D.S. Walker's Blog

I am grateful that more government officials are finally understanding the importance of social distancing. It is the one thing all of us can do to help. Thank you to everyone who is doing their part. This post is for those who still are not.

I really want you to understand the consequences of ignoring requests for social distancing. You see, when you do stupid things that cause you or your friends to end up in the emergency room, you are going to need doctors and nurses and respiratory therapist and many others to care for you. Guess what? They won’t be there if you continue to avoid social distancing.

Why? As of 2016, the average age of doctors in the United States was 50 and older and 29.2% were 60 or older. And this date does not include older nurses or other health care professionals. Do you really want to kill off the people who could save your life? Your current actions are likely to do just that.

It is true that much is not known about Covid-19, but what is known is that social distancing seems to help slow the spread. Time is what is needed to protect our health care professionals from shortages of needed protective equipment. Every exposure increases the risk of getting this virus and health care workers are the ones repeatedly exposed. Please think about that before you meet your friends at the beach or at a party.

Your life might not be in direct danger from the virus if you are young and healthy unless you fall into an outlier group. However, your life will be in danger in the future if that trauma surgeon is not available when you crash your car. It will be in danger if you have alcohol poisoning or a drug overdose due to excessive partying when that emergency room doctor is not there.

Why would they not be there you ask? They won’t be there because we already have a doctor shortage and your cluelessness will kill off more doctors, nurses, and other first responders and health care professionals. Please think before you risk their lives.

During a recent short visit to Japan, my family and I were fortunate to receive help from several of her citizens. I do not speak Japanese and despite trying to learn a few words before our trip, I forgot most of them when I needed them. So, 助けたすべての人にどうもありがとうございます (thank you very much to all who helped) us. We encountered some of the best people while visiting and I am most grateful to all of you.

Our first night we traveled from Shinjuku to Odaiba. We arrived at Tokyo Teleport Station. We received help from many wonderful people beginning with a young lady who guided me to the station attendant when my preloaded suica card would not allow me through the exit gate.

Upon leaving Odaiba, we got lost and ended up at Daiba Station. Thank you to the couple who offered to give us a ride to Shinjuku when you were not going that way. Obviously, that was too much to ask and we declined. Thank you to the others who also tried to direct us to the station.

Once we arrived at Daiba Station, I realized we could still get to Shinjuku from there, so we boarded the Yurikamome line to cross the Rainbow Bridge.  Yet, I wasn’t prepared for our train transfer to the Ginza line at Shimbashi Station. Thankfully, an English-speaking news correspondent who was going our direction took pity on us. He guided us to the right train and stayed with us until one stop prior to our station. He also advised us to talk to the station attendant upon entering the train station in the future, as they always have an English-speaking person. There were many others who also tried to help us that same night when we had trouble finding the station. We are grateful to all of you.

We did better after that first night despite some challenges and we fell in love with your beautiful city.

Schools realize that we need to make our children more aware of issues, both global and domestic, and this is a good thing. Yet, we also need to make them aware that they have power to change outcomes. That first brave step really can make a difference. We have to instill hope for the future against all odds.

Hope is what empowered a young girl name Malala Yousafzai when she continued her education despite overwhelming odds against her. That hope is what kept Immaculee Ilibagiza alive during the Rwandan genocide. Hope allows us to be brave and bravery changes everything.

We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced. — Malala Yousafzai

I raise my voice not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. — Malala Yousafzai

The love of a single heart can make a world of difference — Immaculee Ilibagiza

Faith moves mountains, if faith were easy there would be no mountains. — Immaculee Ilibagiza

October is the month so many groups call their own. It is the month different groups ask you to be aware including:

I’m sure there are others too. Still, they all began with that brave first person, the one who started it all, the one who had the courage to enact change. Every group listed above wants change and they all ask your help to get it.

That first person refuses to give up hope for a brighter future. The world needs more of these people. But, we need to go further than awareness. We need action and that is what that first person did. They took action when hope seemed lost.

Whatever this month means to you, keep hope alive.

Please continue to support those working to end bullying and helping to make our world a kinder place.

Inspired by The Daily Post Weekly Photo Challenge: Refraction and National Bullying Awareness month.

Inspired by The Daily Post Photo Challenge: Dreamy:

This week, we’d like to see an image that looks dreamy to you. A photo of a place you often visit in dreams. A snapshot of your dreamy boy- or girlfriend. A scene that looks a bit out-of-this world. Take us on a flight of fancy!

You can find them on sidewalks, magnets, wall art, notebooks, and even in school yards. May they spread joy and help change the world to a kinder, more peaceful place.

This post is inspired by National Bullying Prevention Month and by The Daily Post weekly photo challenge.

Dark times test our endurance. Yet, sometimes we find inner strength and more appreciation for beauty as a result and this helps joy return. Please spread joy and kindness during National Bullying Prevention Month by being the person who supports those who need it most.

This post is inspired by The Daily Post at WordPress where this week’s challenge is Nighttime and the one I missed last week was Endurance.

You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty. — Mahatma Gandhi

Inspired by this week’s photo challenge at The Daily Post.

Adventures, I had my share before my children arrived. Yet, parenthood is the best and most rewarding adventure of all despite the up and downs. Like the glue that holds together the magnet that has fallen too many times, love has held my family together.

Inspired by The Daily Post photo challenge:

This week, share a photo that says “adventure.” It could be an image of someone setting off on an epic journey, a photo you took on an adventure of your own, or something more metaphoric that represents a personal or psychological adventure. We’re excited to see where you’ll take us!

People usually think of written or spoken words between two or more people when they think of dialogue. However, this week The Daily Post challenge is to show photography dialogue where each photograph opens up to meanings that weren’t there when viewed alone.

The dog is a gentleman; I hope to go to his heaven not man’s. — Mark Twain

What a difference ten months can make? I think he’s grateful.

Needless to say, these two bring love and joy. I think they both also are very good at having dialogue without words. Just look at their faces.