If you're going through Hell, keep going. Here's how.

I'm going through a lot:

A few weeks ago, there was violence on my street. No one was physically injured, but it was terrible.

I got yanked into the fray--the police needed the footage from my security cameras. I had no problem with that--I requested a search warrant.

This caused friction between me and the cops. "Why can't we just take the footage?" and other "let's ignore the Constitution" ridiculousness. Le sigh.

I explained to them that my camera re-writes every three days, so once they got the warrant they would have the footage.

Four days later, they issued the warrant. Four days later. 4.

Flabbergasted.

Right after that, I had jury duty, and the case was almost exactly the situation that I had experienced. Probably not a good idea for my mental health.

I was fortunate enough to sit with eleven of the most trauma-informed people I have ever met. The case was tough, and we came to the conclusion, and then that was supposed to be it.

But after we rendered the verdict and returned to the jury room to collect our belongings, the judge came in and yelled at us, telling us we had come to the wrong conclusion and that she hoped we could live with ourselves. She stared us down, and then slammed the door, shaking the blinds and wiping papers off the table.

That was probably not good for my mental health.

Then allergies hit because spring.

Then, after I finally got over that, I got the flu.

This is all happening against the backdrop of *gestures to the world*

What is the point?

If you're going through Hell, keep going.

How?

Every step of the way, I latched onto a song or a sonata or an aria or some lyrics or sometimes even just the purring of my cat. (Also, therapy, rest, lots of water, stretching, talking to my friends, and eating well).

But also, music--and a lot of it, for real.

I am never alone as long as the music of George and Ira Gershwin or JS or CPE Bach or Olivia or Ester Dean are available.

I hope this helps.