ON TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM MY PSYCHIATRIC CLINIC AT THE NASHVILLE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION:
FAREWELL THOUGHTS FOR MY COMBAT VETS Barely true. Human truths are often like that. Barely true is true nevertheless. Barely true is true enough. You are still here. Everyday is everyday. This is everyday. Real grown ups are showing up. You might find yourself in an unsafe space. Such as a combat zone. Here grown ups show up murderous and set aside their own safety and self-care. These are skills that can only be learned and improved through practice literally everyday. And the United States Military does practice every day. You will find the next chapter of your life in a peaceful space. Here grown ups show up calm and relaxed kind ready to help out and not wanting anyone to get hurt. These are skills that can only be learned and improved through practice literally everyday. And, in peaceful spaces, real grown ups do practice everyday. Right Now We are here together in a peaceful space. In a peaceful space, each grown up is responsible for acknowledging and maintaining the fact that he or she is not in a combat zone. In combat zones, We fight bad people. In peaceful spaces, Mostly we fight bad ideas, bad choices, and bad habits. Not bad people. In combat zones, You step on the ground and the ground explodes. In peaceful spaces, Someone else steps on you and you explode. After tragedy and trauma It is hard to know where the past ends and the present begins. It is hard to know where memory ends and the body begins. It is hard to control what one cares about. It is hard to know what is real. Here in peaceful spaces Questions about what is real can be relentless. Am I awake or am I dreaming? Is this now or is this then? Is this me or is this you? Did I find this — or am I causing this? Can I choose how I feel? Don’t be trapped by intoxicating misinformation or misinforming intoxication. Reality always arrives on time.
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