It was some guy talking about his drug use and how it took the death of his mother to help him change his life. It was about his regrets and not making sure that the people about whom he cared knew it, not only by his words, more importantly about his actions and behaviors.
He was giving a speech at a school, looked like high school aged students. And, even fraught with all of the personal healing and being honest about his life and the effect he had on other people, and even considering that when people share this kind of stuff you have to keep in mind (especially as those on the receiving end of speeches) that us sharers do this as much, if not more, for ourselves.
True, and there is no explaining away that we do things like this because they help us heal and hopefully avoid making the same choices that brought us to disaster. So.
This is not me thinking about drugs, although it is likely that some of my closest friends may struggle with some kind of substance issue. Mine is food. Always has been.
But, watching this just now brought me to thinking about all of the stuff that has happened in the world in the past few days. Sort of the culmination of how apprehensive and scattered and powerless I have been feeling for months now.
I am not alone. Even people who hold differing views and beliefs than mine are coming to understand...although I think that acceptance is some distance and time away...that our country is in trouble.
My country is in trouble and I feel compelled to change how I am living in it, amongst my fears and the uncertainty that seems ever more evident every single day.
So, even if I were powerful in some greater-than-self way, I can change only the things that are within my personal sphere of influence and that means my family and friends, my community, my work and all the rest, and I am going to take every opportunity to make sure that the people around me know how much they mean to me.
And, so, that is what I am going to change. I am going to amp-up how I interact with everyone I stumble upon. If I love you, you are going to know it and be reminded of that every time I see you.
You have been warned.
