Wow. I wrote a blog post on Christmas Eve and it evidently didn’t publish like it said it did. I now know that it was because there was a nationwide internet outage for Centurylink and Verizon (which I am a customer), and we had no TV or internet or phone service for about 30 hours. It was scary as it affected the local businesses and our whole state and I couldn’t talk to my family. I was really worried about if someone needed to dial 911. It finally came back up, but I realized while we were simultaneously having the biggest snowstorm we’ve had in a while, just how dependent we have become on the internet as a society! I saw so many people go in person to the bank, like it was a “run” from the 1930s-40s. The local businesses were only accepting cash, and I never really carry much anyway, so I stopped to get some too. It was a creepy experience. We know that certain other countries like China and Russia understand that this is a way to take us down. Will we return to an old fashioned behavior in order to stay “off grid” at some point? Hmmm.
Anyway, with up to 8″ of snow on the ground, and my children gone again and the rest of my family en route to their homes away from here, it is awfully quiet. It’s peaceful, but I feel sad. I even started crying when my son and his puppy drove away in his truck to head back east. Gratitude: I was soooo blessed to have my WHOLE family together for Christmas this year, especially last Sunday. My daddy, who is 84 came out from Nevada, my big brother and his wife came out from Tennessee, my eldest niece and her husband came from Vienna, my daughter came from Arizona and my son from Wisconsin. What a joy! The rest of my local family converged with them all at my sister’s place. We met every night to play games or do something together.
Was it easy to stay clean during the holiday? Well, there were times when my back was hurting walking that puppy, or rather she, walked me, all the way to end of the mesa! She ran through the fresh snow powder and frolicked in it and I could not keep up with her, and at times she broke off the leash and was free and happy until I caught up with her! My knee was killing me. But I made it through. We had a painting party one night brought to us by my younger niece and her husband. They bought small canvases and paints and brushes for everyone and set places with name tags, and my eldest niece gave us instructions and there was confusion and laughter and a lot of “catching up” between family – while we ALL attempted to paint the same picture!
Now I am all by myself again and it takes a little bit to readjust. There is an article I was sent by a close personal friend that was published on foxnews.com and I know lots of people may not like that network, but it was about how people in legitimate pain are suffering and committing suicide due to the new restrictions and eliminations of opioid pain prescriptions. I read it through and thought a lot about my recovery, where I was, how I got there, where I am now, and what I believe. I still believe this: pain is good, suffering is not. The thing is, we are all capable of tolerating some degree of pain. It is the singular question of when we cross the threshold to intolerable pain, or suffering that is not being answered or measured. Thus some people are innocent victims of this, and others, are becoming addicts, because it is too easy to abuse the prescribed dosages. I don’t know. I want to help the ones that are addicted and don’t need to be. I wish I could help the ones that are in chronic pain, but all I can do there is suggest that alternatives be developed by the government who is controlling this.
Let me know what you think. Peace, love, blessing and Happy New Year approaching to all! There is help available!
NMRecoveryHOPE 