I have a lot of mixed emotions right now. It’s Remembrance Sunday in the UK. The Nation turns out “to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts.” At 11:00, the Nation goes quiet for 2 minutes.

Tomorrow, in the States, it is Veteran’s Day which honors all who have served in the military. The reason for the mixed emotions is the state of play in the U.S. with the current President who seems bent on destroying the very values and principles of the Nation for which me and my fellow brothers in arms fought and died for throughout the history of America. In fact, he seems bent on undoing the very Constitution that has been our guiding light for 243 years.

Andrew Sullivan’s piece in New York Magazine, “This Is No Ordinary Impeachment” is disturbing. His opening gambit:

“This is not just an impeachment. It’s the endgame for Trump’s relentless assault on the institutions, norms, and practices of America’s liberal democracy for the past three years. It’s also a deeper reckoning. It’s about whether the legitimacy of our entire system can last much longer without this man being removed from office.”

The really disturbing thing for me is the current President’s followers who openly say that he can do no wrong, that he is above the law and that they would choose to defend him over the Constitution. My oath as a U.S. Army officer required me to:

…support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same…

While I was obliged to follow the LAWFUL orders of the President, where my allegiance lay was clear and unequivocal.

I really hope Congress steps up and does its duty, otherwise, we’re headed for even darker times.

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I finally feel settled back into my home routine, well not quite yet because I haven’t been to the gym in a week. Once I get some iron in my hands, I’ll feel right as rain again.

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Don’t try to cage your inner beast. I wrote that in my notebook a while back. I feel like I have to suppress it though, otherwise, people might misunderstand me. I followed up the note with a warning to myself. ‘If you lock the beast up it will become angrier and more fierce and eventually break free and wreak havoc. The remedy: offer the beast kindness and learn to understand its ways. Let it be your ally and add to your strength.

As Maslow said: “The thing to do is to find out what you are really like inside, deep down, as a member of the human species and as a particular individual.”

It is easy to forget who you are.

I must continually remind myself that pleasure and pain are instruments of control. And if I let these instruments disturb my psychic energy, then I’m fucked.

Flow follows focus.

I know that I can’t grow until I use my full capacity. Otherwise, stagnation is my only other option.

I think I’m up for the task, even though sometimes I stumble and fall, I tend to get back up, dust myself off, and carry on. I guess I’ll keep doing that until I can’t.

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And here we are, Day 7 of 30 for #BlogPals19