When I made the decision to start a podcast, I knew there was no guarantee it would be successful. Of course, in podcasting, success is objective. I heard Ralph Sutton, the co-owner of GaS Digital Network, say that the average podcast gets less than 200 downloads, and if you get to 1,000, you’re in the top ten percent of podcasts in the world. That was a few years ago, but I can assume not much has changed. I just went over 900 episodes, so I have to thank the people reading this and thousands of others. The show has taken on a life of its own. Hence, some people reach out via email or social media, panicking over what the world is becoming. I'll do what I can to "talk you off the ledge," but remember, I'm struggling with this as well. We're all seeking a way through this.

I’ve stated previously that I’m going to do everything I can to not flood you with "rage porn." If you’re on social media, you see enough images and videos of everything from homosexuals telling you they’re coming for your kids to illegal immigrants assaulting women and children in ways I won’t detail here. When you are constantly subjected to these incidents, it is easy to become discouraged, and, in some instances, be so upset that it affects you physically. I notice this more in myself when I read comments by people either cheering on these perverts or making excuses for them. The thought that a person making those comments could live in the same area as me makes me insane. But I have to take into consideration that demoralization may be their intent or, in the age of AI, it may be a bot. Sure, it sounds like that’s a "cope" on my part, but those possibilities are a part of the world in which we live. At those times, I just put the phone down or close the laptop. Some may interpret that as running away, but there is nothing I can do to change the mind of a commenter who is there for demoralization purposes or could well be AI. You have ceded no ground by bowing out of that conversation.

Schools, civic organizations, and even formerly "conservative" churches are bending the knee to the insanity that many have taken to calling the "woke." And don’t be discouraged if you can’t come up with a proper definition for what "woke" is, it’s one of those situations where people who value the good, the true, and the beautiful "know it when they see it." "Woke" is part of the civic religion of the United States now (many would say the North Star), and the people who vehemently oppose it have presented no realistic plan to stop it. That in itself can be a cause of distress.

When the moment arises where you feel yourself being stressed out by what you see on social media, what you’re hearing in the news, or even something you overheard in the grocery store, concentrate only on those things that matter: your husband or wife, your kids, and those who share your values. We cannot allow ourselves to become so caught up in issues that aren’t directly affecting us (yet?) that we miss the moments that define our very humanity. When you are stressed out, those around you are affected. Especially children. It’s up to you to be strong for them in times like these. You have people who are counting on you to be their hero. Don’t let those moments escape you!