The Midterm Elections are almost upon us. Left, right, or center, there is much passion, animosity, and stress. Drama. Pressure. Anger. Villifying the other side and getting villified by them. Then press “Repeat.”

But is it possible to be a proactive, politically committed person without getting too worked up (more distressed than is helpful or necessary)?

Is it something even worth considering? After all, the adrenaline rush can be mighty addictive.

At the end of the day, though, is it good for you?

The key may be to remain committed to your political values and views – and respect the fact that your opponents’ values are different, even contrary.

As incredible as it may seem, those bastards believe they are “good” and “righteous” and “moral” and that we are NOT.

Just … like … we … believe … about them.

How could this be?

It’s not possible. It simply isn’t.

But then, THAT’S what they think about us.

In today’s toxic environment, respecting your opponents’ right to differ can seem unacceptable. And yet it could help keep politics from becoming deeply personal. It may help keep the conversation civil without igniting a civil war. 

If nothing else, being driven by your cause – without getting agitated about it – may make you a more effective person and citizen.
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The main thing, of course, is to vote.

Feeling compassion for others is highly associated with emotional well-being, interpersonal connectedness, and stress management.

Here is a pithy article on Compassion by Jason Louv of Ultraculture: Compassion: Understanding the Buddhist Teaching of Radical Equality

There is an opioid epidemic in the USA. These highly addictive synthetic opiates are being purchased on the street, in pill mills, or with legal prescriptions.

They were designed to alleviate pain but are causing disease.

This is not a new phenomenon but simply the latest version of a long history between opiates and big business.

​Did you know that Bayer released heroin as an over-the-counter cough suppressant in 1895? (In fact, “Heroin” was Bayer’s trademarked brand name for what is really called diacetylmorphine.)

Did you know that in the 1800s England fought – and defeated – China in two wars (called the Opium Wars) to “earn the right” to sell the Chinese people abundant amounts of opium and keep them addicted, contributing to China’s decline?

There’s money to be made in addictive substances since they create their own increased demand. There’s money to be made in pain relief since people want to feel good.

There is a legitimate role for effective physical pain relief in medicine. Having said that, much of the pain people who abuse opioids try to avoid is emotional pain. They may feel nervous, guilty, depressed, traumatized, bored, angry, indifferent, and so on. This is natural … a normal response to life stressors.

Their emotional pain is a signal from their mind-bodies telling them something is wrong and needs to be looked at and changed.

People are spending a lot of money, committing crimes, and abusing their minds and bodies to not have to feel some of their human emotions.

Ultimately, people who have opioid addictions may want to ask themselves: Could it simply be better to feel my emotions than be addicted to opioids?

To meditate instead of medicate?
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Something to ponder….