September

Your questions are great and I thank you for asking them. I wanted to elaborate, but sometimes it's better to wait for the question before giving the answer, no?

Yes, I do feel I can do something about the injustices I mentioned. We all can. Not to sound rude, but recheck your statement that the "only things we can change are personal." Not true.

Yes we do have to perform inner development and overcome our own demons before we can set goals of changing the world. And I am mindful of the saying we can only change ourselves. It's a lie. Sorry to be blunt, but it is.

Like it or not, we all set an example everyday of something, be it good, or bad. That changes the world.

I do believe in setting a good example, but that is not always enough. At some point, it's our responsibility to become teachers. I'm not saying I'm at that point, but I want to strive to get there.

Depression, I'm sure you can agree, delivers profound messages and discoveries at times. Let's not look at depression as an evil thing for a moment.

For example: A man goes to his favorite ice-cream parlor, craving his favorite flavor, but when he get's there, guess what? This store stopped carrying that brand. So what does the guy do? His craving is driving him crazy. He had his heart set on that flavor, and only that flavor will do. (Could we compare his craving to wanting to be loved or treated with dignity?)

So he sets about town, stopping in every joint he passes to find his flavor. No luck. He sits on the corner and mourns the loss of this one little treat that always made him smile. One simple joy he can longer turn to for comfort. What a bummer.

After some time, he thinks, what if? What if I started selling this product in my spare time? I could have my flavor (and eat it too) and make money on the side.

What if we took our pain from losing something, even something we never had, and instead became the producer of it? Alchemy?

I hope, as you do, to write books Tell my story, use my education to gain knowledge and learn skills and achieve credibility.

The written word is powerful as you know. Your audience is vast and unlimited in our free country. Newspapers, journal articles, books, phamplets, online, etc., etc.

It was freedom of the press that played such a role in organizing the patriots before our own revolution. It's one way of liberating the dragon.

Do I want to lead? No, I'll settle for just being involved. If I can encourage anyone else along the way, great, that's what I want to do.

Too many mind-numbing escape mechanisms have been introduced to us. That we can only change ourselves is one example. I can think of several others.

I'm not discounting the very real medical depression of some. The depression I refer to is society generated, and society supported. Bandaids on broken arms are not the answer.

Stepping down from the pulpit now, thank you

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but rising every time we fall." Confucius