Forgotten Lessons Remembered

I believe I have been suffering from "burnout."

This happens to me from time to time when I am constantly thinking about problems I have no direct impact on. This time, of course, happens to be with the Aborigines and the state sanctioned sex abuse about to, if not already happening to their children. Being a survivor puts this issue very close to my heart.

So when I see so little action being taken, it brought me to the point where I realized that most people really just don't give a shit. This is what has brought me down.

But I learned an important lesson long ago. When I feel helpless about helping others with their struggles, I have to remember to rejuvinate myself otherwise I will become a useless piece of shit not only to those that need help elsewhere, but to myself.

This has not come to a hardcore level, ever, because I remember that lesson in my soul. I cannot do effective work if I have not taken care of myself. I have been neglecting my creativity as well as neglecting the fact that I am in a safe place.

A safe place means there are few or no direct threats against me in the immediate sense. Therefore I have to do what I can to keep myself happy and healthy otherwise I will not be of any use to anyone, especially myself. If I don't keep my arms strong and healthy, I won't be able to lob stones or swing a hatchett at the appropriate times.

I always give this advice to other activists and offer it to myself again as a lesson reaffirmed in this latest struggle: "Find those things that make you happy and create beauty in the world because if you don't, you will get burned out sooner or later doing this work because it is HARD WORK! You will become of no use to yourself let alone others."

I currently don't have to directly deal with issues of being shot at, bombed, being made a refugee, having my whole life disrupted and the lives of my family, etc. I cannot be an effective activist if I don't take care of myself in the safety that is currently a privilege in my life but should be a HUMAN RIGHT in everyone's life!

So, I've whipped out the old camera and have started taking photographs and creating poems and commentaries to go along with those. Some serious, some humorous, some beautiful, etc. It is one of the ways I celebrate life in my safety in order to hopefully help inspire others and create change in this world.

If you are in a safe place, don't forget to care for yourself. Don't forget to keep you spirits high because you have the opportunity. Don't forget to DO SOMETHING with those high spirits to help create change in this world. You need you, I need you, we all need you. Celebrate, Love, create joy and beauty, and struggle for yourselves, your families, your communities, and all of the peoples of this world.

See you at the revolution, and you damned well better be bringing your dance with you to share with us. I know I will!


That's me, on the left, there. No! Really! They did some photo shop on my body to make me look like someone else...Really! [If you believe that, I'M GONNA RUN FOR OFFICE!]