The homeless crisis

 I relate to this woman's story.  In fact, it might have been the single most defining experience of my life; witnessing 1,2,3,4 family members with psychotic breaks and becoming a caretaker at a young age.  Involuntary hospitalizations, jails, psychiatrists, case workers, social workers, homeless shelters, etc. The bipartisan legislation, Lanterman-Petris-Short Act in 1972 made mandatory institutionalization of mental health patients by family members and civil courts illegal. That way a bad judge or vindictive relative couldn’t have you locked up indefinitely at a state hospital.  But what this did was put the onus on states to fund mental health facilities.  Not all did this effectively or at all and families were left having to care for their loved ones.  With the rising cost of living, let alone the psychological toll on family members, this left many people on the streets.  In my situation, I have been extremely blessed to have found property  for my loved ones in the state of Florida, which I can only explain as an act of God, or maybe a partnership with God, or maybe some guardian angels, my ancestors.  I've gotten the limited government resources available and become an expert in navigating beaurocracy, a necessary adaptation.  I've sometimes worried about my own mental health breaking down, having to care for others while raising a family.  Although I sometimes joke, if my grip on reality isn't gone yet, then I'm probably good. 😅 Although, I have seen 3 times in my life that psychotic breakdowns happen after the death of a loved one so you never know. It's important to know it can happen to anyone. I myself have limited support and I only have so much to give, but my conscience won't let me turn a blind eye to them.  I can't say I have a solution to this growing epidemic that we like to call the homeless crisis. Although I'd like to say we need much more mental health facilities, that will only be a band-aid for something I'm afraid is much deeper and more insidious in our culture that is probably the combination of many factors.  I know I'm not the only going through this.  Every single one of the homeless people you see on the street is someone's sister, brother, mother, father, son, or daughter.  If you are going through something like this know you aren't alone. The answers aren't easy and don't fall into the trap of blaming.  Connect with others in the same situation and know that there is a way to navigate the elusive and complex system we have today so that your loved ones can be safe and taken care of.

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/2-on-your-side-alycia-schlesinger-mental-health-help/

America was a peaceful nation

I think about peace a lot.  What does it mean? How does it feel? What does it look like. I know there is a peace studies major but I know nothing about that.  I think about being in a natural oasis laying down.  A place with with different species of trees, oxygen rich, warm sunshine, butterflies, bees, insects that hover over grass and reflect sunlight.  I think of reflecting light off of chlorophyll, and  flocks of birds.  It feels like harmony.  There are animals nearby all focused on their own drives, none disrupting the others unless necessary.  All connected, like one.  

I then think about humans.  How do we achieve such a peace, within ourselves and with one another.  It may not be in human nature and it is okay to accept our darker side, that might be prone to greed, jealousy, hate and even violence especially when resources are scarce. Even when there was harmony within tribes, there was tribal warfare.  Something never seen in any animal species.  Our advanced brains allowed us to congregate, propagate, and compete with other groups for dominance.  Even the spiritual and peaceful Native Americans had bloody tribal warfare. 

How can we learn to live peacefully?  Isn't there not enough resources in the world to go around.  Is there not enough land to farm, enough abundance to go around.  How can we retain our identities and still live peacefully among each other?  What would be the incentive for peace, when waring means we can have more and when peaceful people historically have been persecuted?  How can we teach peace as a virtue and learn from our animal counterparts.  On the savannah, the different species all drink from the same watering hole with out attacking each other.  They know there is enough water and they know how to share.  How can we be like them?  Whether it be ethic background, religion, political ideology, or anything else.  How can we teach appreciation?  

The greatest model for all of this is the US.  Many of these concepts were taught to me in secular public school as a child.  Pop culture reflected these values.  Many of these themes have eroded.  Music, TV, news media, does not reflect the American utopia that we had only a few years ago. I predict the 90s will be remembered as the last great decade with memorabilia and collectibles worth a lot.  America is an example of a place where individual rights, peace, respect and appreciation for each other's experience have been interwoven in the culture.  But there have been dark periods in our history.  It's time to gain it back and continue to enlighten the rest of the world.  The tone of our leadership, our culture, and our institutions needs to be restored.  We are fluctuating as a country and that's okay.  I hope we find our way back again.