Thursday, February 24, 2022

Transgender Texans, You Are Loved (Thoughts on Governor's 2/22/22 "Order")

Texas, We Are Better Than This.


This is my reflection on this news:

Texas Governor Pushes to Investigate Medical Treatments for Trans Youth as ‘Child Abuse’

In a letter on Tuesday, Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to investigate gender-affirming treatments for transgender adolescents as “child abuse.” (from NY Times 2/23/22)
 

It’s 2022. Texas, we’re better than this. 

In a time when self-care and mental health is more important than ever, for a leader like Greg Abbott to come forward with an “order” on 2/22/22 to criminalize medical treatment for trans youth is at best confusing and at worst deadly. 

It is staggering how many people he is willing to hurt to appeal to his ultra-conservative constituents in an election cycle.

I will continue to affirm and love.

A human has the right to seek medical care to allow them live the gender identity outwardly they are internally. 

Transgender kids… you are seen. You are believed. You are loved. Please know you are loved.

Texas… it’s your job to voice your love for our kids with your vote. It’s time to remove Abbott from office in November. 

Lead with love. 

#LoveMovesFirst


Sunday, February 20, 2022

Week 26. 26th COVID-19 Test


Week 26. 26th COVID-19 test. 

What to say that hasn’t been said for the last 6 months. There’s still a pandemic. People are still getting sick and landing in the hospital. 

People who aren’t vaccinated at this point are making a personal choice. The problem with that is… that personal choice, if/when they get COVID-19, they make other people sick. If/when they land in the hospital, they take beds from people who need them (I have a relative who should be in the hospital after a surgery this week… but was sent home because beds are full with COVID-19 patients).

This isn’t political. This is life and death. 

Your personal choices are yours. 

When your choices adversely effect others, it crosses a line.

That is the line where you show your true self…. And when you surround yourself with people who believe that crossing the line is encouraged and acceptable, you become a parrot of hatred. You cause harm.

Me? I’m listening to qualified medical professionals who specialize in infectious diseases for my medical guidance. I’m working hard to love. I’m trying not to be dissuaded by people who respond to love with anger or seek to cause harm… or who simply act like they’re not concerned when they make choices that directly effect my family. 

I’m finding myself getting angry over little things that I used to shrug off. I’ve got to spend more time in silence and prayer this week and work on my heart. Because.  I love you. 

I challenge you, this week to…

Do no harm. Lead with love. 

Love moves first. 

#LoveMovesFirst

My test was negative. 

Here’s to being in a better headspace next week.




My Journey:

Week 1 - link
Week 2 - link
Week 3 - link
Week 4 - link
Week 5 - link
Week 6 - link
Week 7 - link
Week 8 - link
Week 9 - link
Week 10 - link
Week 11 - link
Week 12 - link
Week 13 - link
Week 14 - link
Week 15- link
Week 16 - link
Week 17 - link
Week 18 - link
Week 19 - link
Week 20 - link Week 21 - link
Week 22 - link
Week 23 - link
Week 24 - link
Week 25 - link  
Week 26 - link


Saturday, February 12, 2022

25th COVID-19 Test of the School Year

25th week of school. 
25th COVID-19 test. 




Coming back to school after a 4 day weekend seemed to refresh a lot of folks. In case you don’t know this… teachers are having a really rough year. I’ve talked to teachers who have been doing it (and well) for 20+ years and they admit this is the hardest school year of their lives. Many different reasons for that… but at the base of it is… hurt people hurt people. 

Our students have been witnessing the same a things we’ve been witnessing over the last few years… the death, anger, hate, disregard for basic human life, disrespect and celebration of bullies… and it has quite a few confused, angry at the world, looking to destroy things or people or in a hopeless self-harming place. Much more than years before because they don’t have the mental tools to deal with it all. Most adults BARELY have the tools to cope. 

And if you slip up… it’s being recorded and your life/career/world is over. 

It’s tough. Check in with your kids, they are not great… nobody is. Please make sure they are able to talk with you or a professional when they need to talk. And adults… find someone YOU can talk to or a professional. 

There was 2 COVID-19 related deaths in my world last week. I knew one - a mother of 2 in her 30s, the other was the grandmother of a friend.

The first was a family who used to attend church with us. An amazing loving family who always made me happy when I saw them. Both mother and son have some rare medical issues and when she got sick with COVID-19 she never made it out of the hospital.

The other one both renews my sense of why I write these updates each week and makes me feel a feeling of “why bother.”

A friend is traveling to Houston this weekend to bury his Grandmother who succumbed to COVID-19. She was in her 90s. She got COVID-19 because her nephew (who lives with her) works in an environment where his coworkers don’t wear masks. He caught COVID-19 from his co-workers and brought it home… where the grandmother got it and died. BECAUSE A COWORKER WHO WENT TO WORK SICK AND REFUSED TO WEAR A MASK.

When someone wears a mask they are doing so in order to protect themselves and their loved ones. They are also protecting you and your loved ones. 

I wear a mask because I love you. 

I test weekly because I want to assure I’m protecting all of the people I interact with on a daily basis. 

My test was negative. 

In spite of everything I just posted, I remain positive in outlook. I feel people are basically good and we do care about and love one another. 

Stand up to the bullies. 

Ignore the trolls.

Tell your story.

Listen to others when they tell theirs.

Don’t be a jerk. 

Lead with love. 

If someone responds with hate, walk away. 

Cause no harm. 

Love moves first. 

#lovemovesfirst



My Journey:

Week 1 - link
Week 2 - link
Week 3 - link
Week 4 - link
Week 5 - link
Week 6 - link
Week 7 - link
Week 8 - link
Week 9 - link
Week 10 - link
Week 11 - link
Week 12 - link
Week 13 - link
Week 14 - link
Week 15- link
Week 16 - link
Week 17 - link
Week 18 - link
Week 19 - link
Week 20 - link Week 21 - link
Week 22 - link
Week 23 - link
Week 24 - link
Week 25 - link

Sunday, February 6, 2022

24th Week of school and 24th COVID-19 Test

Birthday Pregame.... COVID-19 Test!

A sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to think about me yesterday and/or post on my socials for my birthday. Y’all contribute to this bubble of love that surrounds my world. 

This. Is. 49.


The family surprised me with a trip to Houston to spend time with my bestest friends for my birthday… so, we pregamed by all getting COVID-19 tests (we were all negative) and headed out as the roads became safe Friday. 

God bless those who continue to be cautious and take the extra care to make folks around them comfortable. 

If I were to have a birthday wish… if would be that each and every person truly thinks about the health and wellness… mentally and physically… of others before they speak, act, react or post…. And chooses to lead with love. 

24th Week.

24th COVID-19 test.

24+24= 48…. 

+ 1 to grow on…

=

49th Birthday.

I love you.

#LoveMovesFirst

Hashtag blessed




My Journey:

Week 1 - link
Week 2 - link
Week 3 - link
Week 4 - link
Week 5 - link
Week 6 - link
Week 7 - link
Week 8 - link
Week 9 - link
Week 10 - link
Week 11 - link
Week 12 - link
Week 13 - link
Week 14 - link
Week 15- link
Week 16 - link
Week 17 - link
Week 18 - link
Week 19 - link
Week 20 - link Week 21 - link
Week 22 - link
Week 23 - link
Week 24 - link
Week 25 - link