Not in My Backyard

We have a fight brewing in a neighbourhood close to our place. It is a fight that is totally unnecessary.  There is an abandoned hockey arena that a group wants to turn into an addictions treatment facility. Opposing this great endeavour is the area councillor who has inflamed and created fear in the residents for all the wrong reasons.

An addictions treatment facility is very much needed. Treatment centres create positive lifestyle change and alternate perspectives and they work. People do get healed and are able to resume their lives or restart their lives.

It is shameful that this elected official felt the need to incite residents with misinformation and untruths. What is his motive, his gain. Civic elections are next year and he will not get my vote.

I can't imagine what it is like to have an addiction and when someone makes insensitive remarks about people with addictions is disrespectful and disgraceful.

Everyone has a story to tell. We need to be sensitive and allow the stories to be heard. What if a member of his circle was dealing with addiction, would his tune change. I bet it would. You see it is easy to say not in my backyard. It is harder to accept and embrace and it is far more rewarding.

I stand in favour of this facility in my backyard and hope to see it come to fruition. I called the councillor and left him a message indicating what an asset this facility would be for the community and encouraged him to rethink his opposition to this project.

The real issue is whether it is a treatment facility or something else, people will always say not in my backyard. We are resistant to change, we like our homeostasis. Progress and change are inevitable. Do we want to be moving forward or standing still. I prefer to move forward positively.

Take The High Road

Last week, a friend of mine shared a story about how a work colleague passed off work done by my friend as her own. She was appalled and in shock that people can be so evil and nasty. My advise to her was to take the high road. She does good work and her work speaks for itself and is noticed.

I told her that I have been a victim of this behaviour as well. I felt betrayed and used. It is sad that this pervasive behaviour is still commonplace in our society

It hurts, it sucks. It took a long time to get over.

I remember telling a lady who I thought I could trust about what happened and she said it happens all the time and the victims don't even know it has happened. The way she said it, implied that she had stolen someone's idea and passed it off as her own.

Several years after this situation, I was running for an elected position with a volunteer organization. The people supporting the other candidate spread lies about me. This hurt me deeply. I turned inward and became depressed. I ended up losing the election.

A blessing in disguise. I am better off without that position. I realized that I was only hurting myself. I learned that I needed to maintain my integrity and my dignity. I learned to turn the other cheek and take the high road.I came to realize that karma works and there is always a price to pay for our actions good bad or indifferent.

Everyday.... Oh No Another One

It saddens and depresses me every time I hear about another noted person accused of sexual harassment. Today's noted people are Charlie Rose and Ryan Seacrest. Who will it be tomorrow? Who cares?

As a male who strives to always do my best and treat everyone the way I want to be treated I am appalled and disgusted. The more important question that needs to be asked is why.  Why do males abuse their positions? Why do they feel the need to act so entitled over others? 

I feel for every women who has been a victim. I can't begin to imagine the pain each women has endured. Having to relive their experience every day. While the predators run and hide behind legalese and call each women a liar. 

Only one noted person has been sincere in his apology when confronted with the details. Al Franken's apology doesn't excuse his behaviour. He does get the pain and suffering he caused and is remorseful.

What makes me sad, is I understand why women find it hard to trust men. They are skeptical and jaded of a man's intentions. Acceptance, respect and trust become very hard things to earn in a man.

I want women to know that there are still good men out there. Kind compassionate, understanding men who are appalled and disgusted by the behaviour of their male brethren. I hope that my female friends will consider me to be one of these man. 

It is the Little Things

As I dive deeper into my journey with depression, one area that repeatedly trips me up is the little things. The things most finite, trivial can at times cause the biggest level of frustration which can be a quick slope down to depression.

Let me explain, yesterday we were out and on the way home decided to stop for chocolate milkshakes. We got home and I sat down to have mine and could not get any of the shake to come out of the straw. I immediately started feeling frustrated, let some choice words fly. Shelley said what did that milkshake ever do to you. 

She was right of course, what had that drink ever done to me. Nothing of course, it was a microcosm. 

I over react to the simplest things. I become frustrated at the drop of a hat. I used to say this was a bad family trait. Frustration and depression go hand in hand for me. I have started to notice how often this happens and what the circumstances are. Unfortunately, it happens more often than I like.  

I did enjoy my milkshake. Hopefully next time I can enjoy the whole milkshake experience.

Fight the Fight Worth Fighting

 It has been one year since the Americans did the unthinkable and elect Donald Trump as President. I am still shaking my head believing this is true. What a year it has been, almost every day new scandal, allegations are presented to the American public and yet he walks away unscathed. I think his time in office is short. you cannot continue to dodge the smoke, because where there is smoke there is always fire. I see the fire starting to rage across America.

The turn started this past Tuesday in the elections. Democrats were elected Governors in New Jersey and Virginia. Some states saw their first black mayors and their first transgenders elected. All positive steps in America's recovery.

The rhetoric and vitriol that continue to come from him is so inconsistent and harmful. For example the young radicalized US citizen that when on a rampage in New York City. He immediately wants to close the borders again and cut immigration programs. He forgets that he is a product of immigration. His parents moved to the US from Germany and Ireland respectively.

On the other hand, white males go on murderous rampages in Texas and Las Vegas and immediately blames their behavior on mental health issues. Heaven forbid if he upsets the blessed NRA and the Alt Right.

This is a direct slap in the face to anyone dealing with mental health issues. One out of every three people deals with mental health issues including myself. We are not prone to violence because of our mental health issues or any other reason.

We do not wish our issues on anyone else. We are functioning people out to make a positive impact on the world. All we ask for is understanding, compassion, opportunity to deal with our issues in a free non judgemental non oppressive world.

We need to be collaborative to work together to end the stigma of mental health. It is an illness like cancer, diabetes etc. What we do not need is blowhards like yourself  Mr Trump making a mockery of mental health and the people dealing with it.

The struggle is real, everyday and worth fighting.