I was born in 1964. Our Maine farm house had an old fashioned crank telephone. You’d crank the thing and ask Goldie the operator to connect you with whom you wanted to call. Now we all have smartphones. I’ve seen a lot in my lifetime. In all my life politics did not seem to be as important to regular citizens as it has been recently. People seem really stressed out by such abstract ideas and fall into it all like rival sport teams. As always my message is about balance.

I believe the United States was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic because we are one of the most unhealthy nations. Look around. The United States is overweight and diabetic. My dad is 80 years old, overweight, diabetic, and now he has COVID-19.

He lives with his first child, my sister, who is a nurse. She got COVID-19 at work (even though they test often) and brought it home. At first she tried her best to take care of herself and Dad at the same time, but as Dad got worse, she needed help.

Dad was admitted in the hospital and put on a ventilator. Every morning they wake him up from an induced coma to see if he can breathe by himself. Every morning he requests to go back on the ventilator. I believe he hopes he will eventually get better, if they can just keep him breathing for now. My father is a famous gambler. He’d take a chance on the craziest odds. I’m hoping he makes it through this horrible thing because I love him. I don’t feel like his story is over. I can imagine him cheating death and getting up out of that bed. He’s hooked up to that machine, floating somewhere in limbo, playing poker for keeps with the grim reaper, with his two wives (who went before him) on each side of him, nagging. He’s such a scoundrel. Scoundrels are hard to put down. I love you, Dad!

My Dad has always helped me make things. He is an amazing carpenter and would stay up all night creating things and inventions with me at all hours. Even on a school night. He didn’t think about things like that. He seemed to like spending time with me and if I needed something, we could just make it. Right now. There were no plans, schedules, or dates for the future. Everything was right now. I loved those times. I learned so much from that guy.

My Dad was the person who taught me about natural health and alternatives. It was my Dad who handed me Hulda Clark’s book and asked me to make him a zapper over 20 years ago. When I phoned him in the hospital he told me his zapper interfered with the heart monitor and frightened the nurses.

I am here hurting, missing my dad. I am glad he is vocal and cognitive in between the ventilator sessions. It’s not being done to him. He’s choosing it. Control is important. I want him to have the calm that comes from feeling in control.

I sit and wonder about the world. Why are Americans so overweight and unhealthy? Maybe it’s unhealthy to care about politics more than our health. We need balance. Americans need to take baby steps toward a healthier lifestyle and mindset. Information needs to be put together in an easy to understand manner that is relatable and easy to follow. Being healthy should be represented as a common goal and make it a priority as a nation. Let’s make getting healthier part of our political goals.

Seriously, if health is the central goal, everything else falls into place. We would pollute the environment less if we were making healthy choices. The pandemic proves that America needs to wake up and learn more about staying healthy. Beyond the individual level, it needs to be demonstrated by our leaders.

I believe in an infinity of solutions, so there is more opportunity in doing things in a healthy way. We have to stop doing horrible things to make a quick buck. There is always more opportunity when we make sane, kind, sustainable choices. We have to care about the right things collectively. Caring for our planet, our nations, our people could lead us into a healthier happier place than we are at right now.