Taking Advantage of the System

Taking Advantage of the System

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

Most people can agree they would like not to be poor, underemployed, or unemployed.  When that does happen, we do our best to get out of those situations because we have bills to pay, mouths to feed and simply would like to not worry about how to afford our basic need, the next item or next meal. We would like to be able to work to have more than simple foods on the table. With wages as they are today and life's basic bills, these are real concerns for Americans, especially those trying to get started in the workforce. Yet, there are people that abuse the system for personal benefit, and as a result of some high profile cases, Americans have become suspicious about any government proposals that claim to reduce poverty.  Are the attacks on poverty programs warranted?

We know that there are some people who in those unfortunate situations feel entitled to milk any resources from where ever they are being distributed without care.  There is a plain lazy, selfish and greedy aspect that is driving that set of people.  They provide a great example used by the supposed righteous among us to paint the picture of what all people do with government funds (never mind the actions of those doing this painting.) Selfishness and greed is, however, not a feature only of the unfortunate and the destitute.

It is no mistake that some have hid behind religion to elucidate their motives for abusing the system. Those supposed righteous people then persuade large swaths of the American people (using conjured inferences of facts, distorted media and cherry-picked phrases from religion) to look at the other "sinners" while they pillage the public treasury.

The righteous want a society that is comfortable with exclusion from access or even from recognition. They will divert attention from the pillage by showcasing differences in society (race, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.) They amass great wealth claiming the parable of talents as an excuse to hoard cash and while having contempt for the Sermon on the Mount by suggesting that poor people want to be poor and meek.

You have to wonder about these people doing the complaining because the loudest complainers are likely the guiltiest. There is little doubt that they are taking advantage of the system, but they are blaming the meager ones on the bottom rung of society for their mischievous actions.  There are farmers, landowners, businesses and corporate moguls that will use the levers they have in reach to squeeze out a little (actually billions) more for themselves. They, then, point fingers at families of the lower class that may claim collectively a mere fraction of what a single oil company or family like the Koch brothers will suck from the system.  They use these people that are grabbing after the scraps of society to scare the middle class into voting against middle class. They will have the middle class be more suspicious of the government, which is incidentally the only institution in our society that can guarantee equal access for everyone to quality education, health care, or even safe cars to drive.

Providing help to low-income (poverty) in America including the cost of Medicaid (which primarily goes to elderly and disabled citizens rather than people with children), Federal housing (WIC), TANF, child tax credits, SNAP, free lunch program, and the children's health insurance program (CHIP) combined are no match for the cost of oil subsidies, farm subsidies, and defense spending. Yet, the people receiving the large oil, farm and defense spending want to yell the loudest about others getting taxpayer money because apparently no one should benefit unless you have millions to spend.  The yellers are part of the richest and most powerful elites. They are part of country’s financial decisions, but they want to blame financial woes on those with the least power. Then, they scare the rest of Americans into thinking that supporting the poor will somehow make everyone poorer. Further, there are the people that are supposedly in support of the poor and meek are mishandling the programs, and that provides even more fodder for the critics of poverty programs.

In a capitalist society, no rational person would stop trying to acquire wealth. Regardless of an economic policy or social leaning, there is always an avenue to make money. People are able to become wealthy through strategic planning and use of resources (including people).  Without those resources, people could not get wealthy. The Republican establishment, along with many Democrats, realizes this and realizes that people with money in hand are likely to spend that money when they have some left over after bills. Major companies, like Wal-Mart, base their business model upon this premise. Volume sales require volumes of people with money to spend. The poverty programs help people have something to spend besides necessities of housing, food, education or health care. Additionally, those dollars turn into jobs. The programs also provide the safety net for those that get tossed out of the capitalist markets (e.g. unemployment.)

Further, educated people bring skills to work and tend to spend more money because they theoretically have more money. To deny the masses something like affordable, quality public-education through promotion of private and charter schools instead, like the TEA party proposes, means that families will be limited to basic needs and their children will not be able to afford proper education-the access to the ladder to success.

This can perpetuate a divide in our society between those who have and who have not. Yes, Americans should be cautious of more spending, but all programs should be scrutinized. If we are concerned about welfare fraud, we should be more concerned with the fraud, in billions, blown on companies that do not need the money.

What is Joy? Part II

What is Joy (Part II).
Tony E Dillon-Hansen
February 2014

Mental Illness and depression make people wonder what you do when you are depressed. Some wonder what to do when you are depressed and how to alleviate the affliction that no one sees. Part II of this exploratory means to explore some of the diverse ways people experience depression.  Again, I am speaking from my own experience, but hopefully, this dialogue will help others afflicted by depression to find opportunities.

We know that depression affects people of all stripes, stages, ages and opportunities. Yet, we compel ourselves to think of depression as dark, lonely corners and pin-striped attire with blank walls and motionless.  This is an image of the social stigma attached to depression.

Depression is often accompanied by withdrawing from activities, friends and family.  In severe cases, this can lead to total isolation and sometimes suicide.  Yet, in these moments, some of the world’s greatest minds have found unique, perhaps utterly artistic or genius, explorations of science, mind and body as a result (sometimes directly).  Some may consider this condition to be their “lot in life” as a result of poverty or some other tragedy in life and yet, do nothing to treat this. For many, these tragic experiences appear to come in multiples rather than as singular events.

I knew that there were different ways of thinking and treatment available. Depression could be a chemical or psychological condition, but there are emotional and spiritual elements that do not want to let go of the pain. I am also conscience of the idea that some of these professional “treatments” are destructive beyond the bad feelings to some people.

Aside from treatments, some believe that altering these feelings (specifically medicinally) as altering ones’ very being into some anatomic state of “normalcy”. Yet with this idea, we can wonder if the goal of treatment is to rid the world of ideas that could transform the society into merely something different.  Artistic expression and apparently un-orthodox ideas may provoke others to improve society when the person holding the ideas could not understand the value of oneself. When you can hear your mind debating the merit of basic activities, complex ideas of physics, social behavior, or political systems may seem easy to comprehend in ways that some have never considered.

For these reasons, among many, I have become willing to speak out about some things that should be said.  In some ways, I figured I had nothing to lose by issuing but I know the current process was making my condition much worse. The result has seen measurable process and management improvements. In my mind, maybe someone else or the whole company could find improvements rather than ignoring the issues.

The path of realizing one’s own pain journey may find many others also wounded as well because they happen to be in the path of the depression when the suffering person does not realize the pain they are pushing onto others.  I know that I inflicted pain upon people when they appeared to “attack” at the core of my wounds instead of relieving them.  Illusions can give someone many wrong emotions and impressions of what people are doing. Nevertheless, I cannot apologize enough to those whom I have injured regardless of how wrong or right I was.

I know, too well, what it is like to sit and to stare aimlessly and wonder if anyone cares or if anything matters.  I know that most people go about their business in life and do not worry themselves about these things. Worthlessness is powerful feeling that bleeds enthusiasm away from your soul and into despair. Whitman's words, "The question, O me! so sad, recurring-What good amid these, O me, O life?", but without an answer. Yet, depression seems as a way, if anything for those able to tolerate the impacts, have become somewhat “resilient” regardless of how much we hide from it.

I agree with Andrew Solomon in a TED talk where he states, “Depression is so exhausting. It takes up so much of your time and energy, and silence about it, it really does make the depression worse”. Without intervention or treatment, that time consumed by depression is more exhausting and extensive.  In his same address, he talks about how amazing that depression can be alleviated by people in most ridiculous ways “standing on your head” and only depressed people would understand or try just to alleviate their own affliction (that no matter how goofy the idea, you would be willing to give it a try.) Even an atheist may be willing to ask for divine intervention to escape from the torments, the horrors or from just being miserable.

I, like Mr. Solomon, agree to be grateful to be alive and that we live in the right time for figuring out depression. For me, I can see pictures of family and can see the pain in the eyes and wished I would have been able to help.  Maybe, I could have understood more about my own torment.

Depression has been here and is here. Depression is more than occasional bad feelings but is a perpetual perception of being lost and useless with nothing you can do to change direction. Everything seems to have more negative effort and events can provoke awkward responses. Intoxicants can amplify this impression and people around the depression (guilty or not may be injured.)

Again, if you feel you need help, do not be afraid to seek help. If you know someone who needs help, let them know who you are in their life. Life is meant to be lived and hopefully through the struggle that some of us with depression have, we find dignity in the simple work we conduct or simply that we have meaning in this world for the people that count upon us. Let your light shine (Matthew 5:16)!

What is Joy?

What is Joy?

January 2014

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

I do not normally write about myself or my personal experience, but perhaps in this case, someone may benefit from these words as they relate to them (maybe seek help). People often discuss depression and suicide as some vague, unattached problem with haunting numbers and tragedies without actually revealing the personal connection.  This may leave people, at the same time, without an avenue that may help in their struggle. The attempt here is to write something that will reveal vulnerability that in current society tends to carry negative stigmas. Yet, I know that I am only one of many that face this ongoing situation.  For people that suffer from depression, joy is a daily struggle.

Mental illness is not something one brags to co-workers or especially does not tell the boss why they need to call in sick for a day. The label is different from say a broken arm, influenza or even cancer. Yet, for those who suffer depression (chronic or severe), cancer may have parallels.  We may or may not want attention, but we would rather not want attention for being sick. Even more, the thing with depression is that there is a label attached to this that almost seems to offend senses of the apparently normal people.

Society has learned to lock people away for these kinds of things.  People are afraid to lose friends over perceptions of mental illness or for discussing these things openly. That becomes one of the major flaws in treatment. Thus, people with this condition, disorder, paranoia or this illness will do their best to hide the gnawing affliction inside of them and avoid treatment. Some days are better than others, but the reality is clearly underneath. Without discussion, journaling or at least some intervention, the depression can get immensely worse.

For me, I know that my pain of depression, with likely biological roots, surrounds painful decisions and several life situations that I have never fully let go. I sought out meditative practice with marginal success. I sought out avenues of relief through making other people happy even at my own expense because, somehow, that would lessen my internal pain. Yet, I also know that my attempts to quell pain with seemingly “better” decisions seem to result in more pain. A positive outlook on life and where I want to be seems like distant memories or evil (maybe childlike naivety) lies told to quiet your own mind. No matter how good the intentions or the presumptions are, something seems to come along and reverse that good.

I was drifting away from things that I wanted to do and hanging on to others.  I turned to alcohol in vain attempt to wash away those feelings but only masked the depression without solving any of the issues. I saw problems with drinking, and I stopped, restarted, and stopped drinking. Yet, I realized the depression is still here. Mr. Oblivious finally realized that the drinking was a symptom of the bigger issue that has not been resolved.  I write journals in welcome discovery of what that is, but to this day, I struggle to find and even more struggle to live with the core issues. I was still hanging upon things and so I talked to a doctor about medications and tried that avenue a couple times with moderate success. Yet, depression wants to rule.

When living with depression, certain moments in life can become more significant and for some, may trigger more severe episodes. A life event like death, recent stress at work, bullying, loss in sports, or even natural disaster can be toxic to the emotions. Normal people might feel bad, but a depressed person might easily attach guilt or shame to the emotions regardless of their part in the situation.

If you had enough of depression, one can turn to desperation. Desperation can lead to avenues that people are ill-equipped to handle.  This is where some have turned to mirages of the promised-land through suicide and pursued that end to completion. Especially as someone that has been hugely introspective, I know there is heavy suppression of the horrors deep inside. When everything seems to be collapsing in on you, people are willing to make desperate attempts to escape that dishonor, horror and pain. Thankfully, I have not realized the promised-land via suicide, but I know that some of my decisions may have been equally desperate attempts to resolve situations that could have been resolved most differently.

People know when other people are sick, and depression can make a person physically sick as well as mentally sick.  Yet, proper treatment without proper insurance may be difficult to receive. Depression and mental illness requires intervention.

I would not dare to write for all mental illness issues except merely my own experience with chronic depression. I do feel that I am taking a huge gamble in declaring my situation, but I hope that in some sense, verbal expression of my experience may help others to seek help where needed or their friends and family to be ready to intervene. Better treatment and better acceptance from society as a whole for mental issues would benefit our society.

The point then of this work is not to air out mind-numbing issues of personal misfortunes. If you have been able to live with depression, may you have many blessings. You might do well to share your insights and methods with others. If you currently are struggling with depression, know that you are not alone and chances are that good that people are willing to help. If you are thinking of suicide, find help NOW. The road may be tough for us, but we do not need to turn out the lights prematurely. 

Tis the Season for?

Tis the Season for?

December 2013

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

When we come to this time of the year, we encounter many religious inferences and celebrations like Christian birth, Jewish rituals, Buddhist enlightenment, European traditions in addition to the many different religious observations and festivals surrounding the winter solstice. The symbols and beliefs share common threads showcasing how mystical light that does not yield to the mystical shadow of darkness (e.g. northern stars, enlightenment, casting out demons, festival of lights). Notwithstanding the commercialization exhibited during the “holiday season”, each of these festivals also pleads to the compassionate heart of humanity to pursue ideas of virtue, love and sharing over greed, hate and destruction. It is clear that mystical adventure and imagination have been pervasive throughout human societies for many civilizations, and we love to mark occasions of physical world changing with these feelings of spiritual change. Yet, whether one observes religion during this time, technology seems to want to replace those mystical beings and traditions with virtual ones.

Perhaps, we consider how we can improve for the next year and more. With all of the pleasantries surrounding the festivals and rhetorical expressions of good will, we should consider how we can make these themes of the season last more than a day, a month or even the few hours when gifts are exchanged. The living natures of religious doctrines are flawed dreams of humanity, and yet, these doctrines give something to aspire to be and a definition of a good life for which people can strive. We should also understand how technology may challenge those aspirations with its own via instant knowledge distributed over the wireless Internet as one appropriately called it, “the digital now.”

The marvel of technology is great, but the answers to basic questions remain. As Marie Curie remarked, "One never notices what is done, one can only see what remains to be done." While we are so connected in the world of tech, we are searching and looking for answers. Yet, if we equate technology with science, George Bernard Shaw suggests that science “...never solves a problem without creating 10 more."  Shaw’s point is more relevant today because we not only have instant access to good data but also bad data.  We may share our information both to the delight of our families and friends as well as those who mean to harm us. The data is surrounded by the multitude of advertising, logos, and useless headlines enticing us to stay distracted longer. The purpose of email morphs from just getting your messages from friends but finding out ways that companies can enrich your life or satisfy your hungers. Social media is more than reacquainting with long-lost friends but more about how you identify with a marketing segment and how you can improve your self-image by following this person or that brand. Some even invoke religion for you with iconic holiday images and sayings.

Along with having many devices that serve to keep one connected to the grid and all of the ads for buying even more or better devices to identify you at the altar of the Internet, this has become the season of technology because being connected is emphasized even more during this season with companies looking to pad their margins.

There are plenty of opportunities to distract oneself with the digital now, but during the holiday season, one should recognize what is important, whether you believe there is a religious aspect or not. Enjoy the time with people rather than immersing in digital realms. Thanks to revelations of pervasive government and corporate surveillance, maybe we should not digitally convert those experiences from today, the few moments from now, or from our past into the digital archives. There is a wealth of understanding that is here in the present. With the prevalence of digital archiving done today by everyone, we can easily lose sight of the process, the people, the smells, the irritations, the places, and other nuances that make the moment worthy of remembering. Thus, we could lose the ability to understand why. (Sometimes, there is no explanation or picture that can encapsulate the now.)  

Through various news, contacts and other digital distractions, we may scuttle reality into the spaces between the binary digits. Then, the philosophy around God may disappear along with other graceful ethics. Then, the truth and compassion of the human spirit becomes easy to manipulate and hide behind rhetorical claims, narcissism, marketing, and flat lies.

Whether one celebrates the traditional festivals of Samhain, of Jesus, or of just the season, the digital experience wraps around us in a way that insulates us, and we still are wondering why we are here and what our identity is. One cannot ignore the relevance of the teachings of many of the many philosophies and religions to do good and to honor good work. The Internet and technology offers us instead distractions and wayward paths. Religion, by itself, may have brought pain and hardship to many throughout history, but we are easily replacing the sanctuary of church with the instance of technology that shields us from nothing and even more leaves us with fewer answers about ourselves.

Our interactions and communication can embrace real love and courage when we are willing to believe in the human spirit. Yet, the truth of why we are here may never be fully answered, but one reality is that our family, friends and community are here today and that is true. Our legacy can endure through them beyond the distortions of digital symbols or any 15 minutes of fame. What we learn from them and what life unfolds for us is a measure of our expectations and our effort to physically, spiritually and mentally discover in reality.

May many beautiful and happy wintry wishes of the holiday season be with you and your family. May this season bring you gifts of peace, hope, and joy for today as well as through the year to come.

Herding Angry Cats

Herding Angry Cats

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

October 2013

The phrase “herding cats” is intended to reference ridiculous attempts to control a group of people that are simply unwilling or unable to be controlled. For me having a bundle of cuddling kitties in my arms sounds nice, but this statement is indicative of the not-so-cuddly or lovable (in fact, quite angry) TEA party during the recent Washington hysterics. They, like any Americans, have the desire for rights and the desire to freely express oneself. They may have these, but their singular perspective borders on insurgency. Their vision ignores basic truths in favor of branding their view as a cause and other cool-sounding rhetoric.

A cause is not always “just”, and sometimes, the “cause” is short-sighted and just plain selfish. Many of the TEA party believe they have a righteous cause, akin to saving Jesus from execution, and no matter who gets hurt and with no respect to any others, they will fight to have there voice heard because their cause is the only one that matters (not just a supposed superior one.) Their cause is one that is nostalgic and envisions America to look like the old southern plantations where people ought to live in their place, the colors do not mix, guns are always great, and public education distorts the values in society if not historical facts. Diversity is foreign to this ideal and a threat to their American way of life. Further, this vision of America wants government out of people's lives, unless those people desire something different than the nostalgia. Anything that threatens the view should be squashed. Thus, people raised in this point of view are sadly mistaken when they find the rest of the world does not operate in this boxed view of the world. 

They have managed to get voted into office because of bloated and gridlocked government with the vision to restore the nation to a “cause”. Without consideration, they will stymy government to achieve this and have preferred dysfunction over governance. Dysfunctional government is destructive to the face and character of the United States. The Constitution asserts a slow moving government in order that policy be given proper consideration rather than rash irresponsibility. The Reagan mantra that “government is the problem”, by itself, is incorrect, but when a herd of angry cats run the government, the result can be a dangerous problem. Good government, in contrast, can be the assistant that enables growth of the whole society. Bad government is as bad as having rogue companies ruin our environment, hording resources, denying people legitimate claims, enslaving people to poverty, persecuting entire sects of the population, executing vigilante justice upon people via mobs, or hiding their intolerance and hatreds behind supposed religious texts..

Currently, Washington is dysfunctional government disabled by the loud few and those few want Washington to fail. To quote another president (Kennedy), “We no longer live in a world where only the actual firing of weapons represents a sufficient challenge to a nation's security to constitute maximum peril.” A weapon does not have to be a rocket or gun, but can be a tactic to impale the government from doing anything. The TEA party, primarily because of a couple policies they dislike, want to see Obama and the federal government fail. An organization that ultimately wishes to witness the failure of the government is being wildly reckless, threatening to economic security, undermining of global alliances that count upon our stability, and teetering upon insurrection against the very Constitution they supposedly uphold. That does represent a “sufficient challenge” to the nation's security.

Further, these people have been elected from districts that have been drawn to elect them and to keep them elected. They will not be held accountable to people from outside of their caucus given the gerrymandering that has entrenched their positions into power. Gerrymandering should be declared illegal since it inherently rejects review by the people over the Congress (explicit by the Constitution), and congressional districts should be designed along the parameters that the Iowa redistricting has to follow. Until then, these people will not be accountable to the whole of people but rather only to the select few that have been selected to vote for them.

Another complaint issued by the TEA party is how government spends money wastefully. Yet, they have installed themselves into power and then milk the public for a salary to do nothing even though they were supposedly elected to do something. Some contend that government policy should be based upon some cost-benefit style marketism. Ironically, things like accessible roads, airline safety, medical research, public education, science research, retirement, and such are considered too costly, that is if others might benefit more than they. Rights become part of a cost-benefit analysis now. Simply, the right thing to do is replaced by the cost-effective thing to do.

They are willing to promote big businesses, especially defense contractors, that give short-term benefit to no one else but their own business. This is an incongruous vision from the bigger concern about wasteful spending if the spending they desire is only beneficial for a few. If these people believe that government should give welfare to businesses and farmers then they should have no problem with the government helping individual citizens get better education, better health, or even a better standard of living. That is because when more people have discretionary  money, rather than just a few, then more businesses have opportunity to sell products and services yields more boats rising. Instead, they seem more focused upon building bombs than schools.

The actions by TEA party activists have made our country vulnerable and threaten the stability of this country. Their right-wing fanaticism is dangerous and if the current Congressional leadership or President cannot herd these cats, they all need to be shown the door as quick as possible.

Learning from Animals

Learning from Our Pets

September 2013

Tony E Dillon-Hansen

A deacon colleague remarked that people “can learn a lot from animals if we are willing to see it.” People with dogs and cats as pets have an idea of what she was saying. For my own, I found a ready example in one our cats, Mr. Snuggles, whom earns his name well. There are many ways that Mr. Snuggles offers helpful, often cuddly, “advice” to life, and let us review a couple of them here.

First, there is time to enjoy the opportunities in life; Mr. Snuggles will meow until you give him attention when you walk in the door to let you know that he has been waiting all day for one of us to come home. When we sit down on the couch or are sitting at the table having coffee, he finds the opportunity to snuggle in an open lap or just simply wanting to enjoy the time with us. How many times have we gone through a day looking for tomorrow, the weekend, or maybe wondering why there was so much anxiety in life? Simply enjoying the moment can help us to collect our thoughts, to relieve tensions, and to consider what needs to be done in some cases. Yet, most of all, enjoying the moment is where we are now and that moment offers opportunities that we can savor, if we allow them.

Enjoy the opportunities to play. A boring day is suddenly exciting when we bring out his toys or when the other cats start to play. We can see this extend to our lives at work or at home where just a few moments of break from a task can help ease concerns. Further, exercise is well documented as an aid to help with increasing brain, muscle, joint, and sensory functions. Exercise does not have to be all work as one can have fun or just play.

Enjoy your meal and be thankful for what you have. Part of growing up in a working class home, we did not have many fancy meals, but we were grateful to have what we had, except maybe when the meal was liver and onions. Pets are not going to be near as fussy as people over food. They will be excited for the food during preparation and they will be willing to dive right into the meal. With so many people in the world suffering from hunger, we can be grateful for the food that we have to eat and be grateful to people that are preparing that food. Even in a restaurant that served poor food, one does not need to get bent out of shape in reaction. Being thankful for the food and effort at first may help to defuse some situations.

There is always time for a nap. Snuggles loves his lap time, his meals and his naps. He will find a bed in the most unique places around the house with a few favorite locations. That is when not eating, playing or looking for attention; Snuggles finds time for a good snooze. Especially after a long day, we need to be reminded of our own animal needs for rest. We can go through life always busy and working, but if we do not give ourselves adequate rest, we sacrifice our own work quality and productivity.

Dogs and cats are not afraid to show their feelings, and they move on from events quicker than humans. They will communicate when they are excited, stressed, and in pain. Communication is important, and as I noted in my previous column, communication benefits more than just oneself. Also, cats and dogs are not attached to pride or self-importance in the way we humans are. They may or may not foresee an outcome to a situation, but the expression they exhibit is about what they value most (e.g. security, companionship, or excitement), rather than ego, material goods or pride. Even when they have been scolded for doing something and regardless of whether they recognize what they did, they will try to apologize quickly for the supposed transgression (and often with a nose nudge).

That leads to their most valuable lesson that our pets can teach us. Most of all, cats and dogs are willing to love without condition. From the moment I saw Mr. Snuggles at the ARL, he came right up to me, rubbed next to me, and jumped right into my lap like he was waiting just for me. Little did I know, he is willing to snuggle up to most anyone, thus his name. He did not care about the type of clothes I wore, did not care about the kind of car I drove, nor even care how I looked. Today, he might showcase some jealousy when we are tending to one of our other pets or to other tasks around the house, but he is ready to love and to snuggle at a moment’s notice.  Sometimes clothes, cars, money, or things of the like just do not matter.

Non-attachment, communication, finding time for those important things in life, and loving unconditionally are aspects of life that people are too easily willing to overlook in search of some other ideal.  Yet, our own pets can show us how happy one can be with having these things regardless of house size, car styles, or elsewise. We see this type of philosophy from various other sources including remarks from Alan Watts when he says that a “plant doesn't know that it is growing, it just grows.” This may seem ridiculous to some people. Yet, if you are willing really learn what to expect in life and what you can gain from your existence, there are many lessons that we can learn from our pets in how they approach life.

"Problems that remain persistently insoluble should always be suspected as questions asked int he wrong way." - Alan Watts