Wednesday
October 1, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Hearing

David called to ask me if I'd heard about Smiley's plans to sue him. 

"His selective hearing is even worse than mine used to be."

"How so?" I asked. 

"Smiley's lawyer isn't a real lawyer.  The guy was a jailhouse lawyer in some prison in New York. Even he told Smiley if he sued the company or the union, he wouldn't have much of a case."

"And Smiley only heard the part about suing the company and the union."

"A couple of years ago, I would have heard exactly the same thing – just what I wanted to hear."

"I'm glad your hearing has improved," I said.

The line fell silent for a moment before David added, "I hear what Andrea says, and that makes this the happiest of my three marriages.  But, it kills me that I never heard what my exes and my boys were really saying.  I hear them now."

Today I will be grateful for improved hearing, even if I don't always like what I hear.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Suicide, Violence, Mental Illness, & Addiction
October 8, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7090396-stuck

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Epilogue III

       Rita died peacefully in her sleep.  Her second marriage lasted twenty-eight blissful years.  She had resisted remarrying after her miserable first marriage to Sammy.  Friends convinced her she couldn't let Sammy have that much influence over her.

      T'Cell and his partner started their own tech and manufacturing firm, making roller-free copiers that never jammed.  The world rejoiced.  When a wave of Lil' Bit abuse swept through the tech industry, T'Cell instituted a strict drug-testing program for his employees.  He told them what he'd seen Lil' Bit do to his father.  He'd rather they were healthy and happy than artificially insightful.

Today I will not let people from my past define me.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Tuesday
September 30, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Stretch

          I went to my office and sat down.  My back stiffened after just a minute in my chair.  The night before I had run through my usual workout.  What I hadn't done was the stretching exercises my doctor, chiropractor, and physical therapist had all recommended.

          The pain in my back reminded me of the anger I saw on social media.  People on both sides of any argument tended to go over the same ground again and again, just as I completed the same workout again and again.  Their argument, like my body, might be strengthened by the repetition, but both would become rigid, and not easily adapted to new positions.

          I decided it was time to stretch both my mind and my body.  I went online looking for something a little bit different from what I usually read.

Today I will stretch my mind.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Standing on the Same Step (stages of recovery)
October 1, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7087053-self-awareness

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Epilogue II

To everyone's amazement, Ubutu took over the brick factory when his parents retired.  He turned over a multi-billion dollar empire over to a colleague so he could make bricks from clay.  People who knew him well said he never looked happier. 

Today I will remember I may have to let of something good to get something better.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats © 2014 by Ken Montrose

Monday
September 29, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Not as bad as it seems

The Other Ken walked by and said, "Good morning, time for group."  He had missed two days of work with bronchitis.  His rumbling and raspy voice made me think he should have taken off three more days.

"Are you OK?" I asked.  "Do you want me to run group?"

"I'm much better than I sound," he said with a smile.  "Actually, I don't feel that bad."

"You sound terrible."

"You should have heard me when I was really sick," he said, holding the door to group room open for Julie.

Today I will be grateful for things that are better than they look, sound, or seem.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Standing on the Same Step (stages of recovery)
October 1, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7079804-laughing.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Epilogue I  

          Olsen and Gretchen had five children, all girls.  They were part of the first generation to face the new virus, though none of them knew it.  Two of the girls were bitten by rats while they were rehabbing an old house for Habitat for Humanity.  A third daughter's husband survived a bear attack while hiking. Olsen, a former intelligence officer, never made the connection between the rat bites, the bear attack, and the difficulty three of his daughters had getting pregnant.

Today I will accept that at times I will miss the obvious.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Friday
September 26, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

The Carrot and the Stick

"I'm scared to death," Julie said.  "Darren can't wait to be a father.  I'm not sure I'll be a good mother.  Krista said just do right by the babies today, but I can't help but worry about tomorrow."

"I know you're scared, but I've never seen you more serious about staying clean.  I'll bet you haven't had a cigarette since you found out you were pregnant."

Julie started to cry.  "Not one.  Not one. Not even one!  I love those babies.  I can't take my hand off my belly.  I can't stop thinking about them.  Every night that I go to bed without getting high or smoking, it feels like my heart will explode.  I can't believe the happiness and the sense of accomplishment."

"In a strange way you're lucky.  You've got a carrot and a stick to keep you clean.  Your fear of hurting the babies is a big stick, and your love and joy are the greatest carrot imaginable."

She shrugged, smiled, and putting both hands on her belly, said, "We'll be OK."  She started to walk away, but turned to say, "Have you noticed the shadows are getting sharper?" 

Today I will try to grateful for both the carrot and the stick.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Standing on the Same Step (stages of recovery)
October 1, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7062278-green-grass.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Not so fragile 150 years later

The day after the bear was shot, the young soldier appeared on Sonya's iWall.  He was standing at the front door with an Army chaplain. 

"Good morning, ma'am," he said.  "May we come in?" 

Sonya's heart sank.  She had been expecting just such a visit for years.  They told her Jeremiah was dead, mauled by a bear.

After they left, she sat in her living room, pondering how fragile a life could be.  She wasn't in the mood for perky, so she turned on the MAB, the Military Access Broadcast.  For the first time in almost 150 years, there had been a rise in the birth rate.  Humans were finally developing immunity to the virus that had turned nature against them and had threatened to wipe them out.  Lives may be fragile, but life isn't, she thought.  

Today I will take heart, knowing that while Individual lives can be fragile, life is not.

Smart Bears Angry Rats © 2014 by Ken Montrose

Smart Bears, Angry Rats (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Thursday
September 25, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Doing the right &^%$# thing

The next day Julie was sitting in front of the building, her head down, clutching a wad of tissues.

"You OK?" I asked.

"I want a cigarette.  The babies don't.  They're not even born, and I'm mad at them already.   Did I mention I'm having *&^$#  twins?"

"Congrats on the twins!" I said.  "I see you're not smoking."

"But, I want to smoke.  I'm mad I can't smoke.  I'm not happy not smoking.

"But you're not smoking.  Most people have a hard time quitting.  Give yourself some credit for doing the right thing.

Today I will give myself some credit for doing the right thing,

even if I don't like doing the right thing.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Standing on the Same Step (stages of recovery)
October 1, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7058957-doors.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

The Sooner the Better   85 Years from now

T'Cell sat on a bench in Apple Tree Park. The fires of T'Cell's anger and frustration had finally burned out ten years after his father had disappeared.  He sat on the bench thinking about those ten wasted years, and the bridges he had burned. 

His mother had remarried. He hadn't been thrilled with the idea, but he had tried to be happy for her.  His stepfather, a cop, had not only refused to search for T'Cell's father, but had told T'Cell he should get on with his life.  T'Cell had cursed the man.  He hadn't spoken to his mother or stepfather for years.

The great Ubutu had given up the search. For the longest time T'Cell had suspected Ubutu of having something to do with his father's disappearance.  He had spurned Ubutu's offers to find a job for him.

Olsen, whom T'Cell had always considered a friend, had told him he doubted they'd ever find Sammy.  T'Cell had ended that friendship on the worst terms possible.   

T'Cell smiled, even though he thought he should be sad.   Accepting that his father was most likely dead had lifted a great burden from his shoulders.  He would waste no more time.  He would burn no more bridges.  "Wish I had accepted the truth ten years ago," he said to himself.

The sooner I accept, the less time I waste, the less likely I am to burn a bridge.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats © 2014 by Ken Montrose

Wednesday
September 24, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Safe and Sound

That day I worked late, and hit the gym on my way home.  When I got home, my Dad was sitting in his favorite armchair, his eyes closed.  Our dog was sleeping on the adjacent couch, lying on her back with her paws in the air. 

My son was sitting up in bed.  Earlier he had gone to track practice after school, ridden the activity bus home, eaten a quick dinner, and caught a ride to AAU basketball. 

"Watch some TV with me?" he asked.  I told him I would after I said hello to his mother and sister.  "Okay.  Could you turn the light off?"  I knew he'd be asleep by the time I got back to his room.

My wife and daughter were curled up together, reading. 

"You're on my bed," I said to my daughter, bending down to kiss her.

"Whatcha gonna do about it, tough guy?" she asked with sly smirk.

"I'm gonna kiss your mother," I said. "Then I'm gonna drag you out of that bed and make you sleep in the yard," I said, laughing. "That's what I'm gonna do."

"OK, I'll go to my room, but only 'cause I'd hate to hurt an old man like you."  But rather than getting up, she moved closer to my wife.

I thought about the families with an addicted loved one who didn't know where he or she might be that night.  I could only imagine the strain of having a loved one serving overseas in the military, or working the night shift in law enforcement.

Today I will be grateful for knowing my loved ones are safe and secure, and for all the unseen thousands who made that possible.  I will do whatever I can to help families of the addicted find that same peace of mind.

Life's Terms © 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Standing on the Same Step (stages of recovery)
October 1, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona
9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m
$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7053374-better-you-than-me.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Bad Luck     150 Years later

Somewhere north of the Canadian Border, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police patrol found what was left of Jeremiah.  The first Mountie thought the American had been very unlucky to encounter a bear so close to the U.S. base.  "He only needed to go two miles to the border and another mile to his base. Bad luck getting eaten so close to safety."

His partner looked a little closer.  "He was walking away from his base – probably going AWOL. Look at how the blood is already frozen.  This happened hours ago, which means he sneaked away in the middle of the night.  I can smell alcohol on what's left of his jacket."  The second Mountie began scouring the ground in ever widening circles until he found what he was looking for.  "He forgot to load his pistol.  Probably too drunk."

"Still seems like bad luck, encountering a bear like that," the first Mountie said.

"I think he created his own bad luck," his colleague said.

Today I will take stock of how many times I created my own bad luck.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats © 2014 by Ken Montrose

Tuesday
September 23, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Creature of habit

Smiley, Julie, and Kate walked into the first group meeting of the day.  I went to my office to check my phone messages and email.  My wife had sent me a message pointing out my other blog had the wrong date listed in the subject line.  Earlier in the week, I had sent out several messages with typos.  I started to berate myself, but realized there was no point.  My time would be better sent spent figuring out why I was making so many mistakes.

That week my father was visiting.  Rather than writing during the day, I was spending my time with him.  My writing took place late at night.  The days when I could function on little sleep, and write past midnight, were long gone.  I realized I needed to change my habits if I wanted to eliminate mistakes.

Today I will correct my mistakes by changing my habits.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Professional Enabling, Disabling, & Empowering

September 24, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona

9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7044675-forgotten-celebrated-or-infamous.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Survival Thrills   150 years later

"We survived!"  Sonya's neighbor yelled from her porch when she heard the gun shots.  "That's right, Mr. Bear – I'm still here.  I'm soaking up the sunshine, and leaning into the wind.  I'm smelling the coffee. I'm tasting the cornbread and honey!"

Sonya looked across the yard, and laughed at her neighbor's exuberance.  Sonya still felt bad for the bear, but couldn't help but get caught up in the moment.   She extended her arms for a hug across the short fence.

"I'm alive, Sonya," Sonya's neighbor said.  "I'm still alive."  She let go of Sonya, threw a few punches into the air, and danced a few steps.  Bears had killed three people in the neighborhood in the past year.  They had become adept at eluding patrols, and using fallen trees as ladders to climb walls.  They had even learned to push boulders onto side streets, waiting to ambush motorists.   

"You are so alive," Sonya said.

Today I will celebrate whatever I've survived, and just being alive.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats © 2014 by Ken Montrose

Monday
September 22, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Entitled

Smiley joined the group, looking even more upbeat than usual.

"You're looking happy," I said.

"I'm going to be rich," Smiley said.  "I found a lawyer who says I can sue the FDA, whether they fire me or not.  I can sue the union, but only if I'm fired."

I was stunned. "What?  Smiley, you were driving drunk with a stolen gun.  Do you really think the FDA should trust you with important research?  And maybe I'm missing something, but you're not a union member!"

"My guy says the FDA and the union caused my relapse by providing a stressful workplace.  He also said the union can be held accountable for not fighting my firing."

"That's crazy!" Kate said.  "You can't possibly win in court." 

"I don't have to win," Smiley said.  "My attorney says we just have to get them to settle out of court.  He's going to get me everything I'm entitled to."  He used the word 'entitled' as if it was synonymous with 'earned.'  He and Kate got into a long, heated, discussion about what 'entitled' really meant.  I thought confusing the two words could be very self-destructive.  The more entitled I felt, the less likely I was to earn things, and the less accepting of life's difficulties I might become.

Today I will not confuse entitled with earned.

Life on Life's Terms © 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Professional Enabling, Disabling, & Empowering

September 24, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona

9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at:https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7036289-hill-climbing.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Da' Bears      150 years later

Sonya heard the gunshot and knew the young soldier had found the bear.  Sadness swept over her. She wasn't one who could celebrate the death of any animal, even a man-eating bear

She thought of a cub she had seen at a zoo when she was a little girl.  The cub had been cute and cuddly.  The cub's mother had given her nightmares.  For months she had refused to believe the cub could grow into a full size bear.

When they were first married, Jeremiah hadn't been much of a drinker.  When he did drink, he was funny and playful.  She had liked the way beer loosened him up.

Little by little his drinking grew.  He was a bear in the mornings, mean and unpredictable at night.  Eventually the booze devoured their marriage and his career.

Today I will beware of cubs that grow into bears.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats © 2014 by Ken Montrose

Friday
September 19, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Horses

Julie began staring intently into my face.  "You're looking a little puffy.  Pomegranate reduces fluid under the skin.  It's been proven."

"How has it been proven?" I asked.

"They did a study.  People who took pomegranate pills said they had less puffy features."

"Did they know they were taking pomegranate?" I asked.  "Did they know the researchers were hoping pomegranate had some benefit?"

"Of course."

I could have pointed out just how unscientific such a study was.   I could have explained how double-blind studies work, or why the placebo effect needed to be considered.

From the expression on her face, I could see Julie wasn't ready to hear any of it.  I might drag her to the water, but she wasn't going to drink. Arguing with her would be a waste of time and energy.  I smiled and said, "The pomegranate juice sounds nice, but my wife likes my face puffy." 

Today I will put my energy to good use, not dragging horses to water.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Professional Enabling, Disabling, & Empowering

September 24, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona

9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7026078-garbage-trucks.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Young authors

As I started to write, I thought about my son.  His story wasn't just unfolding, he was writing it. All his friends I'd met, his teammates, and the people he knew at school were also writing their stories.   

Thinking about what might be brewing in their heads brought a smile to my face.  Who knew, given the tools available to them that were unheard of even a decade ago, what they might invent?  Or, how they would change the world?

I felt very lucky that at my age I might live to see some of their accomplishments.  No matter how bad the world seemed today, the potential for improvement was as immeasurable as their abilities and imagination.

Today I will be grateful for young people, and their limitless potential.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats © 2014 by Ken Montrose

Thursday
September 18, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Taking stock of my options

Julie joined the conversation by asking Kate, "Where you headed in any one direction before you got addicted?"

"I was going to be a lawyer.  I did really well on my LSATs."

"LSATs?" Julie asked.

"Law School Aptitude Test.  My LSAT scores got me into Duquesne's law school."

"What happened?" I asked.

"The summer before law school I caught my boyfriend cheating.  We were supposed to go to Duquesne together.  All the drinking I'd done in college set the stage for me to drown my sorrows for three straight months.  By September of that year, I couldn't face the morning, let alone seeing him at law school.  I spent the next two years sponging off my mother, who's a raging alcoholic."

"Could you go to law school now?" Julie asked.

"I don't know.  I'm afraid to call Duquesne." 

"How are you going to pick a direction, if you don't know which directions are open to you?" Julie asked.

"Part of 'changing what you can' is knowing your options.  Why don't you add contacting Duquesne to your goals?" I asked.

"What if they say no?" Kate asked.

"Then you'll know that's one direction you can't go, and you can concentrate on finding another."

Today I will explore my options.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Upcoming  Trainings

Professional Enabling, Disabling, & Empowering

September 24, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona

9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7023426-a-bolt-from-the-blue.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Story time

"Hey Dad, why haven't you written more about the bears?" my son asked.  "They're in the title.  Apparently they're smart.  You killed off the nice mice.  Nothing left but miserable rats."

"I'm getting to them," I said.  "Be patient."

"I've read your books.  They're all about fifty pages long.  You're getting near the end.  Why don't you just tell me what happens with the bears?"

"If I tell you about the bears, you won't enjoy the story as much.  The fun in any story is not knowing how it might end."

"OK, but these bears better be smart.  Really, really, smart.  Not just dancing bear smart, but algebra smart."

I smiled at him.  "I love wondering how your story will unfold. I wonder how mine will end, although I'm in no hurry to find out."

Today I will be patient with how my story unfolds.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Wednesday
September 17, 2014

Life on Life's Terms

Direction

"How're you doing otherwise?" I asked.

"My energy's coming back," she said with a smile.  "Now what?"

"Whaddaya mean, now what?" I asked.

"What do I do with that energy?  Two weeks ago I could barely get out of bed.  Now, after I get everything done I need to do, I have energy left over.  I'm restless.  Go figure."

"Harness it.  Find direction, find something to do.  Gravity pulls down.  People without direction don't even notice they're being pulled down."

"My mother used to say 'idle hands are the Devil's workshop.'"

"She had a point."

Today I will harness my energy, I will pick a direction.

Life on Life's Terms (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose

Other Blogs

AArdvarks, a daily messages blog about a group of young people in recovery, can be found at: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/7013086-worth-it

Upcoming  Trainings

MISA Assessment

September 17, 2014 at Kerr Presbyterian Church in Verona

9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m

$50 payable in advance, at the door, or by invoice after the training

This five hour training is accredited for:

• Addiction Counselors by the Pa. Certification Board
• Nurses by the PSNA #101-1-O-14
• Counselors by NAADAC #477 and NBCC #6352
• EAPs by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission
• Social Workers by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.

To register, please visit our website greenbriartraining.com or send an email to: kmontrose@greenbriar.net

Smart Bears, Angry Rats

Here comes the sun  75 Years from now

Ubutu stepped outside the reception into the sunshine.  Flanagan followed. "It was a beautiful wedding sir," Flanagan said.

"And it is a beautiful day," Ubutu said.  "We very much needed some beauty."

It had been an ugly week. Sammy's disappearance had sparked a loud confrontation between T Cell and Olsen.  Flanagan had investigated reports of oddly aggressive rodents attacking people in Apple Tree Park.  He knew they were tied to Sammy's research somehow.  A rash of Lil' Bit overdoses had touched the lives of several of Ubutu's employees.  Flanagan and Olsen had traced the Lil' Bit to the lab that had hired Sammy away. 

The two men soaked up the sunshine, talking about how happy Olsen and Gretchen seemed.  They were impressed with the people who had traveled from Sweden just for the wedding.  They laughed at how the flower girl had skipped her way up the aisle.  Flanagan, who was known for his out of control sweet tooth, speculated about the icing on the wedding cake.  Both men turned their faces to the sun, absorbing its warmth. 

"The sun lights a man's soul," Ubutu said.   "It shines a light into the dark places, scattering whatever may nibbling at him." He studied Flanagan's face and laughed.  "But you, my pale friend, are starting to burn."  They had only been in the sun for twenty minutes. 

Today I will remember two lessons: a) too much of anything can be a bad; and b) for some people, even a little is too much.

Smart Bears, Angry Rats (c) 2014 by Ken Montrose