Today's thought is lifted from my diary.
Litter pickup was on the menu, again - once I took my recyclables and trash out and saw the ground display. It's always heartbreaking.

It’s not just the crack vials and coke and weed bags and blue smoke wrappers. It’s cups and plates and takeout containers. Gloves and masks and food. Used cotton swabs, tampon applicators, screws, nails, and a steering wheel cover. Always a flattened, fat rat or two or three.

​The more I clean it up, the more they do it. It’s starting to feel like an over the top display of hatred combined with joy of false power. It is a feeling I've felt before, if I didn't know what it was at the time.

It's not that I don't understand hate. After all, I hate litter, air pollution, noise pollution, and any other pollution you can think of.  This is healthy hate.

I don't hate good, intelligent, talented people. I don't hate anything that is healthy, joyous, or challenging. That would be toxic hate.

To hate that which is healthy and good is to be pathological.
Pathological attitudes cause the negative stress that leads to chronic health conditions.

Then there are the actions taken as a result of hate.
All emotions are valid and serve a purpose. It is what we do as a result of those emotions that matters.

Civilized people seek appropriate, legal ways to handle any situation causing hateful emotions. This is healthy dealing with hate.

Uncivilized people harass the ones they hate, in whatever manner they can get away with. This is toxic dealing with hate.

Toxic dealing is pathological and causes negative stress leading to chronic health conditions.

Toxic hate is what I am begging society to pay attention to and do something about. Yet, all I get is silence or blank stares or worse: "Everyone is doing the best they can; everyone is good underneath." Sorry, folks. Not true.

The number one thing we should never do, is impose our emotions, good or bad, upon others. Or if we do, apologize and make it right.

Yet, almost all I see, left and right, are people running with their emotions. It's the energetic equal of running with a sharp knife. People are going to get hurt! Strong emotions with little or no examination or discipline, like toddlers having tantrums.

When are we going to grow up into adults who choose to be good role models, wherever we find ourselves? A painful, dysfunctional, traumatic past is no excuse. Some of the most beautiful people alive came out of the fires of hell to be leaders for the good of mankind.

Most people have experienced or witnessed refrigerator blindness. It happens when you cannot see what is right in front of you.

Refrigerator blindness happens even when no refrigerators are around.
It can happen on a mental, emotional, or physical level. 
It is a problem that needs addressing - is begging to be addressed.

Today, is about how prevalent and dangerous this particular blindness problem is.
​Today's morning ramble is about root-level correction of the problem - as I see it.

I've known too many parents who hate their children.
I found a pattern.
In every case (that I've witnessed), the parent did not know how to parent. Or thought they knew, but thought rather wrong and were not open to suggestions.
In every case, the parent had expectations from the child that the child did not (could not) deliver.
In every case, the child is the one who suffers.
While the parent whines about how ungrateful their children are. Playing the victim. Seeking solace.
Where the hell are the parenting classes?
What is wrong with us that we don't teach parenting?

Every morning upon awakening I unclasp room-darkening curtains. As I pull the sturdy brown fabric wide I breathe in patience. I scan the nabe pretending it's all about the trees and the sky.

Background
Thomas W. Findley, MD, founding member of the original World Fascia Congress asked me to create a 1,000 word summary of a surgeon's 50 year-career, to be published as a chapter in a first-of-its kind book on fascia. To me, this was a gift as well as an intense challenge. I studied the many translated-from-French surgical research papers of the brilliant plastic surgeon, Jean Claude Guimberteau. There was a mind-bending struggle to understand and communicate the deeply important connections being made that are changing the face of the future of medicine. I knew the joy of success when these replies were received:

Handspring, now a part of Jessica Kingsley Publishers' Singing Dragon division, is publishing company devoted to helping expand bodywork science and education, something I care a great deal about. So, I was thrilled when the original founder invited me to be the language editor for this brilliant and novel research book by J. C. Guimberteau and Colin Armstrong. This is groundbreaking research that is changing the future face of medicine for the better.
With every job, I pay attention to the professionals and learn as much as I can. What I learned from Handspring Publishing is that I'd love to be in the publishing field! It was a privilege and a pleasure being a member of their team for this project. 

CafeMom started out as ClubMom, a site where moms are in support of and in service to each other and their loved ones.

Tragedy Triggers Career Pivot
An acute thumb injury, obtained from sharp canines whilst removing my Maine Coon from a visiting Pit Bull's throat, halted my bodywork practice for a while, but allowed me to take on an editing job. I'd no experience or education, only a demonstrated passion for fixing things. So, the editors took a leap of faith and brought me on board - for that I will always be grateful.

Promoted
They needed volumes of useful content, fast. I loved working fast! Within that short editing marathon, I was promoted. I took that as a sign I was doing a professional job for an amateur. I have interest and background in practical health matters, and I deeply care about (sane) parenting. This was noticed, so they assigned me to those specific categories. I genuinely enjoyed getting all the health and child-rearing tips edited and ready for prime time for a site about moms supporting moms.