Our future

I wish that we could all see
The hardship building gradually
For ourselves and our children
Then maybe change would happen

If we could all live for the future, I believe life woud be better. For so long, our ancestors did not realize or have the knowledge to foresee our future. Now that we are living with their mistakes, we have the ability to change the world for the better for those after us. Unfortunately, life is often too hectic for us to stop, think, and act the way required to make a positive, lasting impact for future generations.

I do believe huamnkind has made many positive adavncements but there are many negative choices we continue to make. The biggest issue I discuss over and over is the hurriedness of life, the financial burdens, and those other pitfalls that we let keep us from taking huge steps toward bettering the future!

Food ideas

As a child, my attitude toward food may have been unhealthy. I believe that food was used as a comfort by my family at times, especially my mother. When she had trouble sleeping or was feeling bored, she would make fried potatoes or zuccini. I remember late at night my mother firing up the fryer and making us snacks. Until reading the blog assignment, I NEVER even thought about the effect this had on me and my mother. My father always lifted weights and tried to gain weight as he was thin. He could eat whatever he wanted and it did not affect him at all. Even up to this point, my dad has never had any extra weight at all. For breakfast, he has a king size Hershey bar and a Dr. Pepper. This has been his routine for over twenty years.

As a child, I was always extremely skinny. I actually was so self conscious and hated it(crazy!!), even as a teen I never weighed more than 105 lbs. I always ate whatever I wanted with my parents. I believe that my mother taught me to use food as a comfort tool. Even now, when I feel bored or depressed my thoughts turn to food. My ex husband and even my current husband both have also used food as a form of entertainment.

I believe so many people have this problem. So many times, I try to view food as way to survive rather than an indulgence. It is very difficult because often there is nothing to do except to eat. I know proper nutrtion but when it coems to following it, I have such a hard time.

Aging Gracefully

The river of life that flowed
Slowly trickled away from me
All the ability I have known
Has now been stolen from me.

Menopause is seen as an end in society. When I think of it, I feel scared and know that I will have some grief when this time hits. First, menopause should not be referred to as "the change". In life, there are so many changes so why would this event get that title. Women have to realize that menopause is a natural process in life to protect life itself. To ensure we can grow with our children and ensure they make it into adulthood. The entire subject should be treated that way. No one should be made to feel it is their fault or something bad. It is a part of life we cannot change. Women shoudl be encouraged, loved, and counseled through the fears and insecurities associated with menopause.

My husband and I wanted to try to have a child. I have one from my first marriage but he has no biological children. After years, I never became pregnant and immediately we thought something was wrong with me. My doctor had talked about early menopause before testing me for anything and my husband's response was this, "Great. This affects me more than you, you already have a kid. How would menopause affect you now?" What a terrible attitude especially when it has turned out to be him with the infertility issues. Now at 32, I do not feel the need to have children but menopause will still scare me because of the way it is presented in society!

Helping a Friend

The idea of suspecting you have an STD is very scary. During my high school years, I did have a friend who confided that she thought she had contracted something. She was afraid and mostly embarassed by the entire experience so she refused to address it. This is an incidence I will never forget because I kept telling her to go to the doctor or tell her mom. She had severe symptoms which she would treat by douching almost daily, an unhealthy habit. I tried to be there for her but the whole situation made me very anxious and unsupportive because she continued having unprotected sex with other guys. I wouldn't desert a friend but I felt what she was doing was very wrong and that behavior is the reason behind such rampant spreading of STDs. We basically quit talking due to her unsafe behavior. Why if you thought you had an STD would you continue having sex with multiple partners? Did she not realize that her promiscuity is what contributed to her having this in the first place? I know she eventually found out years later that she had gonorrhea and I would guess it destroyed her chances of having children; as she has none today that I have heard. I also wonder how many people she infected. Should I have told someone?