{"id":1403,"date":"2024-01-04T12:22:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-04T17:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rickollie.com\/?p=1403"},"modified":"2024-04-13T13:07:19","modified_gmt":"2024-04-13T17:07:19","slug":"surviving-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rickollie.com\/es\/2024\/01\/04\/surviving-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"Surviving 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"

Social Posts<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

January 4, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     I don’t know how your 2023 went but mine was tough. And as I scroll through my feeds on the various social sites, I clearly wasn’t alone in my anguish. Which gave me the idea of doing this blog. Maybe, just maybe one suffering soul can see they weren’t alone and find some solace in what others believe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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     The above image is what started this and I’m using some of the comments that were added to the post. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     “Surviving requires some action and is extremely difficult to do at times. Making it through any situation on any given day to take on the next, and the next, and the next IS surviving and certainly worth celebrating. So yeah, you\u2019re right \u201cIt\u2019s okay if all I did was survive.\u201d typed Julie,<\/strong> in the comment section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     While Manuel<\/strong> responded, “We can all just survive but is that a way of life? How about survive to live and help one another! Just my point of view. I have seen people just surviving and they aren\u2019t very happy people.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Both good points and like Manuel said, I wasn’t happy ‘just surviving.’<\/strong> That sucked. Every morning, knowing I was facing the same issues I had the day before started to eat away at me. Then Thanksgiving<\/strong> neared and a crazy idea popped to mind and that was to have you pick the Christmas Ornaments<\/strong> for me. With the exception for those that chose to purchase them on their own, it cost you a few minutes out of your life to brighten my days. So, I think the solution here is to reach out when you see someone hurting because a lot of ‘survivors’ don’t have the courage to reach out. I wanted to live again, not merely survive.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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     ‘Good vs Real’ <\/strong>this one I actually had to get clarity on. Thus, I sought their proper definitions from thefreedictionary.com.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

     ‘Good’ <\/strong>is defined as “Being positive, not bad or poor:” and also includes, ” Of moral excellence; upright; kind.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Whereas they define ‘Real’<\/strong> as, “Genuine and authentic, worthy, free of pretense.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     I have issues with the use of either, regardless of what one says of themselves, they’re neither. The way I see it, how one can be ‘of moral excellence.’<\/strong> and not be ‘authentic.’<\/strong> as well? My same line of thought applies to ‘not bad or poor’ <\/strong>when (admit it or not, no one is) ‘free of pretense.’<\/strong> Think about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     How can you look for a ‘real’ person knowing there may be no ‘good’ in them because of their appearance whether inside or out? I’d rather have someone I simply get along with. Someone with common interest. Like a game of pinball, a baseball game, a musical, the library, traveling. Things of enjoyment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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     The page above, had me shaking my head as soon as I read it. None of us would have been born if this were true. So, I’ll avoid the ‘don’t know what they’ve lost till afterwards’ statements and run a couple that are more supportive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     “But sometimes what you\u2019re going through can mean you do or say things that you later regret and that you wouldn\u2019t have done if you hadn\u2019t been going through trauma.”  Jackie commented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     “Every person has value and worth in this world, regardless of their background, circumstances or achievement. I firmly believe that everyone deserves respect, kindness and compassion. It is important to recognize the unique qualities and potential of each individual, and to appreciate their contributions to society. We can all make a positive difference in the lives of others by acknowledging and celebrating their worth.”  resonated Henry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

     I like Henry’s response the best, yet I’d like to add the word ’empathy’ to it as well.  For in that alone, there is humanity. And that’s what life is all about. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      Now to the one that has been gnawing at my existence for the better part of a year. It popped up again today in friend Karen Dumas’<\/strong> (Chief communications officer at City of Detroit) <\/strong>Facebook<\/strong><\/a> <\/strong>feed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     I’m not attempting to overthink her timing of its post, her intended motive nor whether or not she has read any of my blogs, which I’ve included it in. Yet, I’m sure there have been a few of them to cross her screen and I will reminder her that I’d love to interview her for this blog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Second guessing its meaning has haunted me like the ghost it originally appeared from in my Instagram feed last March. I kept thinking it was about me. Then about its poster, in a different meaning. It haunted me in Boston and then to Wisconsin. But today when Karen reposted it, the meaning was clear. I finally had the answer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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