Dec 14 2019 -Health Psychologist Dr. Sarah McQuidewas our speaker. “Back by popular demand”, Dr. McQuide took us up a slightly different path than her first visit 2 years earlier. Instead of going through a structured point-by point approach (see <the neat handouts> she used then), she went after the BIG issue: our attitude. She asked us to imagine how we would respond to an unwelcome guest. Our take:

He came uninvited. 
At first, he merely annoyed us. 
Then he started breaking things.
When asked, he doesn't leave.  
Evicted, he just comes back.
With new locks installed, he still gets in.
Stopping to look, we're stung by more signs.
The beautiful things that were so useful and comforting.
"No! Not that! I loved it so much! How can I get it back?"
"What do you mean it can't be fixed?"
We fix and paint and redo things.  
Soon, they all need more help.
And we get so tired.
The anger we feel when those around us cannot understand. Or fix. 
The confusion as plans lie broken and out of reach. 
The guilt we feel as we can no longer help those whose house lies broken too.

PN is like that. So what do we do? We do the best we can. It's OK to yell, cry, and complain. It's OK to spend money & time we don't have trying to fix things. And feel sorry for ourselves and those who are damaged helping us. Some. But none of that is going to drive that guest out. 

Our job is to live. To enjoy life. To sing along with <Enjoy Yourself, it’s later than you think> To give thanks for the opportunity to give thanks. Attitude trumps PN. Nothing else will.