DAY 64 – PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

I am sitting in a high school classroom with other students watching the news on television. After the program ended the teacher asks us what is the underlying theme in the news stories and the answers are all the same, problems exist in the world and sometimes someone comes along to help remedy the situation. The teacher then added one aspect to the stories that no one had a deeper grasp of, there are human beings on the receiving end of the actions of others and they may become affected by how they are treated.

As we continued to discuss this it soon became evident that every human being during the course of his or her life has their own negative and deflating experiences of not being treated as they want to be along with the positive and uplifting aspect of being treated well. All of these different kinds of experiences fill in the pages of each person’s life story that ultimately play an important role in how each of us thinks, feels and acts. Whether it is psychological and emotional pain or personal enjoyment and happiness, we are to a certain extent a by product of personal experiences.

Too often people act and react without taking into consideration how their words and behaviors affect other people. Does something you do make someone afraid instead of at ease. Does something you say create a reaction of anger instead of peaceful feelings. Do your words bring someone to tears instead of laughter. Our words and actions should contribute to bringing out the best in others and not create inner turmoil.

When we talk about personal experiences we need to think about it from the perspective of another person and what kind of impact it will have on that on that person. Each of us needs to be cognizant that certain words and actions can be damaging to another person’s psychological and emotional well-being and could, to their detriment, negatively alter how they go about living their life. No one wants to be mistreated and fully understanding how demeaning words and inconsiderate actions can be harmful to someone gives us the starting point of what never to do.

A mature person also understands what happens when they treat someone well. Showing kindness, consideration and respect enhances another person’s sense of self. Giving encouragement and consistently treating others well, especially the people we love, enables others to feel comfortable and at ease so they do not have to hide what they enjoy doing and can freely say what they believe in. Helping someone in their time of need can relieve the stress often associated with problematic situations. Each of us has a role to play in the lives of other people and that role needs to be one that is life enhancing and improves their lives.

Later that night I reflected back upon the discussion in class and I now realize that when I interact with someone I need to be aware of what I say and do because that can affect what people go through in their daily lives. My words and actions are at the center of whether I lift others up to greater heights or lower them down into an internal disharmony.

DAY 65 – IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO BE A CHILD WHO

I am at parent’s day sitting in my eight year old’s classroom and started to wonder what it would be like to be inside the mind of children and experience life from their perspective. I imagined hearing their silent words and basking in their wonderment of something new. I would know what they feel when they have joy and in their moments of sadness.

Parents have a simple role to play in their children’s lives even if at times it seems challenging and daunting. Parents must protect their children from harm whether it comes from nature’s wrath, another human being or a child’s own carelessness. Parents need to help children find joy and learn not only the basics about life but to also go deeper into understanding life’s nuances. Helping one’s own children to grow into a joyful, self-confident and mature adult that takes into consideration not only one’s own welfare but also the welfare of their fellow human beings may be the most important long term aspect of being a parent.

Most children have very good role models in those who raise them. Unfortunately, that may not be the case for some children. Imagine what it must be like for a child to hear from a parent that he or she is stupid, incompetant, lazy or not loved instead of smart, capable, will succeed and loved. Imagine what a child thinks when a parent wants nothing to do with them or is not fully engaged instead of having a parent who is wholly committed to them. Imagine what a child goes through when a parent has an alcohol or drug addiction that creates a chaotic household with yelling and screaming instead of living in a peaceful environment. If a parent’s words and actions do not create a sense in their children that they are cherished and that there is someone always by their side that they can rely upon, then something is greatly amiss in that child’s life.

Children also are greatly affected by how they are treated by other kids they interact with in school and in their community. Childhood should be a time where they just play and enjoy being young. It should not be a time where they are picked on or ostracized by other kids.

After sitting in the classroom for an hour I now realize that childhood is the most important period in a person’s life. It needs to be a time where each of us grows into a self-confident and mature human being. What we experienced while growing up plants a garden inside of us that can last a lifetime. The question then becomes whether there are beautiful plants that are growing and flourishing within that enhance life or are weeds being strewn about that need to be removed because they have contaminated the psychological and emotional wellness of a child.

DAY 66 – IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO BE A PARENT WHO

I am at a meeting with other parents who have gathered together to talk about the problems they are having with their children. The ages of the children vary but the one constant is that children do not fully comprehend how their actions affect their parents.

All of the parents have tremendous love for their children. They spend their time thinking about and trying to do their best for them. They give up many personal goals and desires to help them enjoy their childhood and grow into an adult who will have insights that enhance their life.

For some children they do not understand what a caring parent is attempting to do. When a parent says they have to do homework before playing or watching tv they do not like it. Being told they cannot do something children may think that their parents are unreasonable. While most children eventually come to understand what their parents have been trying to do, some children develop a pattern of thinking that focuses upon how they haven’t been treated like they want to be treated rather than appreciating the love and caring they have been shown.

As children become older and turn into teenagers there are more things they can do than when they were younger. Some of the situations they find themselves in have potential pitfalls and even when a parent explains what could go wrong they may dismiss it because they just want to do it no matter what. Points of contention sometimes develop between children and parents that escalate into arguments which takes away from a harmonious and peaceful household.

The immaturity of children is the reason they engage in activities that may turn out not to be in their best interests. If they do something dangerous they may not consider how they could hurt themselves or someone else. If they do not do well in school they mitigate the ramifications it could have upon their future. If they use alcohol and drugs they do not realize how detrimental it can be to their health and the potential to become addicted to them. All of these problematic behaviors become very upsetting and emotionally taxing on their parents, especially if they are recurring.

Being a loving and caring parent doesn’t end in their children’s childhood. They carry this love throughout their children’s lives. When a grown child has relationship, financial or health problems as well as anything else that may be amiss, parents are still concerned as they were decades ago. It becomes even more upsetting for a parent when an adult child does not want to change their ways and remedy the problematic situations.

When life goes well for one’s own children, it makes life easier for their parents. They do not have to concern themselves about the problems their children face or spend time trying to find a solution for it. They can free their minds so they can just enjoy the time they spend together and to fully enjoy whatever they personally find gratifying without having their child’s difficulties to weigh them down.

After meeting with these parents I now realize that in certain situations some children do not comprehend what a parent goes through. They do not understand the psychological and emotional distress that lies within a parent who has to deal with their children’s difficulties. The ability of a parent to have inner harmony is related to what occurs in their children’s lives.

DAY 67 – IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO BE DATING, COHABITATING WITH OR MARRIED TO A PERSON WHO

My boyfriend and I are at a retreat with other couples to talk about problems in our relationship. There are two key points the moderator of the event is trying to get us to understand. First, we need to look at what we say and do and how it affects the person we are dating, cohabitating with or married to. The second point is that the people who have long lasting harmonious relationships develop a maturity that allows them to not only withstand their problems when they occur but also enables them to prevent relationship difficulties from happening in the first place.

When the couples started to describe their relationships most people told how wonderful everything was going at the beginning of their relationship. They went places together that they had agreed upon and they would talk for hours on end. They showed kindness, consideration and respect for one another. There were no arguments or disputes just words of endearment and times filled with joy that enhanced both of their lives.

At some point these relationships started to change. One or both parties found little things that the other person said or did to be annoying and aggravating. Some of them were just dismissed without a word being said while other situations led to a deep seated annoyance that escalated into shouting, hurt feelings and a realization that life with that person is no longer the same.

How can anyone feel good and enjoy life to its fullest when they are not treated well by the person they are dating, cohabitating with or married to. No one can feel safe and have peace of mind when they are yelled at, verbally disparaged, threatened with violence or sexually assaulted. No one can trust someone when they are betrayed by lies or deceit.

Relationships where there is mutual happiness and contentment requires both people to have consideration for the psychological and emotional well-being of the other person. Those who can calmly talk when there are differences instead of becoming angry will create the underpinnings for compromise that is satisfactory for both people that deeply care for one another. Those who take into account the desires of the other person will show that what is important to the other person is important to you. Without such consideration there may be feelings of love but what is missing are the loving actions that are so important for a harmonious and functional romantic relationship.

Like young children who only think of themselves and do not consider the ramifications for the other person, immaturity is at the center of relationship problems. People in a relationship want peace and harmony but immature actions prevent it. By showing the mature ability to be heard, understood and encouraging the other person to achieve what is important to that person relationships will thrive. Sometimes the path to a fulfilling romantic relationship may have pitfalls but maturity will enable both people to withstand any impediments.

I now realize that the words and actions each of us shows towards the person we are emotionally involved with has a huge effect on how the other person thinks and feels. Without kind words and thoughtful actions people become disappointed and unhappy and no one wants to be in a relationship where they are not thriving, happy and have a sense of fulfillment.

DAY 68 – IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO BE A PERSON WHO DOES OR DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO HIS OR HER PHYSICAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLNESS BY

I am watching a documentary about human health and psychological wellness. People of various ages are being interviewed to find out how serious they have been about creating the best possibilities for achieving better health along with a psychological wellness that brings about an inner harmony which enhances their lives. The answers are far ranging and with each person’s outlook there are implications not only for the present but also for their future.

No one ever knows how their body will function over time. We hope for the best always knowing that something could suddenly develop that creates discomfort or pain. Wishing for it to quickly pass does not answer the question if this health issue is something temporary or a precursor for a more serious condition that will greatly impact the quality of their life.

Knowing that a health problem may suddenly arise gives us the starting point to the realization that it is of utmost importance to treat one’s body in a manner that will bring about better physical health both in the short and long term. Getting off to a healthier start in life lies with a person’s parents. By helping to set up patterns where eating healthy foods, drinking beneficial liquids and getting an appropriate amount of exercise is an everyday occurrence their children will reap the benefits.

As a person progresses into adulthood it becomes incumbent upon each of us to strive throughout our lives to do what is best for one’s body. So much of how our lives progress over time is related to how each of us treats our body. The type of consciousness a person has related to his or her health can be the difference between the ability to do or not do what you enjoy doing, more or fewer illnesses and diseases, more or fewer medications taken, more or less time spent at a doctor’s office, more or fewer hospital stays and a shorter or longer life span.

Except when a person in either childhood or as an adult has a neurological problem that creates havoc for them, parents play a crucial role in their children’s psychological wellness. Children, like adults, want to be treated with kindness. They need words of praise that uplifts their spirit and not demeaning words that deflates the joy that resides within. Children need words of encouragement that keeps their inquisitive desires alive and not discouraging words that makes them unsure of themselves. When a child makes a mistake or acts immature, which is as natural to them as breathing, they do not want an annoyed and angry response by a person they rely upon every day of their young lives. It sometimes is easy to see how we have become psychologically affected by the people who raise us.

Physical illnesses and psychological distress takes its toll not only on the person who has such personal issues but also on the people who love them. It is family members who are concerned and worried when someone they love has a health or psychological problem. It is family members who do things for those they love when they are unable to do it for themselves. It is family members who take them to the doctor, go shopping for them, cook for them, clean their home and bring things to them when they are unable to do it while forsaking many of their own desires. A person who treats their body and mind in an irresponsible manner is also inconsiderate towards the people who love them because their loved ones also pay an emotional price for such irresponsibility.

No matter how a person is treated growing up it still comes down to every person’s silent words that determine how they treat their body and mind. No one can expect their body to function as optimally as it can without doing the best for it. No one can expect to have life enhancing emotions without thoughts that bring it about. The inner harmony that human beings want for themselves will not just happen without each of us purposefully striving to create it.

When the documentary ended I now realize that life can be much harder for myself and the people who love me if I do not create the underpinnings for better physical health and psychological wellness. My body and my mind are in my control and by acting with more in-depth insights I can bring about an inner harmony that serves me well.

DAY 69 – IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO BE A PERSON WHO CONTRIBUTES TO HIS OR HER EDUCATION AND KNOWLEDGE BY

I am a third grade teacher. It is spring and my class is outside playing. The sun is shining brightly so I go back inside to get my sunglasses. When I come back out I start to think about how wearing sunglasses to block out the sun may be similar to students who do not try to do their best in school by blocking out what teachers are trying to get them to understand.

Human life is about learning. Everything we do we have to learn. No one becomes better at something without spending time learning as much as he or she can about that subject. The less a person knows the less prolific a person will be about any aspect of life. When a student does not do his or her best while in school it is tantamount to saying I don’t care if I am less informed.

There is little incentive to expand one’s horizons when a person wants to stay the same and have the same life as he or she has had in the past and still has today. If you want a new job that is different than the one you have and it requires a new skill set that you do not have then you have to learn something new. If you want a harmonious relationship without arguments or disappointments and you presently do not have that then you have to learn something new that will bring it about. If you want to live in peace with people who belong to a different nationality, religion, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation and you presently are at odds with people belonging to a different group than you belong to then you have to learn what will bring about better relationships with them. If you want to live on a clean and sustainable planet and the earth has environmental problems then you have to learn how you can personally contribute to it functioning without those environmental problems.

So many children do not realize that they will have aspects to their future that they do not not want to have. Most of the chaotic moments and longer duration turmoil that any individual has to deal with during the course of his or her life could be prevented with insightful knowledge about how to create a personally better life. Most of the societal difficulties that exist also could be prevented with insightful knowledge about how to create a better world for all of humanity.

As my class and I are walking back into school and I take off my sunglasses I now realize that to fully see and understand life better we need to take off our sunglasses that blocks out the knowledge that can make each of our lives better and a world with fewer societal difficulties.

DAY 70 – IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO BE A MEMBER OF A NATIONALITY, RELIGION, RACE, ETHNICITY OR SEXUAL ORIENTATION WHO

I am on trial for a crime I did not commit. My hope is that my attorney will provide the evidence to find me not guilty that a jury will hear with impartiality. With the only witness presented by the prosecutor I begin to lose hope for a fair trial based upon the evidence.

The person who was called to the witness stand tells the jury that I am not like them. He says that I come from a different nation than they do. He makes reference that my religious beliefs are different than theirs. He comments that my race is different than theirs. He says my ethnic background is different than theirs. He points out that I have a different sexual orientation than they do. He ends his testimony without any reference to the actual case at hand.

My attorney then has a rebuttal question to this characterization of me that I am different than the members of the jury. He asks this witness if he was trying to get you, the jury, to come to a conclusion about my innocence or guilt not based upon verifiable facts but to pre-judge me solely based upon my group identification which is different than yours. He also counters with one simple aspect about me, that I am like every one of you on the jury, a human being who just wants to live his life in peace and harmony.

For those who are negatively pre-judged because of the group they belong to it has far reaching consequences. They know because of past experiences that people may not be as fair, caring and understanding by those who think of certain people as different. They fully comprehend that those judgements are not based upon the actual character and qualities for those who they consider “the others” but upon generalizations and anti-thoughts that have built up over time. Saying it is disheartening for those who are disliked because of being pre-judged is an understatement because the impact is so much greater than that.

When people are disliked and often hated because they are a member of a certain nationality, religion, race, ethnicity or sexual orientation they are more likely to be considered as a lesser human being and less deserving of a better life by people who have this type of mindset. With such thoughts they often act unfairly and their unequal treatment makes life very difficult for the recipients of such animosity. For people who are the victims of this lack of humane respect they fully understand that their lives will be filled with roadblocks that other people do not have to go through.

Human beings want to live their lives with inner harmony. A huge factor in finding inner harmony is being treated with kindness, consideration, respect and dignity. Every person wants the ability to move about without having to look over their shoulder thinking someone will not treat them well or may physically harm them. In addition, having a psychological ability to live life without the constraints put on them because of being negatively pre-judged is real freedom.

When the trial ended I was found not guilty. I was lucky to have a jury that was able to look past the biassed pre-judgements made by this sole witness to what had actually occurred. If they didn’t I would have been unfairly judged that would have sent me to prison and most likely left me with emotional scars that I would take with me for the rest of my life.

While there are many who negatively pre-judge their fellow human beings, I now realize that there are far more people on this earth who are not biassed, who treat everyone with the best of intentions and who believe that everyone should have the same rights and privileges as everyone else which then frees up humanity to live in harmony with one another.

DAY 71 – IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO BE LIVING ON AN EARTH THAT

At a young age I had made up my mind that when I graduated from school I would travel around this planet in order to bask in the wonderment of nature’s beauty. During the course of two decades this desire has taken me to places where I have seen picturesque mountains, sat on many beaches just enjoying the bluest of blue oceans, walked along trails in forests with all of its various types of trees, basked in wonderment at the sight of many diverse plant and animal species and enjoyed looking up at the sky above in one hundred countries. I am now more appreciative of our earth than ever before.

Our earth is more than just how visually striking it is to the eye. The earth is the lifeline for life itself. Every species requires the earth to function in a manner that allows it to flourish.

While the earth can give us the most pleasant days with sunshine and a tranquil setting it can also play havoc with life on this planet. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcano eruptions, hurricanes, tornadoes, droughts, blizzards of rain and snow, excessive cold and excessive heat can become a destructive and deadly force for anything or anyone in its path. There is very little anyone can do to stop the earth from displaying its power and might at that moment when it occurs.

There are various natural processes at work on the earth that affect how it functions for the benefit of all plant and animal species including the human species. An outside force beyond the earth’s natural forces is the ripple effect human activity has upon the earth. Humanity in its desire to use the earth’s resources can be a destructive force to how the earth functions for life itself.

When pollutants that are produced by human beings are discharged into the soil, waterways and atmosphere there is a price to pay both locally and globally. Think of all of the species of plants that are having a difficult time surviving because of human activity. Think of all of the animal species living in the wild and in the oceans that are finding it difficult to exist as they have always done or, even worse, are dying off because of human activity. Think of the difficulties human beings are having when they are living in a locale where the earth is becoming inhospitable to their ability to thrive and survive because of human activity. When something happens that does not enable the earth to function for the benefit of various species of plants and all living species, including the human species, it makes it difficult at best for life to thrive on this planet.

When life goes well for any human being part of the reason for it is because the earth works in a manner that enables it to work for you. You have clean water to drink. You have a food supply that continually feeds you. You have clean air to breathe. You have products that are made from the earth’s resources. The ability of every human being to have a better life begins with the earth operating in a manner conducive to that better life.

Looking back at my travels around mother earth I now realize that the earth is interconnected in a holistic way with everything that goes on within it. Too many hardships occur when human beings disregard how they affect the processes that are at work on this earth. Humanity is the most powerful species on this planet and can be a disruptive force in how the earth functions in both the short and long term. We not only have to, but we absolutely must, carry out our affairs in a manner that contributes to a cleaner and healthier earth.

DAY 72 – IMAGINE WHAT IT MUST BE LIKE TO BE A PERSON WHO

My brother and I are thirty year old twins. This is the only similarity we have to each other.

During our youth I tried to do my best in school and did well while my brother would skip classes and had failing grades. I graduated from a good college and he went to a trade school but dropped out before completing it. I have worked for one company since college and he goes from job to job which never lasts for more than a few months. I have a nice home to live in and he at times has lived in a homeless shelter. While the two of us have similar genes we are two completely different people.

Seeing what my brother has done with his life has made me appreciate the life I have created for myself. Life has not been a completely smooth ride for me but I have learned how to deal with the difficult moments with a maturity that does not let those difficulties linger or get to me where I become distraught and distressed by them.

When life doesn’t turn out as I want it to I understand that there will be situations that are stressful and I will find ways to persevere through it until I find a way to resolve it or the difficulty just fades away over time. I try to not let any difficulty define who I am as a person and what I can do about it. My mindset allows me to see past the immediate problem to a point in time where my life gets back to where I want it to be.

My brother, on the other hand, has made poor choices after poor choices in how to live his life. When life does not turn out as he wants it to he then believes many of those situations are hopeless and he cannot do anything that will help alleviate the problem. He becomes so annoyed and angry at his plight that he turns to alcohol and drugs to calm himself down and soothe his emotional pain. He does not fully comprehend that how he deals with existing or potential distress is not the method by which problems will not develop or quickly go away.

It is important to understand that there are so many things in life that a person can be enthusiastic and joyful about. From the people we love and care so much for and who gladly reciprocate their love and caring to the things we enjoy doing, human beings have meaning in their life that can carry them through any situation. By tapping into this part of life it puts personal difficulties in its proper place, something we have to deal with but nothing that will take us away from finding joy, happiness and fulfillment.

I now realize that by having people in my life that I love and things I enjoy doing I have meaning to my life that helps me to stay grounded and act in life enhancing ways. There is no reason to engage in self-destructive behaviors that makes my life more difficult than I want it to be.

DAY 73 – DISRUPTIVE NATURE OF LIFE: HUMAN DIFFICULTIES

I am drinking a smoothie and started to think about the word smoothie. The word comes from the word smooth. Both words connote an evenness to it and something without lumps.

Life itself is not a smooth and even ride. People have problems that they wish they would not have. They are disruptive to living our lives in harmony with our fellow human beings and with the earth. They make it harder to find inner peace and inner harmony which is where each of us wants our lives to be.

Everything we do takes place at that exact moment. Certain things we think about and are engaged in seem so important while we are doing it that we lose sight about the ramifications of our actions. The immediacy of the moment often completely outweighs the tomorrows.

How can anyone make beneficial decisions if they do not look at what will follow. Some actions appear very rational at that moment but when a person looks in the rearview mirror it becomes obvious that previous thoughts and behaviors have created more disharmony than anyone anticipated.

Most problems are unintended. No one wants to purposefully make his or her life more problematic than it needs to be. No one wants the stressors that are associated with living a life filled with short term or longer term turmoil.

When we ignore a problem by continuing to act as before and expect it to go away without intervention no one can expect a smooth journey. Intermittent problems can be very annoying at best but a particular problem that lingers can be a psychological drain that makes it seem that there is no end in sight. Living one’s life with one struggle after another doesn’t make any sense.

By understanding that something can happen at any moment to disrupt a smooth and peaceful life can help us interject the bigger picture into the equation of our beliefs and actions. We can try and figure out what will create problems whether they take place at that moment or years down the road. This applies to each of us as an individual and all of us as an entire species.

I now realize that human difficulties are a disruptive aspect to a harmonious life and world. I can no longer act in the absence of understanding the bigger picture. I can no longer ignore problems because they will not go away on their own.

DAY 74 – UNITING AROUND HUMANITY’S ONE COMMON ENEMY: PROBLEMS

Last week I read a post online asking for students at our college to show up at a field near the campus. It stated that we, the youth of the world, are the future and what we do can have a great impact upon what unfolds on this planet. I decided that I will be there as I wanted to find out more about this.

I got there a few minutes late and I could not believe what I saw. There were about five hundred kids standing in a gigantic circle holding hands with one another. In the middle of the circle was a twenty foot high sign on a pole with the word PROBLEMS on it. I proceeded to join the circle and took the hand of a person on my right and someone on my left.

The person who organized this gathering began to speak at the base of the sign. He said the word PROBLEMS is spelled out in giant letters because our ability to have a personally better life and to live in a collectively better world is related to the amount and severity of problems that each of us have. He pointed out that having a gigantic sign twenty feet above us with the word problems on it represents that problems hover over us and does not let us soar. The circle that we formed signifies that we must surround our problems and contain them. In addition, one of the most important points he made was that by holding hands we are united with one another in an effort to do something that eliminates problems that human beings have.

He continues by saying that when problems occur because of something a person does we often think very negatively about such a person and castigate that person for it. In our minds we look down upon people who create problems and rarely if ever separate the person from the problem. By doing this we lose sight that problems are our enemy and not the person who creates them.

He also points out that in an effort not to have problems we have to think about problems from the standpoint of something that no one wants to have. A person does not set out to create problems for himself or herself and often they do not want to create a problem for someone else even though they happen anyway. While we can never get rid of people we can get rid of problems that people have. Problems are our universal enemy.

He winds up his speech by saying that when we think about problems from the perspective of problems as our universal enemy and not the person who has them it will also make us more understanding and sympathetic for the person who has them, whether he or she created them by their actions or just someone who is just going through a particularly difficult time. The more we can understand a person’s situation and sympathize with that individual. the more likely we will try to help them resolve those difficulties.

As I am leaving this event and talking to a fellow student, I now realize that having disdain for the person who creates a problem does nothing to eliminate human problems. By focusing my attention upon eliminating problems I can be more effective in having fewer personal difficulties and be of greater assistance to someone in their time of need.

DAY 75 – TWO ASPECTS OF NOT HAVING DIFFICULTIES

It is one month after I went to the event at my college where five hundred students gathered together in a field and the organizer of this event discussed the issue of human problems. Since then people who were there along with other students and faculty have been continuously talking about it on campus. Our weekly student run newspaper has put articles online that students have submitted about problems they have had.

So many kids talked about how they have been mistreated while they were growing up. Some have had parents who yelled at them and used a belt to punish them when their parents got mad. There were a few articles about how the person they were dating verbally demeaned them or just ended the relationship by never getting in touch with them again. Other kids told about getting picked on in grammar and high school by other kids.

Many articles were about the problems that exist in the community where they come from. Some people had water coming out of their faucets that was polluted that made people sick. Others came from areas where shootings were too common and created fear in the people who live there. Too many students told of the hardships they faced because of their race, religion,ethnicity or sexual orientation.

A large number of articles were about problems that were of a global nature. Many students were concerned about people living in poverty around the planet. They also showed their concern about the hate and bigotry that exists in this world. The one issue that stood out more than anything else was the overwhelming concern for their immediate future because the earth has been warming up with many more extreme weather events now than just a few years ago.

While all of these articles describe how something in their personal life, in the lives of people they know or in society at large was problematic, one article was completely different. This article discussed problems from the perspective of not having them.

The author of this article pointed out that there are two aspects about problems that are essential in not having them. The first one is that human beings need to make an effort to not have them develop in the first place. The second aspect to not having problems is that there are situations that develop where a problem does occur and each of us needs to quickly take steps to eliminate those difficulties so the problem does not linger or becomes worse over time.

The article went on to discuss how life becomes so much easier when a person or an entire group of people do not have problems that they have to deal with. People are more relaxed and at ease without the tension and pressure that can engulf their thoughts. Time can be spent on things they enjoy doing instead of having to deal with the unwanted. It does not matter whether a difficulty is of a personal nature or something that an entire community has to deal with, human beings are affected by problems even if they are short in duration.

Because of this letter about not having problems I now realize that our ability to have a better life and live in a better world requires every human being to become cognizant of how to prevent problems from developing in both one’s personal life and the world at large and when something does become problematic we need to immediately take the necessary actions so it doesn’t become an ongoing struggle that constantly requires our time, attention and energy.