  Look them in the eyes, smile at them and let them know just by your own recognition that they are not alone.

The myth of Fat and Happy

Ok, for some of you I know the word FAT is an insult and when you hear someone say that they are fat you want to take up defense for them.  The truth is the first step in truly having a healthy lifestyle and mindset is admitting that what you are is fat.    The second step is the hardest and most heartbreaking. It is doing something about it.  You see, I am fat.  I am overweight by every known standard given by any health standard.  I am not just fat I am ... dare I say it?  Obese.  But this isn't the worst part, the worst part is that I have chosen not to do anything about it.  I sneak through the drive through of Zips (paying cash of course so it can't be recorded!), I buy Cheetos (the devil's snack) out of the vending machine at work and I refuse to move...yes move, as in exercise.

All of this spells out the continuation of a lifestyle that I know will only lead to early onset of diabetes, joint problems as well as a litany of other health problems!  I live with a man who runs marathons, works out everyday, and yet...yep!  I sit here and Facebook or watch my mindless tv shows.

So this all to say that I suppose for some that living in a world where your butt bursts out of your pants (Hate to admit it but  happened to me this week at work!) and your body bumps all show up in your clothes, they can be Fat and Happy... I am not happy.  Fat, yes.  Happy, no.
This is where the tough part happens.  I must move.  I must do something!

I have a friend who has just by moving lost 60 pounds in one year (Way to go Carol!), a friend who has already logged in 200 running miles since January and has gone down a size in pants (Way to go Penny!) and even my office counterpart has lost 10 pounds by counting calories (you are my hero Terri) but me?  I am going to step out of my comfort zone and join (UGH) yet another gym.  But this time I am not going to do it alone.  My trusty sidekick of a sister also belongs to the gym and together we are going to make some changes.  I have to have someone who calls me one my slothfulness.

You see, when you are fat you are scared.  Lazy to some but really you are scared.  You are scared to try again only to not succeed.  You are scared to walk into a gym and realize how fat you truly are, you are scared to publicly admit that you can't do it on your own.  That is why so many of us don't do anything.  At least at home we are safe...safe from ourselves really.  People at home love us even when we don't love ourselves.  People at the gym aren't passing judgment.  They are there to get better themselves and are often there to say something complimentary to us!  At home we are safe to eat whatever we want and hate ourselves in private.  At the gym, we quickly realize how hard we have to work to sweat out the fat we have just taken in.

Being fat is painful and the pain we cause ourselves can take years to remedy.

Jami was such an example of having fun while working out...she wasn't afraid to run, box and to move.  I want to be that fearless, I want to face the world and say, "I can do it and I am doing it".  I have previously worn her sweatbands while working out and now will make sure I take them to the gym with me as a constant reminder of who I can be.  Fearless and Fantastic!

I am glad I don't have to do this journey alone, if you want company please let me know.  I refuse to compare myself to others, I refuse to look at others and say "what about me?", I was born with short genes but I don't have to stay fat, I can and must do something about it and then continue to do something about it for the rest of my life. Not for today, not for 2017 but for a lifetime of being happy and healthy!

Varsity or Junior Varsity Church?

In my life I have been very blessed to have churches that have helped develop my faith over the years. From Kennewick First Baptist (now South Hills) to after college at Grandview Baptist to Temple Baptist to Calvary Chapel to the Living Room Church to New Vintage Church to now my church home of Columbia Community Church (C3).  Yes, there is that theme in the beginning of "Baptist" and that foundation truly hasn't ever left.  My belief in once saved always saved through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ to my comfort and fluidity of the King James Bible to my ever listening for the trumpet sound of Jesus coming back, all these are what makes me who I am in my walk and in my life as a Christian.

Whether it was my Sunday School teachers, years of AWANA or even the small groups that I have had the blessing to be a part of, my faith has never been something that I have taken lightly, it is something that I have debated with others about and yes, my faith has been the compass to my journey in life.

Lately though I have been made more aware of an underlining competition among the church goers! I don't know what has spurred it on but I know with my own church journeys there were murmuring of "real" church teachings, music appropriateness and even the dressing down of church members.  I am not talking about the preferences but of the, dare I say, pride-filled comments about the spiritualism of the members and not the message.

I was beginning to see that at times it is the message not coming from the pulpit but from the members that is often seen as divisive and yet it is important to note that it is the members that are called to go out into the world (Mark 16:15) to share the message of what Jesus did to save the world.  The pastors job is not only to preach the word but to be blameless (Titus 1:7), it is with these qualities that the pastor leads the rest of us in the flock!  So I began to look to see what the Bible says about all of us that are listening; Jesus, himself, was an example to the rest of us in Luke 2:46, "Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions."  Jesus is the perfect example, we are to both listen and ask questions.  How many of us spend time in church listening but then walk out not asking questions, not being part of a group where we can go deeper into the message that we just received?  How many of us are content with an hour or two a week?  What hours the doors are open, what services are being offered and of course the number of small groups are offered all are being touted as reasons that one church is better than the next but regardless of these things, it was and remains a heart issue that is based on our relationship with the Lord.  What good is it that we are there when the doors are open or if we belong to every group in the Church if our hearts aren't right?

I am not sure when the number of baptisms, prayers for salvation and church attendance were medals to be pinned on the chests of the members inside the church.  For truly only God knows. Romans 8:27 tells us "And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God."  

I love the fact that we, here in the Tri-Cities have many solid Bible-believing churches to go to.  I love the fact that my children have become active in the one they call home. I just wish we could agree that each Bible-believing church someone calls home will be accepted and not seen as a challenge to another.  You see, we don't need MORE division but LESS division.  The verse that jumps out is Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."  Whether it is your love of the ones that go to church with you, the music you listen to while there or even the personality of the pastor that draws you in, the foundation should be that you are there and that you are letting the joy of the Lord be your strength.

Most of all let us remember that we are called to love, over 300 times in the Bible, love is referenced. Love God and love others, even those that call another church their home.

Make it Mean Something!

I have lost family members, students and co-workers who were diagnosed with cancer and some even have passed but truly it wasn't until my eyes and heart were opened to the devastation of cancer when I walked alongside Jami and her fight with Melanoma.  You see when I look back I remember sitting in her living room the summer before she was diagnosed again and she was complaining that she had been to a number of doctors for stomach pain and they couldn't do anything but give her antacids! Then that phone call, the first drive to Spokane, the nights spent with Jonna, Kristi and Jami, Gold Rush, Bible readings in bed, hospital visits, sleepless nights...all the while seeing Jami fighting, fighting through the pain, fighting to do whatever it took to win the battle.  When the decision was made that the fight was going to be over it was like my heart had been ripped out and yet all I could think about was Jonna and Kristi, the fight was theirs too.  The team that they made was a fierce one, one that was unstoppable, one that one day I hope to model my own life after.

They taught me so much in four short months, they taught me that a lifetime of love could not be broken by cancer, they taught me true love still exists.  They taught me to keep seeking the truth and from these lessons I began my search for the truth.

I went on a search for the truth of cancer.  What I found might be common knowledge but I wanted to share anyway!

My search began with the "Stand Up To Cancer" site, what I found there was the annual research report of all cancers, US State facts as well as a breakdown of each cancer.  The information there although at times was overwhelming it was very user friendly.  You could easily find every kind of cancer and the statistical facts as well as the specifics of what it is and who it affects.

The information that jumped out at me was:

• Total deaths in 2016 for both females and males totaled over 595,000 of which almost 14,000 of the victims were due to Melanoma.
• The cost of all cancers were in excess of $75 billion with almost 40% were uninsured, the concern with the uninsured is that those without insurance are most likely to be diagnosed in the later stage and less likely to win the war on cancer.
• I think the scariest statistic that I found was that men have a 44% chance and women have a 33% chance from birth to death of being diagnosed with some form of cancer.  Although we now have a 69% chance of survival the thought that there still is no cure for cancer is unbelievable.

Prevention is always in the forefront of the information that was presented.  Whether it is a healthy diet, physical activity, strong emotional health and of course regular doctor appointments, these are things that everyone needs to be mindful of.  The interesting part of this was how many cancers are impacted by genetic makeup.  So not only getting moving but getting talking to our families about the medical history so you can be prepared!

Next came the one place that I am sure most go to:  American Cancer Society.
This site is not only home to information but also ways to become involved.  Whether it is through donations (Stand Up had this option too) as well as volunteering.  You can drive cancer patients to appointments,  volunteer at events or a 100 other ways!  Actually made me want to get involved...seemed easy to do and I am sure it wouldn't be too tough!

The ACS leads the way to research and have donated over $4 billion to find a cure!  Their stance on finding a cure was summed up in this article:
https://medium.com/what-will-it-take-to-end-cancer/defining-the-end-of-cancer-913bc1bddddc#.a46bh4osg
Please take a minute to read it!  Eye opening to say the least.

You see more than anything I want not only Jami but so many other lives not to be have lost to cancer in vain.  I want all of us that have been touched by this horrific disease, no matter what form of cancer, to do something!  Make this a life cause of all of ours...let's put our actions where are hearts are.  Volunteer, donate, write letters!  You see there are lots of issues today that can take our minds off of the issues of the heart.  Let's not just pray for a cure, let's do something about it!

If you are interested in volunteering with me please let me know!
Check out:  https://www.cancer.org/involved.html

My March to an Awakening

After eight years of being told that guns were going to be taken away I am now wondering if there is some wasted fear in some of the angst we see and hear today.    If the guns are still intact maybe the woman’s womb will be too?  Curious about the number of women I know and love that headed to Washington DC, Portland and Seattle for the Women’s March I decided to head to the march here in Richland.  The Tri-Cities is home to about 200,000 with the majority of elected offices filled with Republicans, this area is not known for non-traditional news, entertainment and certainly not social/political thought.  Not that that I think anyone would say they are censored or threatened into silence (some may I suppose…) but the political activism is pretty nonexistent.  So it is with these facts in my head as well as many posts from people I respect on both sides I decided to attend the march, listen to what the speakers had to say as well as the people in the crowd as well.  I donned a pink scarf and I was on my way.

On my drive over I listened to President Trump’s comments at the CIA and decided that there will not be a speech I miss of his…if the crowd I was about to go into believe that President Trump’s intended policies were to take away their political or social rights I want to hear for myself.

As I pull up George Washington Way I could see the crowd already gathering…actually a larger crowd than I expected.  Lots of signs, lots of pink, people (men and women of all ages) all assembled in the cold sunshine of John Day Plaza.  Three speakers, one from the local Democratic Party, two others from Universal Churches (sorry, I am sure there was more said about their resumes but the speaker system wasn’t great).  All three spoke of unity and activism, both key components of hopefully what is wanted on all fronts.   There was also a song but I couldn’t hear even what song they sang.  What I could see and best take in were the signs that many were holding.   Signs that reflected a variety of ideals…global issues, reproductive rights, and yes hatred toward the newly inaugurated President.  Some were comical, some positive, some outlandish (in my eyes) and yes some that were meant to shock and awe but mostly there to educate. 

After the speakers we began to march around the perimeter of John Day Plaza, City of Richland and the police department.  It began to get chilly but as we walked many drivers honked, gave us thumbs up and yes some (thankfully only a few) gave us the bird.  I am sure there were many that were shaking their heads, had conversations in the car and most importantly began to think/question what in the world we all think we were doing!  You see that is why I went…I am beginning to truly question what I am doing, not only as a woman but also as a citizen of the United States.

As a citizen I have not only the right but the responsibility to cherish and participate in the First Amendment, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

You see, not only do I have the responsibility to cherish and participate but also to support the rights of others to do the same.  Freedom of speech covers all of those signs, even the ones that I didn’t agree with.  Freedom of speech covers both the President of the United States’ tweets and speeches he gives.  Freedom of speech covers both the good and the ugly.

I know there have been concerns about some of the protest not being peaceful, I agree some have turned ugly.  But it is with hope in my heart that the message of the protests are not lost by the actions a few.  It only takes a few to destroy the message of many well-intentioned protesters.  Who knows maybe there are some in the crowd today that could have or would have started and promoted violence…thankfully there were no murmurs of that whatsoever!

The last part of the First Amendment is about petitioning the government for a redress of grievances…translated to is the right to make a complaint to, or seek the assistance of, one's government, without fear of punishment or reprisals.

This is the most importang part of all of the amendments in my humble opinion.  For if we cannot voice our complaints regarding our government without fear we will be forced to suffer in silence.  Silence that is deafening and can bring about great damage.  Silence allows injustice.  What were the complaints today?  Complaints regarding the possibility of long fought legislative rights and freedoms that women have…why complain now when nothing has occur yet?  I began to wonder until I came to an epiphany…In 1870’s after the Civil War we legislated that all men had the right to vote.   It took only until 1877 to implement Jim Crow laws, in essence removing the right to vote that was enacted.  Then almost 90 years to march, protest and fight for legislation that would not only allow, without restrictions, not only the right to vote but also to allow free and equal education!

We can complain, we should complain but more than anything we should DO something!  Something that when we look back we can be proud of, may not be approved of by our friends and family, but actions that we believe in and can stand by.

I love my country, I love my community but I love the idea of activism even more after today. 

My Search Day Three--The Eve of a Change in the White House...but what about my house?

“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

― Robert F. Kennedy-

I have always loved this quote as often we see ourselves incapable of making any real difference as we have no real "power". As a teacher, counselor, parent and friend I have never wanted to feel helpless or have those around me feel helpless either.

In our society I know that there seems to be a cycle of helplessness and security that effects all of us. Whether it is as a child/adult, employee/supervisor, voter/elected official, or any other that you can think of...we all are in positions that at one time or another may feel like there needs to be a change. Whether it is at home, in the work place or in our communities.

Those that are in the position of power, I believe it is up to them to make sure that the power is used to gather strength to support those that have no power.

This has been far more eyeopening for me since moving from the high school world to the elementary world. Those Owls that I see everyday have no power, not political, not economic and yet they are the ones who at times suffer due to the actions of so many. Learning what kind of power they have over their lives and their actions is a job not for the weak of heart!

I have seen this also in traveling and seeing firsthand the poverty that so many suffer with. Poverty that could be reduced by those in power, possibly not eliminated but certainly assistance could be given so that the cycle would not have to continue. We have everything in our society to do this but for some reason it has yet to make a dent in so many areas.

Many of you know that I am on a journey to find the truth, the truth that I can share with others. I have my spiritual truth that I hope and pray is a light to others but it is the other types of truth that I believe go hand in hand with my spiritual truth I am seeking. Some of the truths that I find may be contrary to my spiritual truth and that is okay. I am not called to know all the answers but I am called to be seeking the truth. On this journey I hope that others will join in and share with me their truth, for how else will I find truths if I only focus on my journey and not those also who walk with alongside me?

My Search For Truth Day 2

For those just joining me in this journey of truth...I have a goal for this year to research out facts for stories/rumors that come out in the news media or Facebook.  I want to be armed with the truth and here is Day 2 of my Search:

It's not about abortions it is about healthcare. Fact Checking today's hysteria about Planned Parenthood, an organization/business that has assisted women AND men in accessing medical help for 100 years. I have never been a patient/client at PP but know plenty of women that have. Many couldn't afford birth control, needed medical advice but couldn't afford to go to the doctor OR needed screened for cancer. I am one of the many that have had excellent medical care AND parents that I could go to for medical advice/assistance but am also one that knows firsthand that not all women have/had that. So my question today is "Will the reduction in PP funding of $500 million by the Federal Government shutdown PP as we know it?”

The nitty gritty of it that I can research is that through the Medicaid process that low-income women are able to access the assistance they need...let's get one thing straight though...abortions are NOT covered by ANY dollar that is given by the Federal Government. The majority of services covered by the Federal Government involve birth control and emergency contraception, breast exams, gynecological care, HIV testing and counseling, pregnancy testing and options counseling, testing and treatment of sexually-transmitted infections, and men's health services.

This is key as we have a huge medical crisis in the United States, even with Obamacare (ACA) we have millions that can't afford the basic health needs of themselves and their families. This being said we not only need PP but we need the other agencies/businesses to be funded as much as possible by the Federal Government.  I don’t know that PP is the most perfect place for all women but I do know that women (and men) have a clinic that is safe for them to go to for not just reproductive issues but health screenings as well.

In a perfect world (for some) we would not need Planned Parenthood, we would remain celibate unless we were going to procreate.  Sex would only be used for procreation and then for those of us that cannot (or choose not) create a human we should not have sex.  For what other purpose does sex have then to procreate? 

*I am being sarcastic as we know even the most staunch opponent of PP has had sex at some point just for the sheer pleasure not to create life. 

But the world I live in, and so do you, is not perfect!  We have sexually-transmitted diseases that kill, the latest is Zika, yes a sexually transmitted disease, and without clinics such as PP poor women would not have the resources to get the condoms and counseling they need in order to keep themselves healthy as well as the lives of others.  We have children whose parents needed not only PP but possibly other counseling to help them make better choices!  Choices that would break the cycle of poverty.  I am not here to say that ALL the patients/clients of PP are poor, but that is exactly who is being overlooked in this debate!  The elected are not poor, the elected have resources, the elected have money, the elected have power!  The elected I believe have the responsibility to love and support those that they represent, even those that they do not reflect.  Elected officials are by far the ones that have the most resources, resources that should be fact checking and reflecting the desires of all the people, not just the ones that can afford healthcare.

PP is not for everyone (it actually is for everyone…) but for those that feel safe walking in the doors of the clinic, it should be a place where the elected financially support.  Are there other free clinics?  Yes, in many areas, but in looking there are many, many counties here in America that PP is the only option.  Taking away the $500 million will shut the doors to these clinics and then without the ACA where are we putting the poor then?  I don’t live in a large metropolis and my history of working in small rural areas have shown me that without PP those options are just not available…and if they aren’t available we, as a people, are saying that they aren’t important and that to me just isn’t acceptable.

Let's not forget that we are in this together...and what we truly need is more funding and research not reduction in funding!

If you are for the removing of the funding for PP I would urge you to do as I have, research the actual availability of options out there, research the clientele that need healthcare and above all research the truth.  Read articles that counter your opinions, read articles that will shed light on what is reported.  I did, I found more facts than opinions, I found that the “truth” on both sides is really meat in the middle, yes meat not meet, there is meat in this story, meat that should be highlighted so that tax dollars go to those that will best benefit.

And yes, here is the information I found in my research... http://www.businessinsider.com/defunding-planned-parenthood-abortions-donald-trump-congress-paul-ryan-republicans-2017-1

http://www.politifact.com/personalities/planned-parenthood/