Lieutenant Colonel Don Devis warned family and friends not to walk up behind him and touch his shoulder- he said, “I was in the war years ago and still have ‘the trauma’ and I could be startled and confused and punch behind me. Talk to me gently when you approach me from behind”.

I play the drums, often with a steady beat. For some, the steady beat of life has been invaded by horrific images witnessed in person or in videos- violent and tragic, over and over. We have a new diet of shock, then trauma. I sometimes use whimsy to cling to health, clowning in my character

During these traumatic times, it can be valuable to add whimsy, humor, and love to even routine rituals. Cinderella Cockerspaniel (Cinder) has glaucoma and takes 5 different eye drops in the morning, one in the afternoon, and three at night. Cinder gets kisses on her nose before the drops, music during, and jerky strip pieces

During these traumatic times, it can be helpful to have faith- faith in a higher power, in democracy, in loved ones, in ourselves. Faith can give birth to hope, confidence, action, and dedication. Faith can lasso anguish and despair, leading them away in defeat. Disclaimer: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is

Connect. On television or finding community online, or among friends, look for like-minded people and/or groups to work with, contribute to, and obtain news from. Again, it is crucial to feel connected, rather than isolated. This is tyranny’s playbook: isolate individuals, turn allies against each other, divide communities through fear, and threaten opposition into silence.