Uniquely Yours Craft Journal

“I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends the old and the new.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Do you ever get stuck inside your head? In my early teens, I sometimes had bouts of insomnia. It’s a crazy time -right? Classes, endless tests, relationships, growth spurts – you name it. But, like life, I outgrew it. Now, as an older and somewhat “sexy senior citizen,” I like to think I outgrew this malady. Covid 19 changed all that.

How do you crawl out? Most, if not all real holes don’t have hand or foot holds to grab onto. You can’t get out of a hole by yourself. Unless you like being stuck, you have to cry out for help. There’s an episode on a tv show called Laramie ( season 3, episode 92)

https://www.directv.com/tv/Laramie-Tyt3WGNsZUQrTGs9/Fall-Into-Darkness-eXpONG1NYUo4bnZOOXloNjdHdWRldz09

We’re all probably familiar with the signs of depression but are we equally familiar with the signs in the ways of healing? How do we get out of our heads? I’ve written before about mindfulness; living in the moment and being mindful of our emotions and thoughts that sometimes defeat us before we even begin a journey towards wellness. There are other ways too and I welcome your comments as to how to battle depression especially now as we battle isolation from our loved ones at the beginning of our holiday season.

Dear Fellow Journalers,

November 11th is Veteran’s Day in America. Please read this post by long time perspective author “G”

I BUT STAND IN THE SHADOW OF GIANTS

I am but a tiny fragment in the long line of men and women who believed, AND not only believed, but acted upon the “call to duty.”

They’re all there, standing tall, as they answered the call.

Washington, Lincoln, Jackson, Kennedy, Eisenhower, Marshall (whom I consider Americas’ greatest soldier) McArthur, Bradley, Vandergift, Puller, Nimitz, Halsey, Mattis, and Hopper, the list goes on forever, and far back in time. I, and maybe you, or your loved one, have a small place in that line. We are ‘Standing in the shadow of giants.’

Men and women who clearly understood that if there’s nothing worth dying for, then there’s nothing worth living for. Who understood that for those who fought for it, freedom and liberty hold a place no one who hasn’t could ever understand. And respecting that while some gave all, ALL gave some.

We’re American Military, active duty, reserve, retired, veterans. We have grown old in war, salute our flag, and make NO APOLOGIES to anyone for either.

We’re easy to spot. We stand a little taller, wear the Flag or some other patriotic symbol on our lapel, have a bumper sticker on our cars, and speak reverently about our honored dead—those we recognize as the REAL heros.

We get pissed off when those who would disrespect all our American values act up, for they know NOT what they do, for if they had seen what we’ve seen, and done what we’ve done, they wouldn’t do what they do. The American way of life was EARNED by men and women of ALL races, colors, and creeds. The color of their currency was BLOOD RED. It wasn’t murder, rioting, looting, terrorism or disrespect. And the only color we recognized was BLOOD RED– our comrade in trouble no matter what their skin color.

Twice a year we take out our uniforms (if they still fit) and say “Yeah, it’s me”, and seek to give honor rather than receive it.

And every night, dropping to our knees, we say a simple prayer:

God Bless America, Land That I Love !!

“”I’ve lived the literal meaning of the “land of the free” and “the home of the brave”. It’s not corny for me. I feel it in my heart. I feel it in my chest. Even at a ball game, when someone talks during the anthem or doesn’t take off his hat, it pisses me off. I’m not one to be quiet about it either.”

Chris Kyle (American Sniper)