This past week has been filled with a lot of ups and downs, much of it difficult and stressful. Add to that the spring snow storm that left me scrambling to find features for this week’s Citizen-Tribune after many of the original ones I had on my list were canceled or postponed.

 

As often happens when times like this occur, random, unrelated thoughts have been running through my mind. To help clear my head I’m unloading a few of them here.

 

 

I’ve always believed things happen for a reason. Years ago, I was trying to decide what to do with my life career-wise when an unexpected event happened that made me realize life is short. 

 

I had a good job I enjoyed at the time but the idea of teaching had been in the back of my mind. I quit my job, spent the summer with my kids, and in the fall was hired as an instructor at St. Cloud Technical & Community College teaching advertising and design. I loved it.

 

Four years ago, I found out I was being laid off from my teaching position after 13 years. I’d been thinking about going back to school to further my education but didn’t have the time. I decided to use the layoff as the opportunity to do so. I now have my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. 

 

 

I have a number of friends and extended family members who are gay or bisexual. I’ve never thought of them in terms of their sexuality, I’ve always just thought of them as the people they are. 

 

When gay marriage became legal in Minnesota I was talking to an older acquaintance who angrily said he was going to move out of the country. (He’s still here) Reminds me of a lot of people after President Trump was elected. . . 

 

I truly believe if people who feel this way actually took time to get to know a person who is different than themselves they’d be surprised. A person’s sexuality doesn’t define them, it’s just one small part of who they are. It’s the way they were born. A lot like our other differences.

 

For those who say it’s against the teachings of the Bible, I don’t believe God would turn His back on someone because of who they fall in love with.

 

 

It’s unbelievable to me that there’s still a stigma about mental illness in today’s society. It’s a disease just like any other, and depending on the severity, those suffering from it often can’t cope on their own. Medication and therapy is their only choice.

 

I don’t know if depression is actually more common now or if we’re just hearing about it more often. Members of my family suffer from it, some of them severely. The consequences of leaving it untreated can be catastrophic. I have a niece and a nephew who committed suicide eight years apart. They were the youngest of five siblings.

 

 

Recent studies from states that have legalized marijuana have proven it hasn’t caused more people to partake in it. It remains illegal in Minnesota, yet alcohol, which destroys more lives every year than marijuana has in its entire history, is legal.

 

As tax-hungry as Minnesota is it’s hard to believe it hasn’t been legalized just for the money that could be made. On the other hand, as conservative as this state is we’ll probably be the last to approve it, if we ever do.

 

 

Coming home the other evening I almost hit a deer that jumped out of the ditch and ran across the road. I realize this is a casualty of living in Minnesota, but it seems to happen to me often.

 

In fact, I’ve come to believe that my entire family must have bulls-eyes on our vehicles. To date, four of the five of us have hit 10 deer. I’m surprised our insurance company hasn’t dropped us.

 

My youngest daughter has hit one, my oldest has hit two. My husband has hit three, two of them in one night just hours apart. Unfortunately for me, I’m in the lead with four.

 

We’ve also had a deer jump out of the ditch and ram into the side of the truck door. It ran off, leaving a big dent. Once we came upon a bull that had gotten loose. I don’t know if it was the red pickup we were driving or not, but that thing came charging out of the ditch and chased after us.