| Whether natural disaster, man-made disaster, | | | | hospital or public health office. In any case, get off |
| foolishness or delusions, at some point many of | | | | your hindquarters and figure out where to go to |
| us suffer what we deem to be an irreversible | | | | get what you need. Drop the grief and feeling of |
| down-turn. It isn't really, but if you buy into | | | | betrayal and get busy. You can grieve over what |
| believing that, you might become another | | | | you have lost when you have taken care of the |
| statistic-so don't believe it. As long as there is still | | | | basic survival needs. |
| even a tiny spark of Life left, the possibility to go | | | | Step three is one that many people forget: be |
| on exists. | | | | grateful. If someone gives you something that |
| After the disaster of hurricane Katrina, many | | | | helps you, thank them. This is not a time to be |
| people recovered. True, they had to move | | | | picky; this is a time to be grateful that you have |
| elsewhere, uprooting families and traditions, but | | | | food, a safe place to sleep, warm clothes, friends, |
| they recovered, or at least started to. The same | | | | and people willing to help. I find it interesting that |
| thing will happen with the earthquake in Haiti, as it | | | | often the people who have the least are the |
| happened with the tsunami in Indonesia, and the | | | | most willing to give what they have to help |
| earthquakes in China and Japan. People will pick | | | | others in need...isn't helping others what we all |
| themselves up and go on. Life must keep on | | | | need to do? |
| going; that is the universal mandate. | | | | Step four involves planning what to do next. If |
| While the USA is suffering something that we | | | | you have no imagination, go find someone who |
| don't want to label as a Depression, and people | | | | will help you make your plan. There are plenty of |
| are angry at governmental excess and | | | | senior citizens around who would be more than |
| mismanagement of the country's funds, there are | | | | happy to be asked for help in their area of |
| still ways to get on with life. The requirement is | | | | expertise. Step four includes moving in the |
| this: DECIDE to move on. Step one is always the | | | | direction you have chosen, even if it is one tiny |
| decision to proceed. You don't have to know how; | | | | step at a time-just keep moving. |
| you just have to decide that is what you will do. | | | | So what if you can't find a job that you have |
| Step two involves some observation and | | | | been doing for 20 years? Maybe it's the universe's |
| investigation. If you have no money for food, go | | | | way of telling you it's time for a change. Diversify; |
| find out where to get food. For those in big cities, | | | | find what is needed and fill the gap. It doesn't |
| there are food banks, churches, shelters, | | | | take money to provide a service that is needed; |
| community kitchens, and governmental programs | | | | it just takes willingness. Take a page from the |
| that are set up. If you need shelter, check out | | | | self-made millionaires and 'get real': do what it |
| the community resources. If you are a stranded | | | | takes to get where you want to be. That is the |
| motorist, check out agencies that help with | | | | secret that creates an "overnight success"; add |
| getting cars repaired, like St. Vincent de Paul. If | | | | to that "without harm to others" and you've got |
| you need clothing, check with churches and | | | | a winning combination. |
| shelters. If you need medical care, go to a county | | | | ©2010 Dr. |