Is This Blog Still Relevant?

While scanning the internet to see if after over a decade my blog remains relevant I found where a student athlete in central Florida used info in my blog to write an article for the Highland News-Sun.  This article was published in the October 27, 2020 edition of the newspaper.

I am reprinting this on here for you to see. I guess maybe my blog is still relevant.

VIEWPOINTS FROM A TEENAGER

Miguel Arceo

Draw Your Line of Morality

Allow me to introduce you to Ron Grover, the father of a son who is currently recovering from a battle with drug addiction. Grover authored a blog post titled, “The Emotions I Experienced as the Parent of a Child With Addiction.” In it, he writes, “For many years, I couldn’t separate the disease in my son, from my son himself. His addiction was a personal affront that I held onto very deeply.”

Imagine, if you can, sitting through his shoes for even one day. Having to watch as your son falls victim to a terrible disease, the son that Psalm 127:3 calls, “a gift from the lord [sic].”

Barbara Hampton, a mother of a son in recovery, wrote another blog titled, “I Got My Son Back: A Mother’s Struggle with Her Son’s Addiction.” Hampton wrote, “My phone would hardly ring and I was always waiting for the one call I was so terrified to receive.”

Again, imagine thinking that every phone call you receive might be the one telling you that your child may have overdosed.

Both of these stories are nothing short of tragic and happen to thousands of families in the United States. Despite this, some supporters of President Trump are more than willing to publicly criticize Hunter Biden’s past struggles with drug addiction. Ever since President Trump exposed his past with cocaine at the first debate, supporters of his have deemed it morally right to attack Hunter Biden. There has been widespread sharing of a photo of Hunter Biden at his lowest point and many accusations. You do not have to agree with Joe Biden’s policies to publicly acknowledge that attacking his son’s past with drug addiction is way below the belt. Joe Biden is no longer just a presidential candidate, but is someone who stood in the same shoes as Ron Grover and Barbara Hampton. He is one of the thousands of people who had to bear witness to the horrible effects of drugs on a person’s life. How can you justify attacks on a drug addict’s father?

If you are able to justify these attacks, I ask you to do the same to veterans who suffer from addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states, “One government report notes that more than ten percent of veteran admissions to substance use treatment centers were for heroin (10.7%), followed by cocaine at just over 6%.” Tell the parents of these brave veterans that the apple does not fall far from the tree. If you can justify the attacks on Hunter Biden, I ask that you publicly attack all the people on your Facebook profile that may be secretly fighting a battle with addiction. Tell them that their family does not deserve a new job because they are struggling with addiction.

Those willing to attack Hunter Biden’s past are those who are willing to overlook their morals and every sense of decency in their lives. No one deserves to ever be publicly shamed for a past drug addiction, regardless of what political party they may be coming from. I truly wish that you and your family never have to know what Ron Grover, Barbara Hampton, Joe Biden, or the thousands of parents of drug addicts had to endure. Drug addiction is a terrible disease that anyone can fall victim to, no matter how well you were raised. Why is it any different when you do not agree with the family of these recovered addicts?

Miguel Arceo is a student athlete at Sebring High School.

My Letter To Santa

Dear Santa,

It's been a hard year for the kids this year, no matter if they are on the naughty or nice list. Please be easy on the judgements and do whatever you can for the little ones. They have gone through a lot this year and all of them have been real troopers.

Please give all the parents and adults, young or old, the wisdom to know they may need nothing but others need everything. It's been hard on so many. If you have a job and income, share with others. Sharing with each other is wonderful but sharing with those in need is spiritual and good for your soul. Let those adults that share feel the magic in their fingers and heart as they reach out and help someone in need.

Finally, the gift of appreciation is one everyone needs. So many have lost someone this year. Instead of tears of love lost for that special person on this holiday show each person the wonder and love each of those people brought to their life.

Merry Christmas,

Ron Grover

Forgiveness

I haven't been writing lately. There hasn't been much going on in our life other than the things I have detailed in previous essays. I didn't want to waste time for all that read this blog.

As a member of many Facebook groups dealing with addiction I have been reading about people struggling with forgiveness. When you are hurt so deeply forgiveness can be difficult to find and to extend.

I struggled at time with forgiveness. We all have heard many times that forgiveness is about ourself, not our addicted loved one. However, I learned to say many things while failing to internalize the words.

Eventually I learned to swallow those difficult words and those same words provided life giving nourishment.

If you have read much of this blog you know my penchant for breaking things down to a simple concept and symbolic gestures. One symbolic gestures of these I developed about forgiveness that helped me through some difficult struggles. I'll share here what helped me, no matter how silly it may seem.

You know what those copy paper boxes at the office look like. Big bold letters, "Hammermill" on the side. I pictured putting all of those things that I was carrying with me into one of those boxes. All of the stuff I couldn't understand and couldn't accept I put into that cardboard box. After I got it all of those things stuffed in that box and the lid put on, no tape or sealing the box.

After I get the box stuffed I set the box up on the mantle of the fireplace right in the living room. It's all stored away but readily accessible. I can get into the box any time I want but to do so I have to figuratively take down the box and physically open the lid.

When the time becomes right I can move the box to the back of the closet. Everything is still there in the box but it is no longer in the center of my life. I learn that the box can be close and accessible but stored away out of sight and sometimes out of mind.

You all know what happens to those things stored in the back of the closet. One day we get new shoes and a few new clothes and our closet becomes to jammed and those things we don't need every week get treated like everything else us "pack rats" can't get rid of but need to have close. That old "Hammermill" box gets carried to the basement and slid onto that top shelf. 

One day when you move you may decide to take that box and set it out in the recycle bin. Maybe you hold on to that box and the day comes when you are gone those people you love the most finds that old box and box buried with you and forgiveness is granted. 

Don't wait for others to share that box of forgiveness. Share forgiveness when you are able. It is so much more meaningful when you can share a gift through a smile rather than through tears.  

 

Tragic In So Many Ways

This morning on my Facebook feed a news story popped up about a robbery and outcome in Camdenton MO. This is the area where we own a lake home so I try to stay connected to the local news and events online.

For the last several days it has been news about a man robbed the pharmacy at the grocery store we patronize when at the lake. In summary from the news reports a man entered the grocery store, jumped the counter in the pharmacy, brandished a gun and stole several hundred pills containing opioids. No one was hurt and no shots were fired. There were clear pictures of this individual and his pickup truck used in the robbery.

This morning it has been reported the individual was "captured". Law enforcement did the job they are suppose to do. They found out who the suspect was and due to the danger involved surrounded the home with multiple officers. The suspect was ask to surrender and instead he shot himself in the head. He was transported to the local hospital and is reported in serious condition.

As you can probably guess I am disturbed by this story especially since I haven't posted on this blog since July 6, 2019 and this story spurred me to write.

On my Facebook feed about this story there are so many comments from people stating: "good", "got what he deserved", "saved us money from having to jail him". It is disgusting what I have been reading.

I choose to respond to the comments with this: From what I read an assumption of mine is that this person suffered from addiction. Addiction is a disease. What he did was wrong but what he did is also a symptom of the disease. People suffering from addiction need compassion and resources. An act like holding up a pharmacy to get pills is an act of desperation by a person suffering from his addiction. Harsh words and feelings do nothing to improve the situation for anyone or any loved one suffering the effects of this disease. Of course, I too am now receiving all the hate from people about my comment.

Addiction is a polarizing disease. I feel a hopelessness that this young man could only see robbery and shooting himself as a solution to his disease. Who knows what his circumstances were to get to this point but I know there are options. Most times options someone addicted cannot see. 

Until we all see the actions of this man are symptoms of the disease outcomes like this will continue.

https://www.lakenewsonline.com/news/20200211/suspect-in-gerbes-robbery-shoots-himself-after-law-enforcement-standoff/2