There are those even in our own government now, who wish us to be ignorant, misled and misinformed for their own benefit. We need to stop and create an environment that is toxic to those types and to those types of behavior,
I read a great book that expanded my mind when it came out. "A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous Fourteenth Century" in 1978, by the brilliant and persevering, Barbara W. Tuchman. A seminal book on how to write a history book and not just copy from previous history books. She also wrote before that, "The Guns of August" in 1962. Not the main consideration of that book was, in fighting one war, both sides believing absolutely that the knew what the other side was willing to do and capable of. But it was only after the fact, when it was all over, they all realized that they were basing their analysis on a previous world war.
We are in that place today. And most of us do not know it.
We have people attacking other people with new technologies while fully incapable of understanding how it all works, just knowing it will work. Not understanding the social dynamics, the meta and cyber dynamics, the historical dynamics. The other side (US basically), then needs then to try to understand it all, why they did it, what they did, how they did it and what the foundation was for it to be functional, as well as all of what it entailed, and why.
The problem there is just that. They didn't much need to understand it all in order to attack. But we, or whomever the attacked party is, who they may be, or will be... has to. They have to understand it all in order to properly counter it in the correct way. Other than through war, or ignorant other responses. And that is how our leaders are addressing all this. Through ignorance. Both in attack and in response.
We live in interesting times. Too interesting. Far, too interesting.
Hope
Russia attacked America through cyber activities in our 2016 election and before, and after. They are gearing up to alter our 2020 election. We need to more fully understand their actions and our assimilations and therefore our misdirected activities. Russia acted on something they thought would work, and it worked far better than they ever expected or projected. They do not understand fully well what happened either, but we have to. Far more then they do. Because to affect something is easier and requires less information and understanding than actually understanding that affect in practice in order to protect oneself. It is far easier to appear greater than, in destruction, than it does to appear great than in construction.
Faith
Repeating a lie will not fundamentally alter the truth, or change the reality that the lie was and remains, a lie. But it can and will alter people's beliefs, even when it goes against their beliefs. This can be countered by deepening one's ability at thinking, centering oneself in reality and facts, and being aware of one's world and environment, as well as utilizing compassion.
Charity
Regardless what our beliefs are, if we adhere to fundamentals in dealing with other human beings, and lifeforms, and our environment, all with due care and respect, even toward our enemies, much of our disrepair and responsibility in our mistakes when later realized, will be greatly softened by the fact that we were acting all along as decent beings, regardless our mistaken beliefs. Also, we may find along the way in acting on mistaken beliefs in such a way, that those beliefs are indeed mistaken. W|e will at least have the potential to find in the moment, that we are headed in an incorrect direction. We will increase our potential for becoming correct amidst our incorrect actions.
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Monday, September 23, 2019
Monday, March 31, 2014
Karma for one? Maybe not you though....
Ever have that feeling that the universe offered you a pass, or a gift, and you blew it? Take a walk with me along the path of imagination, of fantasy, of what could have been, of what if, of possibility....
I just had that experience. Actually, I had the experience when I was seventeen, I just had the realization of how I could have altered another's life for the better so long ago. But because I was weak, immature and inured with Catholic superstitions back then, I had relented, I had run away.
It wasn't about me, though. Not at all. Of course, at the time I had thought it was. It was something I could have done and didn't and, had I done it, there is the possibility that it would have changed someone's life, entirely. As it was they had a rough life, a really rough PTSD kind of rough life. Broken bones kind of rough.
Maybe, just maybe, had I done the "right" thing that day so long ago, I might have altered someone's entire life from that point on. In some cases it's not so much what you do but that you show someone how things can be better for them. Give them something good to compare their life to. But I didn't and because I didn't, did I screw up my Karma? Or, did it have no effect on it at all?
Eventually I realized that it wasn't all about me and, at least some of it was about my friend. So when I had the opportunity to track this friend down, I tried, I sent a message. It took months but we eventually got to corresponding and through those communications I discovered all of what I mentioned above. I discovered that what I could have done, what seemed to me at the time to be the "wrong" thing to do, and had I instead done what was probably the "right" (but Catholically speaking, the "immoral" thing to do), perhaps I cold have made someone's life all the better for it.
Now, I can only try to make amends, which I have done now. I can only now try to sooth psychic knots that are at this point unknown and possibly perceived not even to exist. But I'm sure they do, buried deep in the mind somewhere.
My point here is this, when this kind of thing happens, all you can do is to help the person for who they are now, to help them be even a touch closer to the person they could have been now. And although that may not now be possible, still maybe in the end with all being said, Karma will just get that little bit better for them, and for you.
Now about Karma. People have weird ways of what they think Karma is all about. I don't see it as something you can save up, or something that you barter off. It's not a reward from God or the Universe. I see it as cause and effect. If you live a good life, that is bound to come back to you. Unless, you make choices that guide bad things toward you. Which happens. I'm sure we've all seen people who are the nicest people in the world, but always there seems to be a darkness lurking just around the corner for them. Their life is in a shambles. Why? Shouldn't karma pay them back?
Not necessarily. Not if you understand Karma. And let's contain it within one lifetime and not go into the other life consideration for our purposes here. The concept of Karma is a good short hand for how to look at life, at the dynamics of exchange in good and bad behaviors.
Karma is like, well, let's take fishing as example. If you cast the right lure or fly in the right location at the right time, you'll probably get a fish; but you'll also have to be able to land it properly so it doesn't get away. It really doesn't matter how nice you are. Now in a social context, if you are in a river with a lot of other fishermen and you treat them well, they may even let you have, or tell you where the best spot to fish, is. But if you are one mean son of a bitch, they will very possibly not want you around, block you, or simply be nice and tell you the best spot is... anywhere but where they are.
In a way you can look at "building good Karma" as Karma in the bank; but in reality, that's simply the wrong view to take. You can't just be nice to everyone because, some not only don't deserve it, some will go out and create bad Karma for others. You have to be somewhat judicious in who you help and how.
Even if you do spread good Karma everywhere, it's still possible you will generate bad Karma for yourself, or others. There's simply more to it than blindly going about trying to do good to everyone, everywhere. In general yes, doing good is better than going around trying to do bad. But blindly going around doing anything, is usually a foolish thing to do, also.
If you go around doing good, you also have to see your actions and reactions that they will cause. You have to pay attention and the further ahead you can see what each action of yours will cause, the better off you will be. It's not so much about being savvy about your actions so as to reclaim bounty from them, but to see when you are doing good and when it will return only bad.
You also have to realize that many times what you see as something affecting only you, is really more about how it will affect someone else. Karma is all about that, too. I never said that there is anything easy about any of this. Just that it's possible to make it work for you more often than against you if you're open to the situation in its entirety.
If you always try to fit in helping others even when you think you can only help yourself, things will get better. Having people out in the world predisposed to viewing you in a good light, is always better than having them view you in a negative light, or even no light at all. Though perhaps I should have said when you are building good Karma for yourself, be sure that really it isn't more about someone else. You will very likely one day look back on it and realize your regret, a regret you should have had for a long time and now, only have a short time or no time at all, in which to change things. Just consider how, had you seen this and done this all back when whatever it was first happened, how you could have had that much more good Karma seeking you out over all that time.
Pay attention, see what is all around you, act with consideration and, you may just find Karma building up all around you. At some point most likely, it will eventually come back to let you know just how well you did.
kar·ma [kahr-muh]
noun
1.
Hinduism, Buddhism. action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation: in Hinduism one of the means of reaching Brahman. Compare bhakti ( def 1 ) , jnana.
2.
Theosophy. the cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished in one incarnation according to that person's deeds in the previous incarnation.
3.
fate; destiny. Synonyms: predestination, predetermination, lot, kismet.
4.
the good or bad emanations felt to be generated by someone or something: Lets get out of here. This place has bad karma.
Origin:
1820–30; < Sanskrit: nominative, accusative singular of karman act, deed
I just had that experience. Actually, I had the experience when I was seventeen, I just had the realization of how I could have altered another's life for the better so long ago. But because I was weak, immature and inured with Catholic superstitions back then, I had relented, I had run away.
It wasn't about me, though. Not at all. Of course, at the time I had thought it was. It was something I could have done and didn't and, had I done it, there is the possibility that it would have changed someone's life, entirely. As it was they had a rough life, a really rough PTSD kind of rough life. Broken bones kind of rough.
Maybe, just maybe, had I done the "right" thing that day so long ago, I might have altered someone's entire life from that point on. In some cases it's not so much what you do but that you show someone how things can be better for them. Give them something good to compare their life to. But I didn't and because I didn't, did I screw up my Karma? Or, did it have no effect on it at all?
Eventually I realized that it wasn't all about me and, at least some of it was about my friend. So when I had the opportunity to track this friend down, I tried, I sent a message. It took months but we eventually got to corresponding and through those communications I discovered all of what I mentioned above. I discovered that what I could have done, what seemed to me at the time to be the "wrong" thing to do, and had I instead done what was probably the "right" (but Catholically speaking, the "immoral" thing to do), perhaps I cold have made someone's life all the better for it.
Now, I can only try to make amends, which I have done now. I can only now try to sooth psychic knots that are at this point unknown and possibly perceived not even to exist. But I'm sure they do, buried deep in the mind somewhere.
My point here is this, when this kind of thing happens, all you can do is to help the person for who they are now, to help them be even a touch closer to the person they could have been now. And although that may not now be possible, still maybe in the end with all being said, Karma will just get that little bit better for them, and for you.
Now about Karma. People have weird ways of what they think Karma is all about. I don't see it as something you can save up, or something that you barter off. It's not a reward from God or the Universe. I see it as cause and effect. If you live a good life, that is bound to come back to you. Unless, you make choices that guide bad things toward you. Which happens. I'm sure we've all seen people who are the nicest people in the world, but always there seems to be a darkness lurking just around the corner for them. Their life is in a shambles. Why? Shouldn't karma pay them back?
Not necessarily. Not if you understand Karma. And let's contain it within one lifetime and not go into the other life consideration for our purposes here. The concept of Karma is a good short hand for how to look at life, at the dynamics of exchange in good and bad behaviors.
Karma is like, well, let's take fishing as example. If you cast the right lure or fly in the right location at the right time, you'll probably get a fish; but you'll also have to be able to land it properly so it doesn't get away. It really doesn't matter how nice you are. Now in a social context, if you are in a river with a lot of other fishermen and you treat them well, they may even let you have, or tell you where the best spot to fish, is. But if you are one mean son of a bitch, they will very possibly not want you around, block you, or simply be nice and tell you the best spot is... anywhere but where they are.
In a way you can look at "building good Karma" as Karma in the bank; but in reality, that's simply the wrong view to take. You can't just be nice to everyone because, some not only don't deserve it, some will go out and create bad Karma for others. You have to be somewhat judicious in who you help and how.
Even if you do spread good Karma everywhere, it's still possible you will generate bad Karma for yourself, or others. There's simply more to it than blindly going about trying to do good to everyone, everywhere. In general yes, doing good is better than going around trying to do bad. But blindly going around doing anything, is usually a foolish thing to do, also.
If you go around doing good, you also have to see your actions and reactions that they will cause. You have to pay attention and the further ahead you can see what each action of yours will cause, the better off you will be. It's not so much about being savvy about your actions so as to reclaim bounty from them, but to see when you are doing good and when it will return only bad.
You also have to realize that many times what you see as something affecting only you, is really more about how it will affect someone else. Karma is all about that, too. I never said that there is anything easy about any of this. Just that it's possible to make it work for you more often than against you if you're open to the situation in its entirety.
If you always try to fit in helping others even when you think you can only help yourself, things will get better. Having people out in the world predisposed to viewing you in a good light, is always better than having them view you in a negative light, or even no light at all. Though perhaps I should have said when you are building good Karma for yourself, be sure that really it isn't more about someone else. You will very likely one day look back on it and realize your regret, a regret you should have had for a long time and now, only have a short time or no time at all, in which to change things. Just consider how, had you seen this and done this all back when whatever it was first happened, how you could have had that much more good Karma seeking you out over all that time.
Pay attention, see what is all around you, act with consideration and, you may just find Karma building up all around you. At some point most likely, it will eventually come back to let you know just how well you did.
kar·ma [kahr-muh]
noun
1.
Hinduism, Buddhism. action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation: in Hinduism one of the means of reaching Brahman. Compare bhakti ( def 1 ) , jnana.
2.
Theosophy. the cosmic principle according to which each person is rewarded or punished in one incarnation according to that person's deeds in the previous incarnation.
3.
fate; destiny. Synonyms: predestination, predetermination, lot, kismet.
4.
the good or bad emanations felt to be generated by someone or something: Lets get out of here. This place has bad karma.
Origin:
1820–30; < Sanskrit: nominative, accusative singular of karman act, deed
Monday, February 18, 2013
How about some positive news?
Happy President's Day! I hope you got the day off today.
First, I received some good news over the weekend. My short Sci Fi story, "Expedition of the Arcturus" will be published on 3/12/2013 on PerihelionSF.com. It couldn't be more timely considering our concern over meteorites and asteroids recently. And if I might make the bold suggestion, drop by their web site any time. It's a great "hard" Science Fiction magazine.
Now for the news....
We have gotten hammered with negative news for years now. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of it. Sick and tired of it.
Isn't there anything going well anymore? Anywhere?
Bill Gates of Microsoft fame, has released his Annual Letter to the world and it contains some insight as to how things are really going overall, and world wide. And nationwide here at home, because we do have some very good things going on right here. We just haven't noticed them because of the economic situation and political gridlock.
You should notice that political gridlock tends to occur during times of there being confusion about what to do in order to fix problems. The lack of ability to affect positive changes has come from, in my opinion, poor education of the leaders of our constituents and their polarized political agendas (basically, the GOP is stuck in their right wing, excessively conservative rhetoric).
Bill Gates in his letter points out that the Millennium Development, which was agreed to by all countries and leading development institutions back in 2000, have helped the world make substantial progress to improve the lives of its poorest people in these areas:
He has pointed out a few things we do need to do. One I'd like to mention here, is about teachers.
Teachers are a group that have taken a lot of flak and undeservedly so. They are underpaid and overworked. As Mr. Gates pointed out recently, they have not been given the same tools business has given to its employees. Rather than testing the teachers, why not give them feedback? Rather than berate and attempt to remove those who are there (and if they are truly incompetent, they should be removed, but they should never have been there to begin with), they need access to how to deal with problems they are having. They need our support, not our recriminations. They need information, not just a pink slip.
How do those teachers who are successfulat dealing with trouble students deal with the situation. Or in teaching a difficult or complex subject, how do the successfulteachers, teach it? Let's share that. Let's stand up and take responsibility for getting teachers the tools and methods they need to affect positive change in their environment, because their environment is particularly important to us as parents, as a nation. And as a world.
Another measurement for progress worldwide, is about children under age five dying. They are dying now less than before, the numbers are dropping. In 1960 twenty million children under age five were dying each year. Within the next few years, that will be down to three million.
Polio is down to just over a couple of hundred cases worldwide and may soon be eradicated.
Mr. Gates also pointed out things like the ability to have information at the touch of your fingers. Being able to sit with your child in your home and explore the world online. Think about that for a moment. Appreciate some of the things you now take for granted. The technologies and devices we have that make our lives easier every day have changed how we do business, how we live and how we interact with one another. Has technology closed us off from one another, or brought us closer?
Yes, I do see people I know less now a days, and we live further apart than when I was younger and I mostly knew people within a close physical distance from me. But technology has brought us closer together, in some ways removing that distance. I know more now about what my kids, family, friends, and new long distance friends and acquaintancesare doing, than I ever knew in the past before these technologies.
The wealth we as Americans experience and live with every day, as opposed to those around the world who are starving or dying daily, can be invisible to us. Yet, even those people's lives around the world are getting better. They are starving and dying less. Yes, there is still much to do, but we are making pathways to success.
For those who think the world is a horrible place, Mr. Gates has pointed out that things are getting better all the time, and are markedly better than only a few years ago.
To support his contentions, last year the Dalai Lama, as another world traveler who should know, has been saying this same things. That violence worldwide is actually down from years ago, even though it doesn't look to us that way in media and news. Which points out that we need to carefully watch where we get our news and information from, because media has become oriented through entertainment more than journalism.
The bottom dollar has become more important than the accurate, neutral delivery of real news. News departments should not be attached to a profit margin. It used to be that other departments covered that for them. That is one change that has certainly denigrated our news and information. But believe it or not, the new injection of Al Jazeera buying Current TV, which Al Gore just sold to them, might be just the sort of catalyst we need. Regardless of where they come from, I have to say I would trust news from them over Fox News (after their recent, horrible showing, in their consistent inaccuracies, during our last Presidential election), any day of the week.
Last year my own daughter returned from backpacking all over Europe, going to Eastern Europe to places I was afraid for her to go. Yet she returned safely and said those scary places were where she met some of the nicest people she came in contact with on her travels, and she felt the safest there. The most dangerous place she went to, turned out to be Athens, Greece during their riots with mobs and cars on fire and angry people hurting and getting hurt.
So don't feel too depressed about "Today" because apparently, beyond our vision, out of our line of sight, just outside of our available information, and in many cases even right in front of us, in our own homes, there really are good things happening. The world is having a difficult time, but not in every area.
Overall it would seem that efforts really are paying off and turning the planet into a better world. In many cases, without our even recognizing it.
First, I received some good news over the weekend. My short Sci Fi story, "Expedition of the Arcturus" will be published on 3/12/2013 on PerihelionSF.com. It couldn't be more timely considering our concern over meteorites and asteroids recently. And if I might make the bold suggestion, drop by their web site any time. It's a great "hard" Science Fiction magazine.
Now for the news....
We have gotten hammered with negative news for years now. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of it. Sick and tired of it.
Isn't there anything going well anymore? Anywhere?
Bill Gates of Microsoft fame, has released his Annual Letter to the world and it contains some insight as to how things are really going overall, and world wide. And nationwide here at home, because we do have some very good things going on right here. We just haven't noticed them because of the economic situation and political gridlock.
You should notice that political gridlock tends to occur during times of there being confusion about what to do in order to fix problems. The lack of ability to affect positive changes has come from, in my opinion, poor education of the leaders of our constituents and their polarized political agendas (basically, the GOP is stuck in their right wing, excessively conservative rhetoric).
Bill Gates in his letter points out that the Millennium Development, which was agreed to by all countries and leading development institutions back in 2000, have helped the world make substantial progress to improve the lives of its poorest people in these areas:
- Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child mortality
- Improve maternal health
- combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- A global partnership for development
He has pointed out a few things we do need to do. One I'd like to mention here, is about teachers.
Teachers are a group that have taken a lot of flak and undeservedly so. They are underpaid and overworked. As Mr. Gates pointed out recently, they have not been given the same tools business has given to its employees. Rather than testing the teachers, why not give them feedback? Rather than berate and attempt to remove those who are there (and if they are truly incompetent, they should be removed, but they should never have been there to begin with), they need access to how to deal with problems they are having. They need our support, not our recriminations. They need information, not just a pink slip.
How do those teachers who are successfulat dealing with trouble students deal with the situation. Or in teaching a difficult or complex subject, how do the successfulteachers, teach it? Let's share that. Let's stand up and take responsibility for getting teachers the tools and methods they need to affect positive change in their environment, because their environment is particularly important to us as parents, as a nation. And as a world.
Another measurement for progress worldwide, is about children under age five dying. They are dying now less than before, the numbers are dropping. In 1960 twenty million children under age five were dying each year. Within the next few years, that will be down to three million.
Polio is down to just over a couple of hundred cases worldwide and may soon be eradicated.
Mr. Gates also pointed out things like the ability to have information at the touch of your fingers. Being able to sit with your child in your home and explore the world online. Think about that for a moment. Appreciate some of the things you now take for granted. The technologies and devices we have that make our lives easier every day have changed how we do business, how we live and how we interact with one another. Has technology closed us off from one another, or brought us closer?
Yes, I do see people I know less now a days, and we live further apart than when I was younger and I mostly knew people within a close physical distance from me. But technology has brought us closer together, in some ways removing that distance. I know more now about what my kids, family, friends, and new long distance friends and acquaintancesare doing, than I ever knew in the past before these technologies.
The wealth we as Americans experience and live with every day, as opposed to those around the world who are starving or dying daily, can be invisible to us. Yet, even those people's lives around the world are getting better. They are starving and dying less. Yes, there is still much to do, but we are making pathways to success.
For those who think the world is a horrible place, Mr. Gates has pointed out that things are getting better all the time, and are markedly better than only a few years ago.
To support his contentions, last year the Dalai Lama, as another world traveler who should know, has been saying this same things. That violence worldwide is actually down from years ago, even though it doesn't look to us that way in media and news. Which points out that we need to carefully watch where we get our news and information from, because media has become oriented through entertainment more than journalism.
The bottom dollar has become more important than the accurate, neutral delivery of real news. News departments should not be attached to a profit margin. It used to be that other departments covered that for them. That is one change that has certainly denigrated our news and information. But believe it or not, the new injection of Al Jazeera buying Current TV, which Al Gore just sold to them, might be just the sort of catalyst we need. Regardless of where they come from, I have to say I would trust news from them over Fox News (after their recent, horrible showing, in their consistent inaccuracies, during our last Presidential election), any day of the week.
Last year my own daughter returned from backpacking all over Europe, going to Eastern Europe to places I was afraid for her to go. Yet she returned safely and said those scary places were where she met some of the nicest people she came in contact with on her travels, and she felt the safest there. The most dangerous place she went to, turned out to be Athens, Greece during their riots with mobs and cars on fire and angry people hurting and getting hurt.
So don't feel too depressed about "Today" because apparently, beyond our vision, out of our line of sight, just outside of our available information, and in many cases even right in front of us, in our own homes, there really are good things happening. The world is having a difficult time, but not in every area.
Overall it would seem that efforts really are paying off and turning the planet into a better world. In many cases, without our even recognizing it.
Friday, February 8, 2013
The HealthCare Disease after Heart Disease
NOTE: I just wanted to say, to those of you who have donated money to help this family out this week, from them and myself, Thank You So Much!
A very good friend of mine recently had a serious scare in his life. He almost lost the person closest to him in his life, aside from his daughter, that is.
I've known him since I was having trouble in my own life back in 1992 around the time we first met. He was the nicest guy in the world and working at a local establishment that has a fond spot in my heart. A local brew pub called The Big Time Ale House on the "Ave" in the "U District" in Seattle. My marriage was disintegrating around me. I had a four year old boy. I had bills. I ended up living in a house where I rented a room from the woman who was leasing the house. It was a sad period in my life.
At one point, I was working two full time jobs so that I could get enough money to buy my son a Christmas present. I had been eating top ramen for my one meal per day. I got a second job at a bakery making Pasty's. I was working for a Ex Pat Brit who also ran a Pub on the "Ave" called The Unicorn. During this time I was hanging with this friend in my off time when he was available. A bright light in an otherwise dark period.
Then he moved to California for a while and we lost touch. After a whille he moved up to Portland and eventually got married and had a daughter, Mollie. Recently his wife, had a medical scare and we were quite worried but she came through it. They came through it, but as our health care is in America (and don't get me started on that topic), they are now left with bills from it.
They are good people, they are hard working, small business people. The started a business last year cleaning houses. The two of them. Now, just he can do it. They got their dream started up, things were going well, then this happened. To me, they are the cream of America, and they need help.
If you've ever had a medical condition and came through it, but were left with large bills from it, then you know that the bills can be almost as devestating emotionally, as the original condition that almost killed you. I never understood that about healthcare. "Great, I survived, but the stress is killing me anyway and I may have a heart attack just from that!"
The other day, on her own, their daughter Mollie put up a donations page. They didn't ask for it. She just wanted to do something to help. So I figured that the least I could do, after donating what I could, was to give others the opportunity to help too. If everyone that reads my blog were to donate $10, just $10, it would pay off their medical bills.
So, please, consider it.
All I want to do now is to post their daughter's words from her donations page and, if you feel moved, please help them out with anything. $20? $10? Even $5 would help, if enough people donated.
So here she is and thank you for your time and consideration. This isn't something you will ever see me do very often.
So, that was Mollie. Thank you for your time.
Here is the link to the donations page.
A very good friend of mine recently had a serious scare in his life. He almost lost the person closest to him in his life, aside from his daughter, that is.
I've known him since I was having trouble in my own life back in 1992 around the time we first met. He was the nicest guy in the world and working at a local establishment that has a fond spot in my heart. A local brew pub called The Big Time Ale House on the "Ave" in the "U District" in Seattle. My marriage was disintegrating around me. I had a four year old boy. I had bills. I ended up living in a house where I rented a room from the woman who was leasing the house. It was a sad period in my life.
At one point, I was working two full time jobs so that I could get enough money to buy my son a Christmas present. I had been eating top ramen for my one meal per day. I got a second job at a bakery making Pasty's. I was working for a Ex Pat Brit who also ran a Pub on the "Ave" called The Unicorn. During this time I was hanging with this friend in my off time when he was available. A bright light in an otherwise dark period.
Then he moved to California for a while and we lost touch. After a whille he moved up to Portland and eventually got married and had a daughter, Mollie. Recently his wife, had a medical scare and we were quite worried but she came through it. They came through it, but as our health care is in America (and don't get me started on that topic), they are now left with bills from it.
They are good people, they are hard working, small business people. The started a business last year cleaning houses. The two of them. Now, just he can do it. They got their dream started up, things were going well, then this happened. To me, they are the cream of America, and they need help.
If you've ever had a medical condition and came through it, but were left with large bills from it, then you know that the bills can be almost as devestating emotionally, as the original condition that almost killed you. I never understood that about healthcare. "Great, I survived, but the stress is killing me anyway and I may have a heart attack just from that!"
The other day, on her own, their daughter Mollie put up a donations page. They didn't ask for it. She just wanted to do something to help. So I figured that the least I could do, after donating what I could, was to give others the opportunity to help too. If everyone that reads my blog were to donate $10, just $10, it would pay off their medical bills.
So, please, consider it.
All I want to do now is to post their daughter's words from her donations page and, if you feel moved, please help them out with anything. $20? $10? Even $5 would help, if enough people donated.
So here she is and thank you for your time and consideration. This isn't something you will ever see me do very often.
My name is Mollie and I am 18 years old. On December 26, my mom began experiencing severe chest pains. I called 911, not knowing what was really happening as they drove her to the nearest hospital. The next day, after testing, doctors informed us that she had a minor heart attack and needed to be moved to a bigger hospital where she could have her Angiogram. A few days later the heart surgeon suggested a triple bypass as her best option. For a diabetic with heart disease and three stints put in 11 years ago, he believed that bypass surgery would be the most beneficial to her. We were all scared, but we encouraged her to go through with the surgery.
December 31 my mother had her surgery. After many anxious hours I got word that all went well, though she ended up needing a quadruple bypass instead of a triple. January 5, 2013 my mom came home. Though she is getting better every day, she is still in the process of recovering.
My parents own a house cleaning business; however, since my mother will be out of work for up to four months my dad has completely taken over, while I stay at home. I am a full time college student, while also taking care of my mom in her recovery.
With a huge amount of hospital bills, regular expenses, the cost of medication, and daily needs, we are very tight on money. We understand everyone is going through hard times right now, so any amount will help. Thank you for listening to our story and support my family in this difficult time. God bless.
So, that was Mollie. Thank you for your time.
Here is the link to the donations page.
Monday, February 4, 2013
The Healthcare Disease after Heart Disease
NOTE: I just wanted to say, to those of you who have donated money to help this family out this week, from them and myself, Thank You So Much!
A very good friend of mine recently had a serious scare in his life. He almost lost the person closest to him in his life, aside from his daughter, that is.
I've known him since I was having trouble in my own life back in 1992 around the time we first met. He was the nicest guy in the world and working at a local establishment that has a fond spot in my heart. A local brew pub called The Big Time Ale House on the "Ave" in the "U District" in Seattle. My marriage was disintegrating around me. I had a four year old boy. I had bills. I ended up living in a house where I rented a room from the woman who was leasing the house. It was a sad period in my life.
At one point, I was working two full time jobs so that I could get enough money to buy my son a Christmas present. I had been eating top ramen for my one meal per day. I got a second job at a bakery making Pasty's. I was working for a Ex Pat Brit who also ran a Pub on the "Ave" called The Unicorn. During this time I was hanging with this friend in my off time when he was available. A bright light in an otherwise dark period.
Then he moved to California for a while and we lost touch. After a whille he moved up to Portland and eventually got married and had a daughter, Mollie. Recently his wife, had a medical scare and we were quite worried but she came through it. They came through it, but as our health care is in America (and don't get me started on that topic), they are now left with bills from it.
They are good people, they are hard working, small business people. The started a business last year cleaning houses. The two of them. Now, just he can do it. They got their dream started up, things were going well, then this happened. To me, they are the cream of America, and they need help.
If you've ever had a medical condition and came through it, but were left with large bills from it, then you know that the bills can be almost as devestating emotionally, as the original condition that almost killed you. I never understood that about healthcare. "Great, I survived, but the stress is killing me anyway and I may have a heart attack just from that!"
The other day, on her own, their daughter Mollie put up a donations page. They didn't ask for it. She just wanted to do something to help. So I figured that the least I could do, after donating what I could, was to give others the opportunity to help too. If everyone that reads my blog were to donate $10, just $10, it would pay off their medical bills.
So, please, consider it.
All I want to do now is to post their daughter's words from her donations page and, if you feel moved, please help them out with anything. $20? $10? Even $5 would help, if enough people donated.
So here she is and thank you for your time and consideration. This isn't something you will ever see me do very often.
So, that was Mollie. Thank you for your time.
Here is the link to the donations page.
A very good friend of mine recently had a serious scare in his life. He almost lost the person closest to him in his life, aside from his daughter, that is.
I've known him since I was having trouble in my own life back in 1992 around the time we first met. He was the nicest guy in the world and working at a local establishment that has a fond spot in my heart. A local brew pub called The Big Time Ale House on the "Ave" in the "U District" in Seattle. My marriage was disintegrating around me. I had a four year old boy. I had bills. I ended up living in a house where I rented a room from the woman who was leasing the house. It was a sad period in my life.
At one point, I was working two full time jobs so that I could get enough money to buy my son a Christmas present. I had been eating top ramen for my one meal per day. I got a second job at a bakery making Pasty's. I was working for a Ex Pat Brit who also ran a Pub on the "Ave" called The Unicorn. During this time I was hanging with this friend in my off time when he was available. A bright light in an otherwise dark period.
Then he moved to California for a while and we lost touch. After a whille he moved up to Portland and eventually got married and had a daughter, Mollie. Recently his wife, had a medical scare and we were quite worried but she came through it. They came through it, but as our health care is in America (and don't get me started on that topic), they are now left with bills from it.
They are good people, they are hard working, small business people. The started a business last year cleaning houses. The two of them. Now, just he can do it. They got their dream started up, things were going well, then this happened. To me, they are the cream of America, and they need help.
If you've ever had a medical condition and came through it, but were left with large bills from it, then you know that the bills can be almost as devestating emotionally, as the original condition that almost killed you. I never understood that about healthcare. "Great, I survived, but the stress is killing me anyway and I may have a heart attack just from that!"
The other day, on her own, their daughter Mollie put up a donations page. They didn't ask for it. She just wanted to do something to help. So I figured that the least I could do, after donating what I could, was to give others the opportunity to help too. If everyone that reads my blog were to donate $10, just $10, it would pay off their medical bills.
So, please, consider it.
All I want to do now is to post their daughter's words from her donations page and, if you feel moved, please help them out with anything. $20? $10? Even $5 would help, if enough people donated.
So here she is and thank you for your time and consideration. This isn't something you will ever see me do very often.
My name is Mollie and I am 18 years old. On December 26, my mom began experiencing severe chest pains. I called 911, not knowing what was really happening as they drove her to the nearest hospital. The next day, after testing, doctors informed us that she had a minor heart attack and needed to be moved to a bigger hospital where she could have her Angiogram. A few days later the heart surgeon suggested a triple bypass as her best option. For a diabetic with heart disease and three stints put in 11 years ago, he believed that bypass surgery would be the most beneficial to her. We were all scared, but we encouraged her to go through with the surgery.
December 31 my mother had her surgery. After many anxious hours I got word that all went well, though she ended up needing a quadruple bypass instead of a triple. January 5, 2013 my mom came home. Though she is getting better every day, she is still in the process of recovering.
My parents own a house cleaning business; however, since my mother will be out of work for up to four months my dad has completely taken over, while I stay at home. I am a full time college student, while also taking care of my mom in her recovery.
With a huge amount of hospital bills, regular expenses, the cost of medication, and daily needs, we are very tight on money. We understand everyone is going through hard times right now, so any amount will help. Thank you for listening to our story and support my family in this difficult time. God bless.
So, that was Mollie. Thank you for your time.
Here is the link to the donations page.
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