Ten days ago, where was I .... oh this Monday Memoir!
Looking back over a lifetime of decisions, and thinking, "If only" --
Your son - your daughters too!
That photo of the pills. HOW MANY BOTTLES, how many kinds, how many dollars.
How much damage.
I'm in shock and awe at the level of delusion and deception we allow to get through our days.
In my own life, I keep seeing it: the lies people tell themselves, the lies others tell them.

I cannot even begin to express how sorry I am at the loss of your son and the ongoing medical issues with your daughters.

My own daughter is spending fortunes (and lots of time) trying to discern whassup with her health.
At age 28, a colonoscopy (I rightly predicted no cancer; just a waste of money).
Next up, test for ovarian cancer. (She says most of the symptoms align with hers.)
And the doctors say "Why yes, we've seen a surprising number of cancer cases in people under age 30," because in fact cancer is removing people from the Social Security system before they reach age 65 and start collecting. I am stunned at how many people from my hometown are dying before age 65. All those years of working and paying in those taxes for their retirement years....

I'm so disillusioned and discouraged, I withdraw deeper and deeper into the turtle shell every day.
But then I come back, and read @owasco, and the fighting spirit stirs again.

You are a fighter.
You are wise.
You are brave, outspoken, and willing to share your life lessons with others.
Now, to get others to LISTEN.

Oh, there's the challenge.
What you learned: will anyone listen??????

Toby Keith, 62, dead. Stomach cancer.
Toby Keith said it's OK to be ‘unapologetically yourself’ -

But it's not ok
Nobody wants us to be honest or real.
We are supposed to keep up the facade, the lie that "all is well," that we're all taking care of each other. Our doctors, pharmacists, ministers, police officers, school teachers, journalists, politicians.

We're all in this together; we're all looking out for one another;
and we all are free to be ourselves, and speak up, honestly.
Another one of the lies....

If I've learned anything, it's that nobody wants to know what I'm thinking, reading, learning.

Preserve the illusion!
Protect the lie!

Ok, let us go to the #gardening page now and look at happy pictures of rhubarb and asparagus,
Let us tell ourselves LIFE IS GOOD, let us believe all is well, and all manner of things shall be well!