Saturday, April 12, 2008

Looking Forward

Stop and consider- not every one's going to agree. That's a good thing. There are plenty of issues and personalities to ensure that.

Those who know me well are probably smiling right about now. They're thinking about how outrageously opinionated I am. They're aware of how I've usually had some harsh critiques for those things, events or lifestyles that I've struggled with in others. I believe most people may struggle with many of the same things; though they may not choose to express themselves quite like I have. My wife and daughters generally respond to me with an exaggerated rolling of the eyes and go on about there way.

Others, maybe even strangers, will be stopped in their tracks. They'll look at me blankly for a moment and calculate how to respond. Some will ignore me and what I had said or they'll simply move on.

I have a confession. It really does them no good; even more, it does me no good. You see, I have to admit that I don't always mean what I'm saying. Worse yet, sometimes I don't even have the slightest clue of what I'm talking about.

However, some of my greatest moments of clarity came about when I was challenged by whoever felt the need to straighten me out. They may have been polite, angry, bothered or merely disgusted. Whatever the motivation or style, I usually found my internal response to be an enlightenment. I may not have been quick to admit it, but in reality; I learned something.

I burned a memory cell, I adjusted- I changed.

2 comments:

Bob Ringstrom said...

I've used aspirin as a remedy for aches and pain throughout much of my life. It was generally for those unexplainable headaches that seemed to last forever. Admittedly, some of them came about as a result of too much John Barley the night before, but sometimes there seemed to be no explanation; just pain.

Of course, there is the additional endorsement for the use of aspirin having evolved as a precaution against heart disease. However, on the down side it is a little unclear whether regular aspirin therapy reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke in people without cardiovascular disorders. One could argue that erring on the side of precaution is a win-win; were it not for the very real risks that aspirin use presents to gastrointestinal bleeding.

A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine looks at the benefits and risks of aspirin therapy in people without known cardiovascular disease.

According to a Sept 20 report in BMC medicine, essentially,the risks and benefits of aspirin use, though recognized, are left up to the discretionary advise of physicians. So it really comes down to a little roll of the dice.

Any way you cut it, our health issues can in no way be attributed to an "aspirin deficiency".

Is there a better way?

FlowerPower said...

Now I can talk to you when I can't talk to you.