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Yellowstone River-Yellowstone National Park

What would we call a person who does not take the advice of their doctor, a fool.  Today, many in the medical field are warning us about the dangers of texting while driving.

We have enough troubles dealing with illness without taking on the risk of an accident.

I am a person who cannot turn my head while driving.  If I do, my car begins to wander slightly.  To say I am fearful of people who drive and look at me while talking  is a understatement. Once, I rode with a real estate agent who talked on the phone and ate a subway sandwich while she steered with her knee at 70 miles per hour!  I made a lot of promises to my maker that day.  She was a very intelligent lady, but had no common sense.  For that matter, neither did I, as I should have told her I was frightened.

More and more emergency room doctors are seeing patients who get into trouble while texting.  No message is that important that it cannot wait until you find a place to get safely off the road.  The medical warning applies to any activity that requires your full attention such as biking, motorcycling, operating machinery and skating.  Ask yourself if you are willing to risk an accident and an expensive emergency room visit to send a text message.

Unlike jabbering  people, we can shut a device off.  Dead men cannot return a text message.  Shut it off and do so before it is too late.

Photo titled, ‘I love my job’, taken in my yard.

”One of the criteria of emotional maturity is having the ability to deal constructively with reality.”  William C. Menninger-American psychiatrist

A diversion is like a detour, as it changes our direction or in some way distracts us.  For example, if your sister stayed out later than her curfew, you might create a diversion long enough for her to  sneak up the stairs to her room.  You could turn on the TV too loud or ask for help with your homework.  You could do anything to change the focus of your parent’s attention.

After a diagnosis of an illness, the patient’s mind is focused on their illness and how it will affect their family.  We don’t do it consciously, but such thoughts are always present.  In fact, even when we make a conscious effort to ban it from our thoughts, they are almost impossible to dismiss.

After being diagnosed, I gradually learned that when I was very busy or attenpting to fix something, I forgot about illness and felt a sense of accomplishment. Those moments were short, but sweet.  Realizing that an activity diverted my attention, I started on a journey to try every hobby known to man.  Finally, I discovered photography, which has reduced my anxiety, increased self-esteem and elevated  mood.  It was an activity that made me happy.

Hospitals are using art to divert their patient’s attention away from illness.  You can do this at home.  Simply find an activity that you find interesting to do and read about.  It is way to take a detour on your road with illness.  I like detours, as they usually take me to a new neighborhood or an area I have never seen before.

Tumacacori National Monument-S of Tucson, AZ

“Vanity is the greatest of all flatterers.”  Francois de La Rochefoucauld-French writer

Financial woes cause stress that can affect our health.

You may not be old enough to remember the expression Living high on the hog. Literally, it means that you are able to purchase the best cut of meat  from high on a hog.  Similarly, it means that we are financially  stable enough to live the good life and privileged to buy whatever we want.

Our country has experienced many years of prosperity.  Presently, we are experiencing hard times. We have become aware of how important it is to have the essentials in life.

Previously, we spent like drunken sailors who were on shore leave and did not save for a rainy day.  Do we really need a 100 dollar watch when a 20 dollar one will show us the time?  Why in the world would we choose the 100 dollar one?  It must be vanity.

What is vanity?  It is a selfish way to puff up our ego by buying things that others admire.  It is a way of boasting that we can buy nice things.  Vain people love compliments and put themselves first.

Have Americans become vain?  Is this one of the reasons many of us have financial woes?  I think so.  We are choosing form before function.  Even if two watches function the same, to feed our ego, we may choose to buy the expensive watch.

While feeding our vanity, many of us are compiling huge credit card bills.  One day, they will come back to bite us in the butt.  Our health is a constant source of concern.  Use caution not to add to those worries.

This is a Common Mullein plant struggling to survive on a sandy shoreline at Whitefish Point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsular.

It is interesting to note that if you look in some old medical books depression may not be mentioned.  Those suffering from depression were often called sad or lazy.

Depression can make us feel crummy all over.  It affects everyone associated with the person.  Many of us have felt depressed after first being diagnosed or after hearing our lupus has come out of remission.  People with any disease feel depressed until getting accustomed to the bad news.  For me, it usually takes a couple of weeks before bouncing back.  When I get bad news, I do not get sad or depressed, but get mad, as I work hard to try and stay healthy.  I feel as though my effort has gone for naught.

If we feel depressed for an extended period, we must first mention it to our doctor.  Perhaps, we must  decide if we will take a prescription depressant or hope it will go away.  This is an important decision and must be made with your doctor.

I think there are several things we might try before deciding to take pills.  We can try such things as getting a pet, joining a club, going dancing with friends, start a hobby, get involved in political campaign, walking in a beautiful environment with a friend, taking a mini or extended vacation and volunteering.  Try anything that gives you pleasure.  The reason we should do so is any new activity focuses our mind on that thing and removes illness from our thoughts.

Our lives are full of things that can cause depression, not just illness.  In my new book, Dust off Your Brain, which is  a collection of my thoughts that I wrote on scraps of paper when they popped into my head.  The book has 366 one and two liners.  One of them goes like this, “A trickle of imagination can create a river of fear.”  Sometimes, we worry and get depressed about things that may never happen.  I guess the best thing is we can do is tackle our biggest problem first and work down the list.  My new book sells on Amazon.com for $5.95 and is a suitable gift for all occasions.

Some of worse things we can do is to start drinking alcohol, use illicit drugs, start smoking and use of caffeine.  They will only exacerbate the exising problelm.

Whitefish Point near Paradise, MI

Often, we appreciate the overall scene, but forget the one that is at our feet.  There are two sources I trust for medical advice.  They are my doctor and pharmacist.  The great thing about using a pharmacist is the advice is free and you do not need to make an appointment.   Simply wait your turn, go up to the window and ask your question. However, be sure to bring a list of  your medications and supplements.

Honest people are trusting.  They are willing to accept information from friends, relatives and even celebrities. Why is that?  It is because we are desperate to find better drugs to manage or cure our illness.  We want to believe it is possible.

The following are some of the ways that companies and people try to convince you to use their products.  Let us suppose that you have arthritis.  They may say they have a ‘cure’ for your disease.  If that were true, it would be in every newspaper and on television.  Before  paying money for their ‘cure’, call your doctor.  Or, if you have arthritis, e-mail the Arthritis Foundation with your question.

Remember, all drugs have side effects. They are rarely mentioned.  In fact, unscrupulous companies may not know the adverse side effects.   Your pharmacist knows the side effects of drugs that are approved by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration).  You can find out about approved FDA drugs on their or the Mayo Clinic website.

If the sellers or advertisement offers testimonials from people who say the drug is helping or has cured them.  What they forget to tell you is that for thousands of people it did not work or caused harm.  Never underestimate ‘the power of suggestion’.

Ask your doctor, pharmacist or FDA.

‘Wagner Falls’ near Munising, MI

“A man is a lion in his own cause”, Scottish proverb.

How do we find the strength to constantly battle an illness?  Where does it come from?

I am assuming that all of you are tired of taking pills, going to doctor’s appointments, taking your blood pressure, filling prescriptions and reading about lupus.  Lately, it has been my full-time job. There are days when I wonder how it would feel to be healthy, full of energy and not consider anything related to the medical field.

Occasionally, I feel like rebelling against the medical establishment and bunch my whole medical routine.  However, I never follow-through.  Why is that?  Somehow, I find the strength to continue.

I think our inner strength comes from our basic nature and the example that our friends and family set for us when we were growing up.  They didn’t make a conscious effort to do so, but we watched how hard they worked, even when they were sick.

Children are a powerful source of strength for their parents with an illness.  Parents are motivated by their desire to care for and guide their children and grandchildren into adulthood.

Others find strength through their religion and their church’s members.  I come from a small town where people know each other and our lives are connected.  When I was very ill, I was on the prayer list of three churches with different beliefs.

Friends and family provide us with strength.  I was motivated by the desire to help my family if they became ill.  Now, they have passed away, but I find comfort in the thought that I was there for them when they needed me.

Patients find strength from different sources.  Whatever yours may be, lean on them when you feel the need for strength.

‘Mr. Many Arms’ Photo taken in Apache Junction, AZ.

When cells are injured they become inflamed.  It doesn’t matter if it is caused by a floor burn, twisted ankle, allergies, lupus, or some other injury. The inflammation is about the same.

What is inflammation?   It is how our body helps to protect itself from further injury and foreign invaders.  After we are injured, white blood cells, our protectors against disease, rush to and seal off the area, fight and eat invader  cells and protect us from further injury. Inflammation causes redness, pain, swelling  and heat.  If we can reduce the symptoms of inflammation, we reduce the possibility of tissue damage. That is why it is so important to identify lupus early.

After verifying that inflammation is present, one must identify the type of lupus and decide which drugs will best treat the condition. The goal of treatment is to reduce a patient’s inflammation and the symptoms it causes.

Why did my doctor suspect lupus?  It was because I was passing protein in my urine.  Other things can cause protein in the urine such as infection or nephritis.

The drugs used to treat lupus may be as simple as topical creams (spread on the skin), aspirin or as  powerful as steroids or chemotherapy drugs.

This photo is called ‘World overpopulation’.  Today, lets call it a ‘State of confusion’.

Cornelia Otis Skinner, American actress and author said, “One learns in life to keep silent and draw one’s own confusions.”

I have lupus nephritis.  Over the years, my kidney function has slowly declined.  That is mostly caused by the lupus nephritis and partly from aging.  That being the case, I was recently placed on a stricter diet.  Keep in mind that I have been on a low-sodium, low-protein and low fat diet for many years.

The new diet adds restrictions on phosphorus and potassium.  Now, I have five different things that I must avoid or limit when preparing a meal.  Thank goodness, I am a widow and nobody has to eat the food I prepare.  The main problem is a food that is acceptable on one diet list usually conflicts with another.  In addition, most NUTRITION FACTS LABELS do not list the amount of phosphorus and potassium.  I am having a difficult time figuring out what to eat.  Yesterday, I called a company to find our how much phosphorus and potassium in low-sodium ketchup.  The phosphorus was negligible and the potassium was 40 mg.  That helped me out, as I know that I can juggle my diet to fit in the ketchup.

I miss a banana with breakfast and a potato with lunch.  Rice milk tastes OK, but I miss my frozen yogurt.  When I was a baby my first words were not Mama or Dada, they were ‘more meat’.  On the new diet, I am permitted four (4) ounces per day.  That is the size of the palm of your hand.  I am not weighing the foods, as the nutritionist allows me to estimate the weight by comparing the size with common objects.  Your fist is about the same size as ½ a cup of vegetables.  Two teaspoons of margarine is about the size of ½ the length of your thumb.

I am confused now, but and determined to adapt.  However, at the time of my death, will I regret missing the pleasure of savoring the different flavors?  Should our priority be longevity or getting the most pleasure our of life?  We ride the Ferris wheel of life only once.  Another thought for the day from my book, Dust off Your Brain, goes as follows: ‘Living old is highly overrated’.  If I had children who depended on me, my main priority would be to remain alive.  Children give us a purpose in life, which is to live to see them grow up and become productive citizens.  However, I do not have children.

“She used to diet on any kind of food she could lay her hands on”.  Arthur Baer, American comic columnist.

These Brown-eye Susans were taken in my backyard.

About 1/3  of all lupus patients have some kidney involvement.

Dieting is deprivation.  Why do we do so?  I diet because my doctor told me that limiting salt, protein, potassium and phosphorus causes less kidney stress. The kidneys job is to prevent a buildup of undesirable products (urea) in our blood.  They must work harder to filter protein from our blood.  The kidneys decide if we have enough salt in our blood.  If it is too much they filter it out and send it out with urine.  However, if the kidneys are damaged that is more difficult to do.  Too much blood sodium can can cause edema (fluid buildup in tissues) and raise a patient’s blood pressure, which is damaging to the very tiny blood vessels that filter our blood.  High levels of phosphorus in the blood can cause osteoporosis and  high potassium levels may cause an irregular heartbeat.  Healthy kidneys filter wastes from the blood and pass it out with urine. The less work our kidneys must do the more likely we can preserve their function.

Dieting is a bit like being in jail.  However, this is a self-imposed jail.  Only disciplined mature people can follow a diet.  Whether or not we are successful depends on our  attitude.

I was recently introduced to a stricter diet and am quite apprehensive.  My attitude is somewhat negative, but improving.  It takes a while to get accustomed to anything strange and new.  I must accept that my kidney function is declining and must do everything I can to reduce kidney stress.

Eating out is difficult.  I just do the best I can and hope for the best.  Making a list or a sample diet of the things you can eat is  helpful.  However, be prepared to eat the same foods over and over again.  However, that is preferable to kidney failure.

This photo was taken on the Mayo Clinic grounds in Rochester, MN.  I selected spring flowers to cheer you.

Pleasure and happiness are good for our blood pressure and health.

Are you disturbed by the violence on television, video games and in the daily news?  Many of us are upset by the disrespect people show toward one another. Would you like to change the world? If only we could change the world as quickly as nature changes the seasons.

Gandhi felt that if we want to change the world, we first must first make positive changes in ourselves.  I am not a Buddhist, but that makes sense to me.  Changing the world for the better is an undertaking that starts with one person making small changes in their life and how they interact with others.  However, most people, including myself, find it difficult to make changes.  We wait for the other person to do so.

Years ago, parents were the biggest influence on a kid’s life.  We looked up to our parents and respected how hard they worked to provide us with the necessities.  They set the example for a good work ethic, tried to instill values and respect for others.  Today, parents must compete with the influence of video games, television, movies and rude people.

Change begins with small acts of kindness such as helping a neighbor, respecting the viewpoint of others, voting and supporting our schools.  A simple thing like opening a door for an elderly person makes their life easier.  Most acts of kindness do not cost money.

Volunteering is an excellent way to make a difference.  One of the 366 thoughts for the day from my new book, Dust off Your Brain, reads like this.  ‘Volunteering is a self serving activity not done for greed’.  That means that volunteers develop a sense of satisfaction and happiness because they contributed.  What a deal.  You can do a good deed, which makes you feel good.  You do not have to join a group to do something nice.  A weekly visit to an assisted living facility only takes two hours, but may bring happiness to a patient.  Volunteering is a way to help ourselves by helping others.

‘Dried twisted tree in Red Rock State Park near Sedona, AZ

“It is better to suffer wrong than to do it, and happier to be sometimes cheated than not to trust.”  Samuel Johnson-English author

I believe violence in all forms is detrimental to my health.  It disrupts my concentration, occupies my thoughts, robs me of time to think positively and causes a fitful sleep.

Have we become so desensitized to violence that we condone and accept it as a harmless part of our lives.? Have we accepted that violence has a niche in our society?

What is happening to America? Children are not safe on their school’s grounds.  I recently read about a girl being gang raped while a crowd watched and did nothing to help her. It was a heinous crime that should make us all ashamed. I hope to hear an outcry of disgust and condemnation.  Instead of becoming more civilized, we are becoming barbaric.  How can our children concentrate in school when they are fearful?

Without parents, religion, laws and fear of retribution we would have world chaos.  Parents set the example for their children.  Today, families are fragmented like a wine glass that fell upon a tile floor.  Religion teaches us right from wrong.  Laws are binding rules of conduct and the fear of going to jail motivates us to obey those laws.  We need all these things to keep people honorable.  However, the teachings of parents must compete with violence on television, in the movies and in video games. Violence is no longer seen as violence, but as entertainment.

Compare the family programs of the 1960’s with those of today.  People spoke to each other with respect and did not scream.  Each telvision show had a moral message for children to contemplate.  Children were taught right from wrong and that doing the right thing is not always easy, but makes us feel better in the long run.

‘Abstract of rock and water’

Why am I thinking about aging?  Perhaps, it is because I recently had a birthday and look in the mirror at least once a day.

“If wrinkles must be written upon our brows, let them not be written upon our heart.”  James A. Garfield, the twentieth President of the US.

Which factors cause our body to age more than our chronological age?  Some possible reasons are illness, medication, smoking, alcohol, obesity, physical labor and mental stress.  I am sure there are others.  Some we can control, but some we cannot.

I think illness is the main cause of my aging.   In addition, the powerful medications I take are helpful in one way, but can contribute to aging.

I tease by brother by saying, “I am a shadow of my former self.”  Long ago, I learned to joke about lupus. When I feel well, I do not feel my chronological age.  Conversely, if I am ill, I feel more than my age.  If I didn’t have lupus  and hadn’t taken Prednisone for 40 years, I’d probably be in pretty good shape today.

Lupus and Prednisone have ravaged my body.  When we take Prednisone, it energizes our body by causing our blood sugar to rise.  However, there is a problem when that happens, which is this.  Our body doesn’t not put as much energy into making tissue.  This in turn, causes a breakdown of our tissues.  If you recall, tissues are responsible for holding our body together and make up our organs. In simple terms, when taking cortisone our blood sugar goes up, but our tissues wear down.

We are forced to live with an illness and take medication.  However, we are not forced to smoke, be overweight, drink alcohol or overwork.  It is difficult to make lifestyle changes.  If you cannot do it on your own, ask your doctor for help.

Bedroom at Pipe Spring National Monument’ on the border of Utah and Arizona.

“Love your enemies, for they will tell you your faults”.  Benjamin Franklin

Recently, I was troubled with bloating, cramping, gas and explosive diarrhea for 4-5 weeks.  Because I previously scheduled an appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, I did not see a doctor. I thought the diarrhea would clear up soon and the time to my appointment was so short that I could wait.  That did not happen.

I drove alone from AZ to MN for the appointment.  Yes, you guessed it, I had diarrhea all the way to MN.  It was the worst trip of my life.  Luckily, I have a portable toilet in my small SUV from my old camping days.

Collagenous Colitis sometimes appears in patients with another  kind of autoimmune disease.  It is a thickening of tissue in the colon.  Of course, the first disease one thinks of that thickens tissue is Scleroderma.  Other illnesses that may cause Collagenous Colitis are diabetes, Sjogren’s, Pernicious Anemia, Rheumatoid arthritis and Crest syndrome.

I was diagnosed with Collagenous Colitis about 4 years ago at the Mayo Clinic is Scottsdale, AZ.   CC is not visible during a colonoscopy because it is under the surface of the lining.  To make a definitive diagnosis, the doctor must take tissue samples from various places in the colon and study them under a microscope.

What does this mean to the patient?  I spoke to a dietitian and she explained that I should limit roughage in my diet.  I explained to her that I ate a huge bowl of popcorn every day, as well as, flax seeds and whole wheat bread with flax seeds added.  She suggested I give up those things first to see how my body reacts.  After giving up those foods my condition gradually improved.   In about 4 weeks, my stools returned to normal.  I have added whole wheat bread without flax seeds to my diet and remain diarrhea free.

If changing your diet is not helpful, doctors sometimes us medications such as Imodium, which slows contractions in the bowel.

I am hopeful this information will help someone who has the ’screamers’.

Diarrhea is my most difficult word to spell.

“Anger is not without reason, but seldom a good one.”  Benjamin Franklin

I consider myself to be a reasonably stable individual who is seldom angry. However, that was not true after being diagnosed, as I was angry for a short time.  I have had lupus for 40 years and illlness has mellowed me over the years.  I am resigned to that fact that lupus is a part of who I am.  However, it is not who I am.

After diagnosis, it is understandable that all of us experience disbelief. Prior to that many of us believed that we were invincible and illness happens to other people.  After disbelief, we become angry, upset, fearful, feel cheated and isolated.  I believe all of us go through a period of anger.  Why is that so?  It is as though we have been robbed of our future.   It is as though someone stole our most precious asset. In some cases, we lose our job, contact with our friends, sense of purpose and future goals.  Most important of all, we lose our identity.  We are no longer a teacher, truck driver or nurse, we become known as that person with lupus.

Anger is an unhealty reaction that raises our blood pressure.  It changes our thoughts from upbeat to imagining the worst.  In my new book, Dust off Your Brain, I state the following.  “A trickle of imagination can create a river of fear.” We may feel like rebelling to the point of not taking our medicine.  If you are a newly diagnosed patient, please remember that these are normal reactions.  In reality, there are no normal reactions.  However, if you feel so angry that you feel it is hurting your health, please seek professional help.

‘Back to the wind’-taken at Dead Horse Point State Park near Moab, UT.  This photo appears on the cover of my new book Dust off Your Brain.

“A good scare is worth more to a man than advice.”  Edgar Watson Howe-American journalist and writer.

Imaging that you are being chased by a hungry dinosaur down a path in the forest.  The thumping sound of his big feet is getting louder, as he is getting closer.  You faintly hear the roar of water.  Soon the path leads to a gorge and a rickety footbridge.  Will you stand there or will you take your chances crossing the bridge?  Of course you will take the bridge.  Why?  Because the hungry dinosaur will surely eat you, but the bridge may take you safely to the other side.

Did you decide to take the bridge because you have courage and bravery?  No, courage had no influence on your decision.  It was a fear of being eaten.  Such decisions are made quickly and with very little thought, because we have a lack of choices.

It is the same with illness.  We accept medications and treatments that may make us sick because we are fearful.  We are doing our best to survive.  Some people might label our actions courage.

What do you think?  Have you taken medications and accepted procedures because you were courageous or were you fearful of the consequences if you did not?

I believe that fear leads to courage in this way.  After we accept and take treatment, we develop confidence.  That, in turn, gives us the courage to do it again.  It is similar to walking home alone at night on a country road without streetlights.  We may have to sing out loud to aleave our fear of bears, but we get the job done.  If a bear doesn’t eat us, we gain confidence that we can do it again.

Wagner Falls near Munising, MI

” Of two evils, choose to the the least.”  Ambrose Bierce-short story writer.

When we are ill, many of us spend a great deal of time watching television.  I sit like a sad sack in my recliner chair and hope the phone doesn’t ring.

When I go to the grocery store to buy two dozen eggs the grocer does not demand that I buy ten dozen eggs.  I think it should be the same with the purchase of television programming.  I should be able to purchase the shows that I watch and enjoy.  Today, we are forced to pay for foreign language programming even though we do not understand the language.  We pay for shows that I feel give young people the idea that life is all play and no responsibility.  We pay for advertising programs that last 30 minutes.  I am tired of paying for the privilege of watching re-runs all summer long.  In other words, we pay for a whole lot of nonsense and I am sick of doing so.

I remember when companies tried to convince us that pay television was a good idea. They said if we paid for programming, there would no longer be a need for commercial advertising.   Today, we are paying more and are still forced to watch advertising.  I am told that I can block the programming that I do not want in my home, but I still have to pay for it.  That is like similar to wanting two dozen eggs while paying for and leaving the other 8 on the store shelf.

I am a believer in user fees.  If I ride a Ferris wheel at the state fair, I expect to pay. However, I should not have to pay for rides that I do not take.  Should I pay for ten gallons of gas when I only pump five?

If you believe as I do, please let your Congressperson know.

‘Meet me at the sill’

The vine on the outside does not understand how it feels to be confined on the inside.  The vine on the inside does not understand how it feels to be cold at night.

We have all heard the worn out sayings such as ‘We must walk in their shoes’ or ‘We must live their life’.  There are days when I would gladly exchange shoes with anyone.  Whoops, I shouldn’t be so rash, as their shoes may pinch worse than mine.

I am addressing the lack of understanding most humans have for the burden and obstacles of others.    It is impossible for me to understand the feeling of losing one’s home in a tornado or hurricane, because it has not happened to me. It is similar with illness.  Do not expect others to understand how you feel, as they do not live your illness day in and day out.  Others may not understand why you try to avoid certain things in your diet.  Or, why you must walk slower. Some may think you are merely trying to get attention.  This is especially true of young people.  Because they are healthy and have never been sick, they simply cannot understand how illness must be addressed or how it feels.  For example, I choose to avoid salt and fats as my kidneys and heart are impaired.   You, like me, have heard these words many times, “Just a little won’t hurt you.”

I am thankful that I am not a young person with lupus today.  It must be awkward to go out for dinner with friends.  Healthy young people can eat anything on the menu, while a young lupus patient must find something that is not detrimental to their health.  Healthy young people are not interested in eating bland food, they want to have fun experimenting with foods that the person with illness might have to avoid.  Thus, they select restaurants that suit them best.  I don’t blame them for doing so, becauseif I were young and healthy, I would be doing the same.

I have learned long ago to accept strange looks from a waitresses and waiters.  Years ago, it was difficult to get food without salt added.  Today, it is much easier.  When in doubt, I order two Eggbeaters scrambled without salt and toast dry.  Its boring, but my stomach is satisfied.

Others in life have different burdens to bear such as the obese and handicapped.  I do not understand the obstacles they face.

Middle Branch of the Escanaba River near Gwinn, Mi

“I am in earnest-I will not equivocate-I will not excuse-I will not retread a single inch and I will be heard. “  William Lloyd Garrison was vehemently opposed to slavery and wrote his feelings in his paper the Liberator.

I think we have a positive and negative place in our personality.  It is likely that each one has an equal influence on our decisions and determination. They are as opposite as good and evil.  One side is a positive strong fighter that doesn’t want to give up and the other is negative side that succumbs easily when challenged.  They are the yin and yang of our determination.

How are the above assumptions connected to our health problems?  If the negative wins it is likely that we will have more health problems.  Why is that?  Because we are more likely to abuse our bodies, less likely to see our doctor, take our medication, get adequate rest and follow our diet.  If our positive side wins, we are more likely to live a healthy lifestyle and follow our doctors suggestions.

What determines which side prevails?  Perhaps, the answer to that question starts at birth.  Positive grandparents and parents set positive examples for their offspring.  Monkey see, monkey do.

If the negative side prevails, we may end up in prison.  If the positive prevails we may end up serving on the Supreme Court.

“Looking through the logging camp window’  Photo taken in my studio.

“No man is happy unless he believes he is.”  Publilius Syrus was a writer who lived about the the time of Caesar.

Let’s start the New Year off right by making an effort to be happy.

I think I am a happy person.  However, I cannot describe what happiness is, but know that it is the opposite of sadness.  Maybe happiness is simply not being sad. That is a feeling we all understand.  Is happiness determined by and connected to other traits in our life such as honesty, kindness, charity, health, love and self-image? I believe it is a basket of all the things in our life.  If one has pride in one’s self, one is more likely to be happy.  Whereas, shame makes us sad.

Happiness is a general long term feeling, as nobody can be happy ever day.  If you have a health setback and no money to seek medical attention, it is difficult to be happy.  Happiness encompasses all aspects of our life.  We are either generally happy or generally sad.

Happiness does not come from material things.  ‘Gadgets impress, but soon depress’ is a quote from my newest book, Dust off Your Brain. Each time I bought some gadget on impulse, I came to regret my actions and it ended up in storage gathering dust.  Gadgets bring short-term happiness, but long-term regret.  Our garage and basement stored many gadgets that were ‘must haves’.

Communist Karl Marx said, “The first requisite for the happiness of the people is the abolition of religion.”  I feel that religion is one way to prevent disorder and world chaos.

With disorder can we have happiness?  A chaotic home is often not a happy home. Tranquility is the opposite of chaos.  It provides an environment without disturbing distractions.  Tranquility sets the stage for happiness. I do believe that happy parents in a tranquil home setting set a good example for and teach children how to be happy.

When things go bad can we still be happy?  Yes, if we are accustomed to happiness, it becomes ingrained.  After the death of a love one, we are unhappy.  That is a normal reaction.  I found that keeping myself busy was beneficial.  Idleness destroys self-pride and, in turn, destroys happiness.

Do outside forces such as world affairs affect our happiness?  I am convinced that anyone who watches television news programs all day cannot be happy.  Most of the stories are negative and few are positive.  They repeat and sensationalize negativity.

I think it is necessary to make a conscious effort to be happy by  keeping busy and surrounding ourselves with positive people.

This songbook was carried by my grandfather on his journey to America. The glasses were my grandmother’s.

Seneca, a Roman philosopher said, “If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living.”

Tools are things we use to help us accomplish a task.

Visualization engages our imagination to create an image in our mind.  As children, most of us played ‘make believe’.  It is similar to closing the door to a literal image, while substituting another in our imagination.

Many of us fear medical and dental procedures.  Visualization is a free tool that we can use to mitigate and divert our attention from fear, while relaxing muscles and reducing stress. It is a matter of training or forcing our mind to ignore the present and recall or create a pleasant vision.  It requires intense concentration to clear one’s mind and form a different an image. Try to recall and add as many details as possible to recreate the scene.    I always try to recall a past pleasant memory.  Often, it involves the time  spent with my niece when she was young or a favorite photography location.

I practice visualization in the office waiting room before being called for my appointment.  Thus, I am temporarily removed from my surroundings, which relaxes me prior to the procedure. After the procedure starts, I return to my visual feast.  I am not saying that it is possible to ignore the crunching sound when having a tooth pulled, but visualization will help you to relax and the time will pass faster.  If you are distracted, it is important to return to your vision as soon as possible.

Athletes use visualization in a different way.  They repeatedly previsualize each of their body movements before their  performance begins. In their mind, they see how they hope to perform.

Visualization can be used by lupus patients to reduce to relax muscles, which in turn reduces pain.  It can be used to reduce stress, which can elevate heart rate and blood pressure.