A Rant Against 'Affluenza'

It is now pretty apparent one of the icons of wholesomeness during my youth and young adulthood, Bill Cosby, was actually all the while a sexually abusive monster; Bill Clinton really did inhale, and used the Oval Office to prey on a young lady for his sexual gratification as well; and Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of my country for the past nine years, appears to have lied and deceived Canadians so often over the term he has held the reigns of power that it's actually somehow come to seem normal to get screwed by the government he leads. I think it's sadly well beyond the point that such unethical and abusive conduct seems expected by the masses from the leadership We get from our elected politicians and societal role models nowadays; mass cynicism attests to it.

Have humans really always been so corrupt and deceitful in intents or is this a phenomenon of contemporary times? Sadly, history makes it evident it is a perpetuation of abhorrence, rather than the birth of it, in "civilized" society. History does indeed repeat itself, time and time again, and I suspect it will continue to do so for so long as human beings the world over focus on the differences between us, be those race, colour, religion, age, sex, or sexual orientation, rather than on the similarities and commonalities we share together as Homo Sapiens.

Donald Trump wants to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico, and undoubtedly it won't be long before the xenophobia he proselytizes turns its attention North. Renewed calls for "Manifest Destiny" are certainly not beyond the possible with men of his ilk. The Republican campaign is even targeting "Anchor children" within it's own borders now; sending chills down my spin from the nauseatingly recognizable similarities in the divisive discourse and arrogant sense of superiority that has been echoed in every genocidal agenda pursued through the annals of mankind.
In Europe walls and fences are already being erected in an effort to stem the tide of "illegal" migrants swarming into Europe from war-torn states like Syria and drought ravaged countries across Africa. More than 350,000 people have made the harrowing journey toward freedom and a better, safer life this year alone, and no small number have perished trying along the way as well. Today there are more than 50,000,000 people living in Refugee Camps around the globe; displaced by warfare, religious persecution, droughts and famines.

Let those seven zeros sink in for a moment, as you imagine yourself as but one person amongst them. Don't be deceived by delusions of gene pools and birthrights, nor so arrogant and ignorant as to believe that life and your experience of living it could not be turned on its head in an instant. Life and its circumstances are ever-changing and you could well find yourself one amongst the marginalized and disenfranchised were the political system and/or economic system to fail, both for you personally and for society as a whole as well. Both are not only likely, but inevitable too - it's only a matter of when, not if, as demonstrated by the waxing and waning of peoples and nations throughout all past millenniums and during the one we live now as well.

Affluenza not only breeds contempt for those poorer off it seems, but also a delusional sense of inflated self-worth and invincibility. Time and again it is evidenced by historical record that when wealth is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few the vast majority of human beings suffer hardships portionately beyond all possible measure. Sooner or later those masses rise up and cut the heads off the snakes in their midst. Generosity of spirit in words and deeds is the only antidote that can stave off the executioners, but typically arrives too meek and mild, not to mention too late.

The world We live in is not in a good place today. Millions of souls are suffering unspeakable burdens because of the greed, detachment and denial of the "Haves" and their lack of compassion and appreciation for the gravity of the depravity that millions upon millions of "Have-nots" experience every day. The tide of the marginalized and disenfranchised will not be stemmed without a corresponding expansion of atrocities to address it. Those inhumane actions in turn will serve only to motivate with increased resolve those who feel they have nothing to lose and everything to gain by taking from those who chose not to give and share from the good fortune evident within their plenty.

I am appalled and enraged that I live at a time when it is apparent more and more with each passing day that "Christians" of all stripes are failing miserably in demonstrating they are any good at all at practicing what their Scriptures" preach; Some "Muslims" are bastardizing their religion for extremist political ends by lopping off heads; and racism, unemployment and disenfranchisement of tens of millions of people shines renewed light on unresolved systematic and systemic discrimination in the "free" nations of the West that shatter all illusions of their egalitarian and democratic designs and intents.

The time is nigh for serious leadership and unbridled altruism and integrity in the words and deeds of leaders representing political communities everywhere on the globe. It is achievable because it is imaginable. From great minds can come an abundance of good for all if that is the aim. "High expectations equal high results and low expectations equal no results". It is long past time that our "leaders" start getting that, and are held to account when it's obvious that they don't.

It is indeed time for change! It does not matter which party comes to power next in this country or any other. What does matter is that they must lead with truth, transparency, compassion and humble servitude. That goes for all of them! Achieve that and in doing so it will prove you are worthy of being entrusted to lead the people toward their good governance and welfare. Any less and you may as well put your neck on the chopping block and await the falling of the axe. We deserve far better than We have been getting from our leaders on any given day.

The time is drawing closer and the cooking pots are coming to a boil once again. Will it be snake stew on the menu once more, or will the affluent decide to generously take from what excess they possess to offer up to the benefit of the less fortunate other menu choices instead? Either way the appetite will be quenched. For the affluent the question is simple: would you like the future served up with or without your heads attached?

Donald Trump's "Mein Kampf" - Reincarnation of an Imbecile!

Screw political correctness; far too many innocent people have died because of silence in dealing with bigots, isolationists and war mongers! Bomb the hell out of the oilfields in the middle east to stop ISIS; cast aspersions on "illegal" Mexicans - all they do is bring drugs into America, ..."they're thieves and rapists, and I suppose some of them are good people too." (particularly the ones who have toiled with their blood, sweat and tears to make Trump a billionaire); Immigration Policy is too weak, etc., etc. Undoubtedly many native Americans feel the same way about Donald and his immigrant heritage in America as well, and more justly and rightly hold that view than he does!

These divisive and disruptive rhetorical political tactics are pathetic strategies with historical roots deservedly associated with a very evil man, and by employing them Donald Trump is demonstrating that he is not one ounce better! I cannot see that he is running to earn the Republican nomination for President with altruistic intentions to serve his fellow citizens in their best interests, by any stretch of the imagination. Rather, his sole motivation to my mind is based on an egocentric desire to hold what he and some others consider to be the most powerful public office in the free world. Accordingly he is really and very seriously dangerous to us all, Americans or not. He is not to be laughed at and dismissed as stupid. He is indeed to my mind an imbecile, but not one lacking intelligence. Rather, to me, he is an example of an intelligent man who is negligently applying his brains to employ despicable means toward detestable ends.

How many American (along with British and Canadian) soldiers died in the quest to rid the world of a man the likes of Adolf Hitler, and have died since protecting human rights and international covenants, treaties and conventions from men of a similarly evil ilk and with like malign intents? Most Republicans, at least from what I see and read in news media looking from the outside in, have an American flag hanging from their house or hanging somewhere in their yard, at least in part to demonstrate their patriotism and to honour the legacy of defending against political tyranny and racial injustice. Yet, somehow Donald Trump is running #2 out of the possible Republican candidates in poles to date?! Are you kidding me? Give your heads a shake people!!! It seems to me some Americans are taking a symbol of the racist nature of their nation's history down (the Confederate flag) and at the very same time are building up and giving legitimacy to bombastic absurdity and destructive discourse from a "potential" President for the nation. Is that supposed to be some kind of progress? From the outside looking in, it appears to me that Trump's supporters must surely be the ones on drugs, and apparently they're the really psychedelic kind that enable idiocy to somehow seem logical, just and right.

Donald Trump is to my mind an arrogant prick with a Napoleon-like Emperor's woody on. He is being extremely irresponsible and horrifically short-sighted in the pursuit of his personal ambitions, and it is Americans, not Mexicans and Chinese, who will pay for that the most in the fullness of time if this man gets the public office he seeks. I don't care if you live in the back hills of Kentucky or on a main street in a major city in Kansas or Virginia (or any other state), it is way past time for all Americans to get their heads out of the sand and see the evil in this man for what it is! In the contemporary era, particularly with the history of Nazi Germany to draw from in memory banks and history texts, it is inconceivable to me that good, God-fearing and otherwise, loyal Americans cannot see through the charade that Donald Trump is proselytizing and the sham that he embodies with such views. It is past time for the lot of his supporters to undergo detoxification, so America, and the world, can be rid once again of a vile man who would so shamelessly and so arrogantly presume a right to orate such out-right crap for public consumption and indoctrination.

Monetarily I am not worth $9 billion, as I have read Trump is "worth", and in fact monetarily I am not worth much at all. Fortunately, monetary wealth and accumulation of financial assets has never been the measure of a good man, nor will it ever be so. No, a good man speaks truth, honours his Mother & Father, and respects his friends and neighbours. A good man works for the betterment of life for all in his community (locally and globally), not just for those that meet his measure of their worthiness to live their life in liberty and the pursuit of happiness. A good man uses his public podium to build people up, he does not use it to cast aspersions and tear them down.

As for Donald Trump, based on what I have seen and read, I wouldn't pay a penny for his thoughts on anything, and Americans would be wise to recognize that the vision and reality this moron is attempting to create is philosophically bankrupt and a horrendous future investment in the free world for all Americans, and their friends and allies. Donald Trump to my mind has not got a clue what "struggle" really is, but it would most certainly be poetic justice if some day not so far from now that is exactly the Karma he earns for himself with all this nonsense. He needs to go back to building hotels and golf courses and leave political 'leadership' to those who are bright enough to get that with the power of public office also comes the responsibility to serve one's fellow citizens and the global community well with it. That seems well out of his reach, and there is absolutely not one single Mexican he can blame for that - he must just go ahead and own that all by himself!

What I Like About Me

The inside voice can be a cuttingly critical one at times. In the past few years there has been much to process and deal with in life and it certainly has taken its share of shots in and at my psyche for past choices made and paths followed. I believe it is important to be introspective and self-critiquing periodically in life, but it is equally important to know what one likes about oneself and one's situation and circumstances as well.

There have been no shortage of external critics and critiquers frequently eager to offer their impressions over the years and had it not been for knowing what I like about me it would have been easy enough to be submissive and conceding in accepting and being shaped by perceptions of an identity and personality not of my own design.
Part of maintaining and sustaining, as well as building and enhancing, on what is good is to focus on the positives and not the negatives. Accordingly, it's time again in life to take stock of what there is that I like about me.

I like that I value life and the living of it as an awesome adventure and an amazing journey. I experience it's abundant beauty in person by making time in my schedule every day to walk with my canine princesses and seek out what is beautiful, inspiring, or just neat in its own way. Routinely in all four seasons we have adventured together to parks, lakes, mountains, oceans and islands on highways, back roads, trail systems and bodies of water to experience a life enriched by the majesty of nature.

I like that I value everyone and believe that ALL human beings are equal in worth within humanity. I also like that I have a high sense of empathy for others and am not afraid to champion and defend under-dogs and the oppressed. I believe strongly in equality and 'Justice' and in all that is expressed and implied in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I like that it matters to me to be inclusive with my love and appreciation for the wonder of creation that exists within every living being and thing. I like that I am quick to be a good Samaritan or to lend a helping hand to those I see in a situation of need as well. Those occasions in life bless me with the chance to put a smile on MY face for good deeds done.

I like that I am physically strong and intellectually persistent in seeking out and achieving new heights of knowledge and understanding about life and everything it comprises with every breath I take. I like that I feel passionate about unique and interesting aspects of life and its existence in community with others. I also appreciate that I am able to pursue my interests with veracity and tenacity, routinely accomplishing what I set out to discover, learn about and achieve along the way.

I like that I have a good moral compass and a non-violent disposition and nature, but also have the physical size and grey matter to avoid, deter or defend against most threats to my well-being and best interests. I like that I have a gregarious and jovial nature far more often than not and am able to laugh at myself as well as others. I also like that I have the capacity to feel and experience the whole range of human emotions through different situations and circumstances experienced as a part of living. Happy, glad, sad and mad are at times all a part of the ride and offer each their own innate lessons, virtues, benefits and blessings, in encompassing the various parts of my being.

I like that I am wise enough to know that life is about change and capable of perpetually learning how to adapt to survive and thrive through it. I like that my instincts and impulses are most often nurturing and that I feel compelled toward tenderness and protectiveness of all that is endowed with vulnerability and innocence. I also like knowing that I can and have responded appropriately and successfully in life in defusing, preventing, and resolving many dangers, threats and conflicts with confidence, competence and composure.

I like that I value music and the arts, and that I find pleasure in creating and sharing my passions and talents to please and enrich life for myself and others. I like that I feel humble about the skills and abilities I have as well, and that I am able to admire and learn from those who I discover on my journey are better or brighter at one thing or another. I like that I have come to understand with age and the plethora of insights I have enjoyed on the journey to now just how little I do know and how so very much more there is to discover, learn and come to understand still.

I like that I feel a predominant desire to be kind, considerate and respectful toward all living beings and achieve that ambition the vast majority of the days and nights in my life. Above all else, I like that I can like and love myself and sleep well at night knowing that on the whole I like the man that I am.

Canada - An Insensate Society

There is no question that on the whole Canada, for all the proselytizing to the contrary, is a brutal society that far too frequently proves to be lacking in good sense and humane decency. From all indications in the state's propaganda and media there are few, if any, other nations that are any better, but there is no solace in being at the top of a putrid pile. The fact is that be it in the municipal, provincial or federal spheres, Good Governance is not being achieved and altruistic leadership is dismal. Cynicism festers wherever it has not been replaced with disdain and outright contempt within its citizenry. Now in its 150th year of nationhood, the country and its culture are in desperate need of a major overhaul if there is to be any possibility for it to thrive in the future. 

Affluence abounds, and with it proportional ignorance and callousness as the gap between the haves and have-nots grows steadily from a fissure to a canyon. In Vancouver there has been an increase in homelessness of 30% in the past year, with some 3,500 people now living in tents or sleeping on the streets. I suspect that number is under-estimated and also only captures the dire circumstances reported for one municipality. It is a growing population from coast-to-coast-to-coast. It is estimated that 3 million households live precariously on meagre means and C.T.V. reported that in 2016 there were an estimated 235,000 homeless Canadians, and another 50,000 who rely on family or friends to provide them with shelter. I am one of them. In the face of such staggering numbers of fellow human beings enduring such hardship is the reality that there are no shortage of livable spaces that could house them. On any given day I would wager there are at least ten times as many Motorhomes and 5th wheel trailers sitting empty, with their owners paying to store them in gated lots so they can use them on vacations for a couple or a few weeks each summer. The majority will be worn out while sitting idle through the passing of seasons more than they will be from wear and tear through utilization. It is resource wastefulness and absurdity on the grandest of scales! 

On April 12th, 2017 the Parliament of Canada bestowed honorary citizenship upon Nobel Peace Prize co-winner, Malala Yousafzai with much pomp and ceremony, not to mention tax dollars spent. I wish to take nothing away from Malala's human rights activism and her championing of girls education. There is no question that globally it is a pressing need for millions and she is a wonderful soul doing what she can to encourage positive change. That said, the theatre on display in Parliament and the ovations from M.P.s during her speech reeks of hypocrisy, to say the least. 

1 in 7 Canadians - nearly 5 million people - live in poverty today. An estimated 2 million seniors live on less that $17,000 per year, while the most basic standard of living is calculated at $18,000 per year for a single person. 3 million children live in poverty and fully 40% of indigenous children in the country are living in poverty. Precarious employment has risen by 50% in the past two decades. In the past 25 years the population in the country has risen by 30% while national investment in housing has declined by 46%. It has been reported that the average earnings of the least wealthy Canadians has declined by more than 20% in that same period. A staggering 8 out of 10 provinces saw an increase in food bank usage in 2016, and 1 in 10 Canadians cannot afford to fill their medical prescriptions. 

Unless and until Canadian politicians effectively address the deficiencies in their own homeland the pretentiousness of their leadership will remain the reality of optics on display. Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assemblies and municipal Councils need to stop patting themselves on the back for achieving such horrific leadership results. They need to pull up their socks, and get busy working to solve the very serious and life-threatening socio-economic challenges faced every hour of every day by millions of their fellow Canadians. There has been far too much political grandstanding and far too little progress achieved. There is no longer reason for pride in Canada. There is ample evidence for reasons to feel shame though, and that needs to change. We do not need flowery speeches and the bestowing of honorary citizenships. We need citizens and politicians with honour and integrity, who see and feel the urgency in the lives of those they serve and work diligently and tirelessly to produce a more compassionate and successful nation worthy of celebration. 

The Misnomer Nature Of Neutrality

Silence can be deadly, and so too can be sitting on the fence; two of the primary characteristics of folks who claim they are adopting a position of neutrality in conflicts between people and/or states. Achieving genuine objectivity and neutrality is an impossibility for a subjective being's brain, and that point seems lost on far too many human intellects today. 

Neutrality more often than not does nothing more than convince its observers of the untrustworthiness and unreliability of its adherents. It can be even more insidious if the neutrality brings allegiances into doubt. A facade of neutrality employed as a tactic aimed at achieving avoidance of conflict is far more offensive than disagreement. It is also of poor utility in the process of achieving any actual resolution of disputes. It often serves only to perpetuate resentments that further alienate otherwise allied souls through a continuation of strained relations. The parties in conflict see within it the lack of logic it demonstrates and the void in resolutions for anyone it results in accomplishing. It's akin to putting duct tape on a frozen pipe and then walking away ignoring the fact that the glue doesn't adhere to a sub-zero surface. It's a waste of tape and there can be little surprise that as soon as the climate changes the tape falls off and the fluid starts gushing out again. 

If the genuine aim is a resolution of disputes in any given family, group, community or society, parties within it who choose the path of avoidance and neutrality are pursuing a lose/lose course that benefits no individual member of the group in the long run, and much less the group as a whole. Conflicts, particularly protracted ones spanning many seasons, aren't going to get resolved through silence. It may serve to defuse tension within the inter-personal and/or inter-state dynamics in the present but does nothing to solve the causes of disharmony that everyone is impacted negatively by. Doing nothing is worth exactly that and will produce exactly that. In fact, it is more often than not likely that it will generate more negative consequences in the long term by masking over and ignoring the tumour that continues to grow within. 

"The forming–storming–norming–performing model of group development was first proposed by Bruce Tuckman in 1965,^[1] who identified that these phases are all necessary and inevitable in order for a team to grow, to face up to challenges, to tackle problems, to find solutions, to plan work, and to deliver results." Tuckman also points out that there is no guarantee any given group will emerge from the storming stage unless all members of the group are committed to the success of the group. Further, these stages are not milestones that once achieved never recur again. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Whenever there is a change in the composition of the group or in the priorities and objectives of the group these stages recur. 

The worth of an anchor is tested in a storm. If the decision is to do nothing when the storm clouds kick up not only has the opportunity to put down an anchor been lost, but possibly also the ship along with it. That is the absurdity of neutrality in a nut shell; its like playing Russian Roulette with the group's success. Eventually a bullet fires and all are shocked and dismayed even though they all willingly acquiesced in the game and were aware of it's predictable outcome. 

Neutrality is a misnomer in genuine conflict resolution. If that is indeed the aim doing nothing, just like Russian Roulette, is a fool's game. When neutrality is employed as anything more than a tension reducing tactic for brief interim periods in the conflict resolution process, it only ensures that the decay and the disintegration of the family, group, community or society will be the eventual outcome. All group development requires action from all of its members that serve the common purpose and success of the group. Doing anything less is not in the whole group's best interests. It is disingenuous to the success of the group and is a disservice to all of its members. 

Conflict resolution allows for multiple approaches. Neutrality is one of them, but if any group thinks that tactic utilized alone will successfully resolve any conflict, from my experience in life I say, good luck with that. I'm not liking your odds and I won't be taking a chair for that game, but go ahead and keep pulling that trigger.

All groups have the potential to wax or wane at any given time, just as people, nations and cultures have since the beginning of humanity's history. It's entirely up to the will and actions of its members collectively that determines whether any given family, group, community or society achieves its potential for success or ensures its eventual disintegration. 

Life And The Living Of It

In August of 2011 my father passed away at the age of 84, following a two-year battle with cancer. My Mom, at 84 herself now, has had some health scares in the past year or so and my eldest brother, Rob, has been battling serious ailment for the past year also. In August of 2015 I had to put down my dog, Kaiah, after her health declined rapidly. She was just 4 years and 10 months old when her end came. This past spring my first dog, Jazmin, declined in health and went to roam the after-life off-leash park on June 12th, 2017. She was just shy of 10 years old. I have come to know grief and the enduring of it through the waning and departure of these loved ones and primary companions in my life these past 6 years and the weight of it on my soul has been heavy at times. Over the half-century mark myself now and being the youngest of six siblings, with a large extended family, ensures that for however long my journey continues endings are likely to be more prevalent than beginnings. It is the curse of aging to serve witness to and to experience waning and associated sufferings routinely in daily living. It is saddening and even maddening at times, but it is the cycle of life and the living of it all the same. 

Professionally life has treated me harshly over the past few years as well. Dishonesty, nefarious agendas and maliciousness by some industry associates and board volunteers caused untenable working environments, tarnished my many years of good works, thousands of hours of my devoted and competent service, and smeared my lengthy track-record for good management, leadership and sound judgement. I made a few mistakes along the way in managing the politics of it all as well that ultimately provided the daggers for my foes to fling. At times I have been partly infuriated by circumstances, partly disillusioned by them, and partly saddened by them, but most days now I am just resigned to the reality of it all. I have journeyed through the ebb and flow of many thoughts and feelings, reminding me through the introspection travelled that I am an emotional being.

It is a truism of life that it can be lonely at the top and I most certainly learned that lesson in spades. With no allies or good friends now aiding in the service of my best interests, "it is what it is" has become my go-to mantra, anchoring my consciousness in the present. Each new day I persist with positive energy and a determination to right the ship by over-coming the adversity of the past and rising above my detractors and adversaries. Time will tell if that is yet to come. All I can do is continue to strive toward it. 

Through it all if there is one thing I have come to know best it is that truth does not always prevail. Life is neither fair nor just and far too often evil triumphs over good. Be that as it is, I refuse to abandon the high road, whatever the consequences may be. For better or for worse, I will not succumb to the urges for vengeance nor will I allow the grief and anger I have felt to make me a lesser man than I know myself to be. I can only proceed proudly in my life by accepting what is and doing what I can to achieve brighter days ahead. Life is not always what you make of it. Life is also what you allow it to make of you.

Despite the challenges, injustices and depravities experienced, for so long as I am above the grass, I will remain confident in my value and worth. I await new opportunities in days, months and years ahead with the knowledge that I continue living my life by honourable principles that are worthy of the journey I am blessed to still be on. When the end does come, a day or decades from now, I will sleep eternally knowing that I was not perfect and earned no sainthood, but on the whole I was a good, honest, compassionate and kind-hearted man who did the best I could to serve others very well. That, from my perspective at least, will be a life well-lived. 

Change

The one reliable fact of life is that change is constant. Whether for better or worse, whether sooner or later, change always comes. 

Humans have an innate desire to control and manage change for personal advantage and do their utmost in a myriad of ways to try and achieve desired aims. Sometimes plans and their corresponding actions achieve the intended outcomes and sometimes they don't. We call it "success" when plans work, and "failure" when they don't. Sometimes change arrives out of our efforts and actions that we didn't plan for or even see coming. We call that "lucky" when it's for the better, and "unlucky" when it proves to be for the worse. 

Sometimes, indeed often from my perspective, change in life arises from circumstances beyond our personal control. Akin to an avalanche, environmental factors grander than our personal creation are set in motion and we are simply caught up in their momentum. We can do little other than try to keep our heads above the fray, hoping to find solid ground again beyond the chaos to stand upon and re-establish our footing once more. Those environmental influences can be caused by natural forces or by human ones, but either way all we can do is try and manage what transpires in a manner that serves our personal well-being and interests while in the eye of the storm and until the dust settles. When such things occurring are good we call it "fortunate", and when bad we call it "misfortune" or "unfortunate".

The pace of change beyond my control and capacity to influence around the world, in my country, in my province of residence, in my local community, in my extended family, as well as in the affairs of my professional and personal lives has been staggering over the past few years. It has also been and continues to be, for the most part, bewildering, dismaying, disappointing, exasperating, frustrating and downright annoying in many respects as well. 

It seems from the external inputs and the experiences of my daily existence at every strata that I walked through a Stargate a while back and into a cyclonic atmosphere characterized by cruelty, callousness, maliciousness and contemptuous absurdity. The corrosive nature of discourses and the toxic character of inter-relations experienced and witnessed on a daily basis is rampant to the point of being rabid. I recall drunken dizziness and delirium following a few Cabarets in my College years that today pale in comparison to the sense of disorder and disorientation that exists for me in the Now, and evidently for many others as well. I am an intelligent being, pretty well-educated, decently well-read too, and I think for the most part I am pretty level-headed and lack no sanity. For the life of me, I am no less dumbfounded in understanding and making sense of any of it. It is as though genuine madness has afflicted the vast majority of souls in what used to be my social network and throughout the rest of the globe as well. 

The greatest challenge in times such as these is not to become jaded and hardened by the onslaught of negativity, animosities, antagonisms and rejections. It is easier said than done, with good days and bad along the journey, but at least so far I remain optimistic that the storm will pass and better days still lay ahead for me and for humanity as well. Without that daily dose of faith I would have thrown in the towel already several rounds ago. I am either too stupid or too stubborn, or perhaps a combination of both, to accept that good times and brighter days will never come around again. The nature of life from my experiences and observations of it is a cyclical waxing and waning of all circumstances, whether they are good or bad, happy or sad. Sooner or later, change will come.

 A Chinese proverb says that, "the gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials", and Heraclitus is said to have observed, "it is in changing that things find purpose". Like a bird that feels the light and sings to greet the dawn before the sun has risen for a new day, belief and confidence must be the guides along the way.