Responses to Depression

Sometimes we don't know what to say. We aren't you and don't know all the details. Much less know why. We just want to encourage and instead fumble with our words trying to help. Sometimes we minimize because we don’t realize your pain. Often we are in our own thoughts and don’t know to ask do you want to talk?

 

Expectations can be a challenge as well. Families and we expect near perfection from ourselves. No one is perfect. Failures and how we overcome them is how we learn. Forgive yourself for being human. Tomorrow is always another day. (note I can screw tomorrow up a different way LOL.)

 

Sometimes a break from constant news helps. TV news like to replay the same videos to shock and get ratings. Bad news becomes overwhelming if you don’t limit it. Frankly did not miss it except for breaking stories. But I only listen for facts and turn it off shortly.

 

If is only the blues, well that is good. We all need to feel what we are feeling. Know my days do not stay positive despite my efforts either.

 

If you have been depressed for more than a couple weeks, it is time to get counseling and medication. Friends tell me how much better they under treatment. Stats show both together work completely over 85%. If not complete, still better to try.

 

Suicidal thoughts are another category. They can persist and overwhelm. Text CONNECT to 741741 to reach a Crisis Counselor. Call 800-273-8255 Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides 24/7, for free and confidential support. AFSP.ORG is a good resource among others. No matter how strong or weak, we all need support at times. Act now! My sister attempted suicide when young. A few years later and many times since she says, “I am so glad I failed!”

 

The world is a difficult place, it is not fair, and justice takes its sweet time. But we know God loves us unconditionally and relentlessly. Hard to remember when we are sick or injured some days, but His love is true.

 

Life isn't always a grind. Celebrating milestones and laughing with family, friends and coworker is wonderful. Life is measured by events over decades, not today’s pains.

 

PS Know you are loved.

Rebuilding Our Economy

When businesses go back to work, they will not need all former employees depending on the industry. Possibly 1 in 5 people will be out of work.

Before the pandemic the middle class was already suffering. 44% of workers are low wage with median incomes of $10.22/hour ($18,000/year) and 3 of 5 are the only earner in their families. They are scrapping by or working multiple jobs to support their families.

The way to grow the US economy is focusing on helping the middle and lower classes. Big businesses cannot employ everyone out of work. State and Local governments are low on funds. Most new jobs will be created by small and one person entrepreneurial businesses. Incentives, aid and opportunities must be aimed here to grow wealth and consumer spending.

Remove Red Tape

Simplify creating, registering and licensing businesses. Takes significant time just to get started. That time is needed to find customers and do work.

Collect Income Taxes and Social Security Weekly

Self employed income varies wildly when and how much you earn. Currently payments are made quarterly. When self employed had to guess withholding high every quarter to avoid penalties. Difficult for people with little savings. Collect weekly and calculate how much. 90%+ of people file standard deduction taxes. Modern computer networks can calculate this easily.

Give Incentives to Work

If you work part time on unemployment, you lose 100% of your benefits for every dollar earned. Social Security only cuts 50% above $1,470 per month. The more often someone work, the more motivation and skills to earn more.

Incentives for Hiring Full Time

Businesses prefer part time because they don’t have to pay benefits. Find a way to fix that.

Health Care for Self Employed

Very expensive middle and older workers. Typical is $500-$1,000 per month. Find a public-private partnership to insure blocks of workers. Medical illness causes ~2 of 3 bankruptcies. Everyone needs to be covered.

How to Pay

Income taxes will have to increase. Capital gains should increase and the definition should go back to investments over 3 years.  Neither of those is enough. A consumption (VAT) tax will be necessary like most other countries do. BTW ‘Tax the Rich’ is a fantasy, however they should get less deductions under current tax rates.

Rebuilding the economy is complex task. Too much spending or debt may break the system or value of the dollar. Compromise and stepping up to challenges is what is needed. Write your congressmen and senators.

“If You Want Peace, Work For Justice”

- Pope Paul VI, 1972

People of color are treated differently. Women are treated differently than men. Young people are treated differently. Old people are treated differently. Immigrants are treated differently. Native Americans are treated differently. Tall people are treated differently. Short people are treated differently. Blue collar workers are treated differently. Service workers are treated differently. Poor people are treated differently. Homeless people are treated differently. Religious people are treated differently. Don’t start me on LGBTQ community treatment.

If you ever fell into one of these categories, you have experienced people judging you without knowing you. I have.

In mid-30’s dropping my van off after hours for service in morning. Sat in my truck filling out the form, and putting in spare key. Dropped it in slot and checked inside my truck because thought was forgetting something. Then I looked at the price sticker on a new Jeep Cherokee across street. Starting walking mile home. All the sudden stopped and surrounded by 4 policemen.

There had been break-ins on cars and they were staking the dealer area out. Being tall, thin and with a baby face looked early 20s. Explained dropping van for service and first question was “did I touch any car besides my own?” No. Still a young policeman said I looked like a description of a suspect. The older officer said no shutting that down quick. My response was “There can’t be too many 6’3” redheads on your list.” However I realized to police everyone looks like a potential criminal. That is why not having committed anything resembling a crime, got stopped for being young.

Everyone has equal rights. Everyone deserves to be heard and acknowledged. We need to improve our nation’s culture.

Things we can do:

1. Greet and Welcome people who are different than you. Everyone has to become part of our community. Especially if their political views, age or appearance are different than yours.

2. De-escalation Training works. Great results have been seen in Elementary, Middle and High Schools. Works well for consumer businesses like Starbucks.  Works for police handling clients with mental illness.

3. Retire the War on Drugs. Using drugs should become legal. Many states have legalized marijuana with no increases in crime. Instead they gained tax revenue. Our focus should be treatment and recovery. People of all ages are dying of addiction.

4. Misdemeanors need to expire automatically after a period of time. People suffer for life if they have ever been convicted of a crime. Can’t find work nor housing. Youthful mistakes should not haunt people during their 40 year careers. Limit misdemeanor records to about 4-8 years unless they commit more. 3 strike rules should be for felony convictions only. Long jail sentences for small crimes are not appropriate nor constitutional.

5. Eliminate ‘No Knock’ Warrants for non-violent crimes like drug possession. There have been so many disasters where police have entered the wrong house, or raided innocent people on an informant’s say so with no other proof. Constitutionally this should be reserved for violent or terrorist organizations. Even then regular warrants put police at less risk apprehending people outside rather than invading homes.

6. Police should be trained to be Guardians of community. Their job is not to arrest people, but to maintain peace by de-escalating conflicts and protecting people. SWAT teams and tactics have to be limited and only rolled out for active shooters.

Our job is to write local, state and national government officials to change laws and training. Culture change is hard and takes years.  

Then love people. Only love will conquer hate.