Today’s reading and practice (pg 20) is aimed right at me. I want to “fix” all the troubles that come my way expressed by my loved ones. However, long ago, or maybe not so long ago, I’ve learned to not be idiotically positive in my statements back to loved ones. I’m striving more and more to just be a listener and if I feel the need to respond, I hope that I can first ask the person I’m listening to the question: “what do you want/need from me in this conversation?”

I have to admit that many of the positive lines I read and  have said,  I like.

• -What appears to be the end, may just be a new beginning.
• -Everything everywhere is all right, already.
• -Someday you’ll look back at this and wonder why you thought it was such a BFD.
• and many many more

But mostly, I want to be a person that people come to and let them know that I hear them and are here for them, in whatever way they need.

As far as social media goes, it’s not a place I go to for support. However, I do offer support in social media in the way of “thoughts and prayers” offered to the one or ones that are hurting. It does bother me, though, that “thoughts and prayers” has been used in the gun argument in this country as when a mass shooting occurs, that seems to be the only thing that is offered to help with the solution. In my opinion, there’s way more that can be done to alleviate gun violence in this country, starting with banning weapons of war, or at the very least, upping the age limit of people that can buy these weapons to at least 21 years of age. Lord, hear my prayer.