The End of the Story? , written by Anna Daily
We presented yesterday and I feel that our team did very well. It was a bit pressure filled, we had to present first after the day starting later than we thought due to the stakeholder running late. We presented well. I felt that the stakeholder came with her own agenda. When we were finished she appeared to blast into us for not solving her problem.
In listening to her tirade over again in my mind I am not sure that she is able to accurately name her problem. Is it the parents who are on heroin, are only available on Sunday’s because they work two jobs? Is it the kids who do not have enough to eat? Is it the anger she feels because society seems to have forgotten the children she works with?
I feel the frustration sometimes too. The important thing is when one works with this segment of society is this: this did not happen overnight. The downward trajectory of a society that cares less for its most vulnerable members — the children began a long time ago with things such as the elevation of sports teams and players to exulted and adored members of society. With people being rewarded for not living up to standards by being handed money without responsibility of earning it or showing that they are using it wisely. When cars and phones and furniture and belongings became more important than being parents that put children first and a society that holds people responsible for their actions — things like heroin and opioid addictions became able to become a part of the fabric of our society.
The stakeholder was wrong for thinking that our solution cannot work. It can. It will take one person at a time to make a difference. It will be slow. Unless we are willing to go to extreme measures and discard the addicted to a wasteland and forget they exist and start over free from their addictions we have to move slowly to make changes. I do not want to discard them. I want to be part of a medical community that teaches that life can be different. Feed the children and clothe the children and make sure they are safe; but also teach them that there are choices other than the ones that include opioids.
It is not the end of the story. Maladaptive behaviors such as addictions will be around for a long time, as will people who judge others and think that we have no ideal what they are going through such as the stakeholder judged us. We care. Let us have our part in the story because it will take all of us working together to change our part of the world for the world to change for everyone.
