I know who I am...maybe

Hi Maggie,

 A couple of months ago you asked if I knew what my life's purpose was. I really did not have a clue.  Well, today I got a glimmer.

When I was in high school, my personal philosophy, for better or worse, was: if everyone is doing it, there's something wrong.  I see myself as a nonconformist.  I know we do lie to ourselvesand like to see ourselves as different, but in many ways I am...

I saw an article on the yahoo news page today entitled, Bold Education Trend.  I am always fascinated by education, and so I went to read the article. The next new trend is unschooling.  I started unschooling in1987.

Once again, I am way ahead of the trend.  I refused to have a baby in the hospital.  Nursed each for an extended time.  We lived in a 12' x 20' cabin we built ourselves beginning in 1998, or so - way ahead of the small house movement.

I feel like my purpose is to show people there's another way, a saner, more humane way, a wiser way.

I remember arguing about the use of antibiotics in the mid-80s when you were a brand new doc.  You argued that antibiotics had to be given for viral infections to prevent secondary infections. I argued that we should wait until there was a bacterial infection, because all we were doing was creating more powerful, antibiotic resistant bacteria.  In the end we agreed to disagree.

But it continues. I have two dear friends, both well-educated scientists. Both use those drops of poison on their dog's necks to kill fleas.  Both think I am crazy because I refuse to use them.  I know we are creating more powerful, more annoying fleas.  Their decision is affecting the health of my animals.  Yet they don't see what I am saying. We see the superbugs, those resistant to antibiotic, and we understand what happened, but we can't relate that to poisons for fleas, or to the use of pesticides on gardens and farms.  Or the GMO corn with Bt  bred into the plant. At first, it killed the larva that destroyed some of the crop.  And it destroyed the butterflies, and the larva of the pollinators.  Now, after barren years, I'm seeing a few more butterflies.  That, of course, means insects are developing resistance...

But no one sees it.

Instead we want to continue being at war with the world.  We want to create more powerful weapons. we want to win, to wipe out other species or even portions of our own species when we don't see how they benefit us.

Sorry, but I am on a roll.

There is a tarot card, the hermit.  He lives alone on the edge of a community and waits to receive messages for his community.

Maybe that is who I am.

Love and hugs,

Clare