Prescription For A Panic Attack

Yes, this might seem like a joke, but I'm being super serious, of course.

I used to suffer from debilitating panic attacks. For a week in 2000 I didn't sleep. I would stay up all night watching Elmo's Adventures in Grouchland, and in particular this scene. I know it sounds totally crazytown (and it probably was), but nothing helped like hearing, "Take the first step and then you will see just how brave your heart can be."

It's pretty embarrassing, this story, but I'm a blogger, right? I'm supposed to have no shame.

I spent the weekend with two relatives who are pretty far right on the political spectrum. I always hear you're not supposed to talk politics with family, but what can I say? I'm a fool. I don't purport to know everything about Obama's health care plan (believe me, I'm trying to understand it, but the President isn't helping in this endeavor). That said, I'm pretty sure he's not going to euthanize our loved ones once they turn 65. At times these discussions turned ugly and I felt like I was having a town hall meeting in my kitchen. All of this has left me feeling sad and not very optimistic about the fate of health care reform, something we desperately need.

The big picture, for me, is that we need to take care of each other. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, deserves good health, happiness, and love. These things seem to be in short supply these days, and I feel those panic attacks creeping back into my life. I hear a lot of fear and anger from one side, and I don't hear clear answers coming from the other.

I want us to remember that we're reasonable people at heart. That we're good people. That we have minds of our own. I hope something happens to turn the tide of vitriol to measured discussion and real solutions. Without that I really am worried about what's going to happen next. These are hard times, but working together is the answer, right? Otherwise we'll just split farther and farther apart until we're fractured beyond repair which will be very grim indeed.