Category: The Recovery Word

We are soldiering and smoldering on and fanning the flame of the reality of Recovery. We stand up, standout, speak out, and are proud about it. Find the Joy—and celebrate.

Infrastructure is in the news. It’s about what it is and how to fund it. It appears there is some agreement on “hard” infrastructure spending. There are two matters of infrastructure under consideration. One is physical which we know as roads, bridges, transmission lines, etc. I read a statement that said, “infrastructure refers to any facility we expect but do not think about—we take it for granted—because it works for us in the background. “I might add to this—until it doesn’t. The other, social infrastructure covers a range of services and facilities that meet local and strategic needs and contribute towards a good quality of life. It includes health provision, education, community resources, etc. Important to all is the human component—knowledge, skills and abilities. All need funding and it is hard to understand the computations in trillions and billions.

An Ode is poetic praise. Owed is a debt recognized. Freedom is due both. My favorite Ode is Ode to Joy. We celebrate July fourth as independence day. The liberty bell is cracked but freedom still rings. We owe much to our liberty and freedom, and unless impugned and diminished, they are being regained and appreciated. The Statue of Liberty invites with these words, give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.

A recent exchange in “Dear Annie” with “Follow the Data” revisits an important, current discussion in addiction treatment. That this discussion is occurring in more popular sites rather than technical journals is a positive sign. The contention surrounding the discussion seems unnecessary and unhelpful.

The Kentucky Voting Rights Coalition together has accomplished a lot in the last few months – Virtual Lobby Day for a Healthy Democracy with over 70 participants, The Kentucky Council of Churches led a strong Virtual Prayer and Action Day about Voting Rights, multiple phone banks and text banks to reach people on this issue and connect them with the legislative message line and strong virtual lobby trainings and issue trainings.

As schools reopen across the country thousands of first-time students face the prospect of something very new in their lives. Unlike their predecessors they also feel the anxiety reflected from adults after a long and trying year of Covid pressures. A frightening time in life during a frightening time in the world.