Coffee With A View: The Truth is in the Timeline

By Carol Harper

When I was a little kid, I loved Wrigley's Doublemint and Juicy Fruit gum. My Grandpa Starks would always give us a stick when we'd visit, and I'd sit and chew it while reading the latest from his collection of Peanuts comic books. (He was also a Louis L'Amour fan, but I was told I was too young to read those.)

I remember one day my Mom taking me to the Bi-Rite drug store (today, it's Rocky Mountain Discount Sports). My mom was busy shopping and chatting with some folks, and I was bored and wanted to go home. Then I saw the lineup of Wrigley's gum by the checkout counter and thought, "Oooooo!" So when my Mom wasn't looking, I took a pack of Juicy Fruit, opened it up, unwrapped a stick and started chewing on that delightful fruity goodness ...then put the rest of the pack in my dress pocket.

When we got to the car on the way home, I took out another stick and added it to the piece I was already chewing. My thoughts of "Mmmmm!" was interrupted by my Mom saying: "Where did you get that?" Uh oh. Busted. She promptly turned the car around and headed back to Bi-Rite; we walked into the store and my Mom summoned the store manager. With my head hung low, my Mom made made me admit to what I had done: "Look at him! Go on, tell him what you did." I sheepishly told him that I had stolen a pack of gum, and that I was very sorry. "Damn right, you are," my Mom said. I gave the rest of the pack to the stern-faced manager, and as we headed home, I was made to contemplate upon the lesson about stealing.

And obviously, I still think about that lesson to this day. As a kid, I really didn't understand why anyone would miss or make a big deal over a small 5-stick pack of gum (back then, I think the entire pack was just 5 cents). Then again, I didn't understand a lot of things...even less, the stress of managing an entire drug store. But my Mom knew, the store manager knew...and deep down inside, I knew that what I did was wrong. It wasn't about the gum. It was about that feeling that flowed through my little gut and mind as I looked around while no one was looking, reached up, and took something that I didn't pay for. It was about admitting my guilt, and thinking about why it was wrong.

I know you might be thinking...why steal gum when you got it for free every Sunday afternoon? Well, to understand that, you also have to understand something about my Grandpa Starks. Most every Sunday visit, my Grandmother would make fresh baked cookies (or at least have some store-bought cookies in the cookie jar). My brother and I were allowed one cookie as an afternoon/evening treat. But when we were in the car ready to head home and saying our goodbyes, my Grandpa would lean through the open back window, sneak two extra cookies to my brother and I, and whisper: "Don't tell your parents." 

What did I learn from that? Only my dentist knew for sure.

Having an Understanding

When I went to Washington D.C. as a Stars of Life recipient, my (continuing) mantra and message was: If you want to know the truth about your community, ask a first responder. I was honored that I was able to briefly visit with all three of our Wyoming legislators (especially during a government shutdown). That they took time out of their very busy schedules to talk specifically about ambulance services...not only in Wyoming, but across the nation...was an opportunity very few have.

So what is the truth about our communities? You might not know at the time, but when you see the lights and hear the sirens of an ambulance or fire truck, you know something's wrong. When you see a police officer pull someone over to the side of the road, you know something's up. When you read news articles or police/sheriff reports, you might get some jist of what happened...

But getting an understanding of the truth is only known by those who experience or witness the kinds of calls our communities require response for. "First response" means response to the incident, accident, or crime that is in progress or has already occured. Our first responders are the first on-scene to assess, then treat/transport...either to the hospital or the jail. It's those layers in-between wherein lies the truth, the reasons why they are called out in the first place. 

Our dispatchers are the very first first responders, receiving the 911 calls, staying on the lines through everything. Law enforcement officers are the first ones on-scene, so you can only imagine the stress they're constantly under to serve and protect. For our fire fighters, it's not only house and wildland fires, but hazmat and public safety, vehicle accidents, rescues, and more. Through radio and other communication devices, our dispatchers, officers, and fire fighters assist our EMTs when they arrive. Victim services and second responders (like myself) assess and assist the conditions of victim survivors of the disaster or crime. Everything is connected and everyone has their roles to play during the call, from beginning to end.

But the truth is...there is no end for a first responder.

The truth is, there are 19 U.S. states that deem EMS as an essential service. Wyoming is not one of them. Therefore, the weight and burden of funding is placed upon the counties and the people to shoulder. Different counties have different ways of doing this...there are smaller counties and areas that rely on volunteer systems, bigger counties that employ EMTs/Paramedics. Both systems have their pros and cons; both types of systems have had to endure budget cuts and shortages of providers that can and do serve. Some people have no service at all.

The truth is, Fremont County is unique as a frontier, rural expanse. We have an Indian reservation. We have towns and communities that are spread apart like islands, with miles and miles of paved or dirt roads and wildlife in between. We have 1.2 million acres of farm and ranchlands. Add in our weird Wyoming seasonal weather...extreme cold, extreme heat, high winds, unpredictable thunderstorms with lightening strikes, flooding risks...and you can gain a whole new appreciation for all who respond. Along with most of our oldtimers, they know the drill. They know Fremont County and the reservation better than all of us.

The truth is, for the past year, myself and others have been trying to help individuals, groups, committees, councils, boards, officials, and politicians to have some sort of inkling and understanding of the tremendous stress our responders go through, 24/7, 365. Those who were interested, listened, and decided to help started taking action a year ago. Those who didn't, haven't.

We frustratingly joke around about how things go "at the speed of government". We've all been conditioned to believe that it's "just the way it is." For some issues, yes...but for EMS? There's a reason why it's called Emergency Medical Services. Imagine if the response time to a wildfire and burn victims was one year. Six months. Three months. One month. One week. Three days. One day.

A lesson my father taught me: "When the time of need arrives, the time for preparation has passed."  That's where we're at right now. FCAG and their Joint Committee had been preparing for an entire year. RASEC has been working hard for six months. Priority Ambulance has been waiting the entire time. However, the truth is, the County Commissioners have been dinking around for one year...nine months...six months...three months...one month...one week. What other meetings, conferences, workshops, etc. were of so much more importance than the ones that were about the responsibility of providing a critical, essential service to the people of Fremont County?

"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,

when it is in your power to do it."

Proverbs 3:27

The truth is in the timeline. And to be dismissive of the non-action by the commissioners is disrespectful and downright careless towards our entire first response system. I've watched recent reels, statements, and narratives put out by politicians, trying to assure and calm everyone down, with an "everything is going to be fine." (Pay no attention to the men behind the curtain). But where is the transparency and accountability to the public and to our EMS crews, as they continue to work long shifts on crappy ambulances with aging equipment? There is none when you have people over our heads wasting time with posturing and waiting until the 11th hour. Now it's our mayors and fellow first responders who have to scramble around and figure out what they're going to do for their municipalities on October 1st?

The truth is...with blinders around their eyes and fingers in their ears, the commissioners wanted to, yet again, bring in another entity to take over the service as the solution, with no consideration as to the service's present state, or the impact and chaos of another transition. No meetings with the current regional EMS director. No visits to the stations; no visits with the crews. No interest in their failing assets. They made this decision behind everyone's backs and continued to waste time grandstanding to the public, playing the blame game, say that Priority and the crews were being "unreasonable". Yes, there are proper processes and procedures that need to be followed...but there's also something called a deadline. And if you're unable to meet deadlines, I'd say that says more about the inability to effectively do the job your constituents pay you for.

Meanwhile, boots on the ground...the place that very few see...the truth is, you already have an amazing EMS Director and awesome crews who bust their asses, on-call, day and night...who now, upon everything else they do...have to deal with the added stress of wondering their fates while decisions are being made over their heads by a commission who has no understanding nor respect for the service itself. Proof? Aging, depreciating, and below-standard assets. Balking during continued negotiations. Continued absence in meetings where they could've gained more understanding and provided input. Not answering calls or replying to important emails. Talking out both sides of their mouths. No admittance or acknowledgement of the problems they've caused.

Wouldn't it be nice if they had a little faith in those who are currently providing the service? Wouldn't it be nice if they understood the importance of negotiating sustainable wages considerate of the providers who greatly deserve it? Wouldn't it be nice if they had the comprehension, communication, and listening skills to at least grasp the critical elements of continuous public health and safety? In my opinion, what the commissioners have done is criminal...but the truth is, they'll probably get nothing more than a slap on the wrist, if even that.

"Better is a little with righteousness, than great revenues with injustice."

Proverbs 16:8

In my years as a reporter, the hardest question that often goes unanswered is: Why? Why did this happen? Why didn't someone come forward a long time ago? Why did they do this? Amongst all of the "No comment," or "I'm not at liberty to say," replies...people can be pretty hard on the media. But the truth is, they're only trying to get the answers, too. Press releases and statements are just cleverly-crafted, marketed narratives, and I don't know about you, but I'm sick of them.

Personally, I'd rather know the truth than to be spoonfed a bunch of narratives. Believe me, after all I've been through in my life, I can handle it (hey, I work in EMS; nothing surprises me anymore)! Because wouldn't it be better to know the truth, deal with issues head-on and 'stop the bleed', rather than create layers of excuses and narratives of why the problems haven't been dealt with? Narratives only create more bottlenecks, waste precious time, and delay inevitable truths and consequences. Just look at the state of world...rather, look at the last 250 years of U.S. history to see how covering up the truth has worked out for everyone. So thanks to our local media who are trying.

I learned a lesson when my mother unravelled the truth about me stealing a 5-cent pack of gum. I learned about admitting my faults when I had to face the store manager. I learned that my grandpa would always give me extra cookies (and had the cavities to prove it). All throughout my own timeline, I've had to learn...both the easy way and the hard way...that there are consequences if I don't listen to my conscience, check my moral compass, and steer my mind in the direction to where I must ask myself: "Is this right, or wrong? Is this honest, or dishonest? Is this just, or unjust? Do I understand, or am I misunderstanding? Is this unifying, or dividing? Is this healing, or hurting?

Time will always tell the truth.

"Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed,

or hidden that will not be known."

Luke 12:2

EMS and the Fremont County Commissioners: A Little Story

By Carol Harper

Since I've been on vacation, I've been a bit behind on things re: the EMS situation, but yes...below is the most accurate story put out thus far by the media. Thank you, County 10! (I've gained a lot of clarity on a lot of things on this trip. It's amazing what a bit of R and R can do!)

https://county10.com/fremont-county-outlines-proposed-ems-partnership-with-cody-regional-health/

The county sure likes to point the finger at Priority/Frontier as the problem. No. They aren't. Regardless of their opinions about Priority, the truth is that the commissioners have never been actively a part of the EMS operations, and have no clue how the service is run.

Granted over the past 10 years, they really haven't had to, since corporate entities and outside interests have been doing it...but by being continually inactive and unaware, they have consistently failed to 'assess' the scene, and do the jobs their constituents pay them to do. They've been way too used to others doing the work, then criticize them, and sit back and decide where the money will go.

I've become very scenario-based in my thinking over the years, due to reading (literally) tens of thousands of crew reports. So here's a little story that can perhaps illustrate our current situation:

---

Imagine someone slowly bleeding to death, and the county was the on-scene EMS crew. Their approach was to glance at patient now and then, wait around, wringing their hands, hemming and hawing, debating about what to do...

FCAG (Fremont County Association of Governments), JCFKS (Joint Committee for Funding Key Services), and RASEC (Regional Ambulance Service Evaluation Committee) enter the scene, come in and say "Hey, c'mon you guys, this patient's going to die. You need this, and this, and this...", and start providing the info and tools in order to work on the patient.

The county doesn't know what they heck they're doing, so they step back and let FCAG/RASEC gather the equipment and supplies necessary to treat the patient.

Priority is there, well aware of the situation, understand what the committees are trying to do, and ready to drive the ambulance to whatever location, they just need someone to get some decisions made so they can head to the hospital with the patient ASAP.

FCAG/RASEC continually work on the patient...then most everything comes into place, even to the point of packaging the patient up on the cot, ready to go, rolling them to the ambulance doors. Priority is still waiting at the wheel.

Wait, where's the County? Still back at the scene. Everyone's waiting for them...tick tock, time's a-wastin'. What are they doing? Smelling the flowers? Looking at the sky? Having coffee? Eating a snack? Sleeping? Coloring in their 'How to Balance A Budget' coloring book?

Enter the heroes: Our EMS crews. Now everyone's on board and on the same page...Priority/Frontier, FCAG, RASEC...and everyone's waiting around for the County. Tick tock. This patient is going to die. The slow bleed has now turned critical. Trails of blood are everywhere, the patient is grey...

Finally, the County appears out the fog at 11:55 PM: "We've got it! We going to pay these other folks we found who are going to take a little look at the patient now. They'll be here soon, but we really don't know when. Oh, and by the way, we gave ourselves a raise a while back for doing such a good job."

Now there are many bystanders gathering around, confused at what's going on, and asking questions. "What happened? Why hasn't someone done anything? The patient's all ready, waiting to go! Why is everyone standing around? Do something!"

"We can't. Thank your County Commissioners."

Coffee With A View: Where is God in all of this?

By Carol Harper

I have 'Walmart anxiety' (actually, shopping in general). I make my list ahead of time, repeating to myself that I'm gonna go in and get out...then when I look at how many cars are in the parking lot, I get into some sort of 'hunting mode' vibe. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst...go in, scope it out, shoot it, drag it out.

Sometimes I think if I get there early enough, I'll be pretty safe. Still, I find myself wandering the aisles in a daze, list in hand, looking at all of the different brands, checking labels, expiration dates, etc. I spent a good 10-15 minutes just looking at electric water kettles (mine tragically broke, so I couldn't make my morning coffee, which only added to my anxiety). Then, of course, I was already there, so I had to continue to maneuver through the forest to find the rest of the tagged items on my list. Shopping is a lot of work, but like I said, everything takes work to work. So here we go: Scope, pay, drag.

But wait, there's more. Once I get home, I have to put it all away in the fridge, pantry or designated cupboards. Then I can make my coffee, plop on the couch and enjoy the fruits of my labor with a nice cup o' joe...take a sip, ponder my life choices and whether it was worth it. (It was.)

All things bright and beautiful! I'm grateful to have a job so I can have the things I need to not just survive, but to also buy a few things of convenience in order to enjoy a few perks that I enjoy. I love my morning coffee ritual; I love to cook, I love to road trip, take trips out to see/play with my grand-puppies. Coffee in my cup, delicious food in my belly, gas in my car, family and friends.

Some might think I'm just being plain ridiculous, but hey...shopping isn't the only thing that has become systematically complicated over the decades. All of the Nouns have, too. We only have to look at our world history to see how systems have risen to crush and destroy en masse. We only have to look back to see how pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, and sloth has infiltrated and fueled a world of confusion and division. After all, who likes to go shopping in the big box store of the Past, raise your hand? That's not a fun activity, either!

The past teaches us that we've all been programmed to live in a constant state of anxiety, fear, depression, anger, and frustration...makes it hard to find those moments of peace when you don't know when the next bomb is going to strike your own building. And all the while, those in the struggle between Light and darkness, Life and death, Love and hate, Truth and lies are crying out, "It's not fair! Why do I have to put up with all the liars, murderers, thieves, scammers, gossipers, and bullies? Why do I have to be the one to turn the other cheek? Why do I have to do the "Jesus-ing" thing when there are so many who don't, or are pretending to?

A New Commandment

My daughter and I both identify with 'Walmart anxiety', so when I told my daughter that my water kettle broke and needed to replace it, her response was, "Can't you just boil water in a pot on the stove?" I laughed. Yes, I could. Did I? No. I ended up buying a new one; it was just a basic one, nothing fancy. But don't think that I didn't ponder on her practical words that caused me to look around at all the stuff I already had, versus what I thought I needed merely for the sake of want and convenience.

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world."

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

(1 John 4:1-5)

Well, that doesn't seem too complicated. Simply being aware that there are anti/false christs and false prophets, and that Jesus Himself warned us of them (Matthew 24:24-25) does help. Also, knowing that  systematic religion has confused and complicated our innate faith can help make us aware and more discerning of those who try to sell their own brands with bells and whistles. Those are the things we can leave on the shelves and walk away from. Let them have their 'rewards'. (Matthew 6).

Where is God in all of this?

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Old Testament, Exodus 20:3)

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13: 34-35)

So let me get this straight: Considering all of the religious evolutions, even from Jesus's Revolution 2000 years ago to the present...and given we exist in a world that seems to be oblivious and incapable of the simple commandments of "Love God, love your neighbor (even love your enemies)..." and if one believes that Jesus is God incarnate, and is the Way, the Truth, and the Life...why are so many different brands of Jesus being systematically bought and sold? Isn't that creating gods and idols before God? Isn't worshipping a false christ the same as worshipping and idolizing another god? It could be confusing, but...

Old water kettle. New water kettle. Both hold water.

Old Testament. New Testament. Old commandments, new commandments.

Both hold Living Water. And again, Love is the answer.

I don't call myself a Christian; I call myself a believer. I have made it no secret that I stand with my tribe against Foundations for Nations. Why? Because I recognize a false christ when I see one. How? Because I myself worshipped one for 35 years! Because I'm not going to just sit back and watch others get sucked into believing the preaching of an unrepentant, disrespectful person who feeds a demon that delights in pride, contempt, and division. I'm not going to just sit back and watch these or other preachers of a false christs get away with selling and delivering their brands of spiritual poison and making more people sick. Just as I've experienced and witness what alcohol does to the mind, body, and spirit...I'm not going to sit back and say that the cause and effects of its consumption is okay.

The Truth is the truth, whether one likes it to hear it or not...whether or not one tries to twist it or hide it. When someone asks me: "Just whose side are you on?" I'll always be on the side of what is true. So what were the moments of discovery? When Sarah Lucas didn't do what the real Jesus would have done. When she gathered more so-called 'Christians' to support her, and market/rally around her false christ and its branding. When she claimed persecution, hiding behind the tenets of religion and man-made law to protect it... rather than humbly acknowledging that she had made a mistake and learning from it. Or taking responsilbility for the hurt it has caused and still causes. This could have all ended months ago if she had just considered: What would Jesus do? Hey, all I'm doing is calling out a faulty product!

But this is what happens re: spiritual battles unseen...they create problems which cannot be solved with self-proclaimed 'power' and money thrown at them, or fought in courts of law (which are flawed and failed systems all their own). When one or more people finally stand up, give injustice a voice and call a spade a spade, it's because they're standing on principle or fundamental belief(s) that what was said or done was not right. Isn't that what Jesus did throughout His entire ministry? Didn't Jesus call out the hypocrites (Matthew 23)? And, (under man-made law)...was He not crucified for it? And did not God send His Son into the world, not to condemn it, but to save it from all the constant BS we're compelled to swim through every day? (John 3:16-17) If only more were as teachable as Nicodemus!

Judging Softly

What is actually seen is so small compared to dimensions unseen, but there is one Universal truth: The Creator of all, sees all and knows all. So as I may cry out and see the ripple effects of hurt and injustice and ask: "Why? Why did this happen? What is wrong with people?"...there is a Constant energy that has ebbed and flowed throughout Time, very well Aware of the causes and effects of the seen and unseen battles, as well as their purpose. There will come a time when there is nothing left to do but to let go, prepare, trim our lamps, pray, and wait (Matthew 25: 1-13). Mankind cannot control and change what only the Creator of the entire Universe controls and changes through both order and chaos. (The Book of Revelation is not exactly a feel-good read, but at least we know the ending!)

Walking a path of faith is never easy or convenient. Whenever I am angry and agitated, I play my wood flute. I respect the hands that carved it, honor my teacher who taught me how to play it...I reverence the breath the Creator gives me to play it, and the music that flows from it. It is not an idol, it's not a toy; it's not something bought off the shelves at Walmart. It's not something I use to compete and see who is the best flute player of all. For me, it is an instrument that calms my soul and becomes a catalyst between the seen and the unseen. Music is a universal language, communicating on frequencies that flow through the mind, body, and soul. It is a connection to my Creator.

In turn, what we say and do can also be used to hurt or heal. It has nothing to do with politics, nothing to do with who's the best, richest, smartest...who has the most toys, or the latest and greatest, who's the most popular, who's the most pious and has done the most wonderful things (Matthew 7: 21-23) It has everything to do with whether what has been said or done has hurt or healed, and the continuum of both...whether we have brought Light, Life, Love and Truth, or darkness, death, hate, and lies. It has everything to do with how we have either added or taken away from the confusion and chaos. It is how we have matured into our adulthoods with wisdom, listening to and recognizing the Spirit of Truth. Knowing how to call a spade a spade. Knowing how to boil water in a pot.

The way you treat people says more about you than it does about them.

My birthday is coming up; I will have spent 60 years of time on this little rock in the Universe, a mere  micro-blip in the grand sceme of things! As I ponder upon on my timeline and look at all that I've said, done, written, and experienced, I am the most grateful to know that my Creator has purposefully shaped my story and ongoing journey in a way only He can and knows how to do. The challenges, struggles, paradoxes, lessons, warnings, wisdom...all things seen and unseen in constant motion, forming a path within this little blip of Time. Have I chosen the good, or the evil? Have I hurt, or have I healed? Is this the truth, or is it a lie? Questions asked, not in desperation, anger, or fear...but asked strategically in faith, in order to know the battle when I see it. Then it becomes as simple as boiling water in a pot.

All I have to do is sit down, pray, play my flute, and ponder:

Where is God in all of this?

Judge Softly

By Mary T. Lathrap, 1895

Pray, don’t find fault with the man that limps,

Or stumbles along the road.

Unless you have worn the moccasins he wears,

Or stumbled beneath the same load.

There may be tears in his soles that hurt

Though hidden away from view.

The burden he bears placed on your back

May cause you to stumble and fall, too.

Don’t sneer at the man who is down today

Unless you have felt the same blow

That caused his fall or felt the shame

That only the fallen know.

You may be strong, but still the blows

That were his, unknown to you in the same way,

May cause you to stagger and fall, too.

Don’t be too harsh with the man that sins.

Or pelt him with words, or stone, or disdain.

Unless you are sure you have no sins of your own,

And it’s only wisdom and love that your heart contains.

For you know if the tempter’s voice

Should whisper as soft to you,

As it did to him when he went astray,

It might cause you to falter, too.

Just walk a mile in his moccasins

Before you abuse, criticize and accuse.

If just for one hour, you could find a way

To see through his eyes, instead of your own muse.

I believe you’d be surprised to see

That you’ve been blind and narrow-minded, even unkind.

There are people on reservations and in the ghettos

Who have so little hope, and too much worry on their minds.

Brother, there but for the grace of God go you and I.

Just for a moment, slip into his mind and traditions

And see the world through his spirit and eyes

Before you cast a stone or falsely judge his conditions.

Remember to walk a mile in his moccasins

And remember the lessons of humanity taught to you by your elders.

We will be known forever by the tracks we leave

In other people’s lives, our kindnesses and generosity.

Take the time to walk a mile in his moccasins.

-----

If you would like to support Alice Thomas, below is a link to the GoFundMe page. Many thanks to those of you who have donated!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-help-alice-with-peaceful-protests-outside-ffn

Coffee With A View: The Simple Truth

By Carol Harper

When I was a kid, we didn't have cell phones, tablets, or video games for entertainment and amusement. We read books, magazines, and comics, and among my favorites where Highlights, Reader's Digest, and Marvel. On the last few pages of comic books were ads, and one consistent ad was for...Sea Monkeys! And boy, was I fascinated with them. I'd always ask my mom if we could buy some, and she always said no. Dang it!

Still, I imagined looking into a magical world in a jar, watching sea monkeys floating and swimming through the water. Even after making several pleas ("...but so-and-so's mom bought them for so-and-so!..."), my mom let adequate time go by for me to discover that sea monkeys were actually just brine shrimp. Then she brought me back to reality; we had an aquarium with a water turtle named Freddie, and I'd watch him play with the algae-eaters and guppies. Plants and colorful gravel covered the bottom of this little world that he lived in...he even had a large rock where he could "sun" himself under a light. We would dig up worms in the backyard for him to eat, and I would watch as my Dad dropped a big nightcrawler into the tank. Freddie would scoot off the rock, plop into the water, and as the nighcrawler curled around his face, he would gobble it up. Who needs a little jar of brine shrimp when we had already created a whole ecosystem for my first beloved pet?

I've also realized how relentless I was as a kid, being sucked into all kinds of things I wanted...like an EasyBake Oven. I so wanted one for Christmas or birthdays, but never got one.  ("...but so-and-so's mom bought them for so-and-so!..."). Again, my mom let adequate time go by, and one day she replied: "Why would you want one of those, when I can teach you to cook and bake in a real oven?" And she did.

Life has become so complicated with the thinking that we need 'bigger-better-faster-stronger'. The latest phone or tablet, the latest car, the latest apps. But the simple truth lies within the confusion between wants and needs (and the associated costs). Didn't need an EasyBake Oven. Didn't need Sea Monkeys. I wanted them, but didn't need them...and I found that what I already had was way better than what I ever thought I wanted.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"

Matthew 6: 25-27

Simple Truths

So, what do Easy Bake ovens and sea monkeys have to do with truth? Most of us want to protect children from the harsh realities of life, with the hope that they'll become healthy, happy adults. We want them to be happy, but we also need them to be smart and safe. Nurturing and raising children is a tough job, and sometimes we think we don't have the tools we need to do it. But like my mother, parents can become quite resourceful when it comes to teaching children the most important things they need to carry throughout their lives. And one of those important, simple truths is: Everything takes work to work.

This week, a very smart, wise friend reminded me that you have to have an understanding of a problem before you can find the solutions. It can be difficult living in a world where we're conveniently spoonfed the "answers" through AI or social media. Doesn't take too much work to ask AI a question, but it does take work read and to sift through all the fabrications...trying to discern through what is true and untrue; what is real and unreal. We can spend a lot of time and money on things we might think are necessary to help us, rather than gain the understanding of what or how they might impact, influence, and affect us and generations to come. And sometimes, the very tools and fabrications we consume and internalize can become a part of the very problems we try to solve. Instead of grounding ourselves in reality and remembering what we've learned throughout our journeying, we get sucked back into becoming confused children. Crazy, huh!

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

Matthew 7: 7-8

"Is it possible to exist in a world of sea monkeys?" 

I realize it's not the best-worded hypothetical question or koan, but it's simply put. However, in context of what I'm writing today, I asked AI this very question (without context), and this was its response:

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"Yes—if you mean a miniature aquatic world inhabited almost entirely by “Sea-Monkeys.” They’re actually brine shrimp (Artemia), and in a carefully maintained tank, they effectively live in their own tiny world.

A human couldn’t physically live in that world: it is too small, extremely salty, low in oxygen, and lacks everything we need to survive. But you can create and observe a thriving Sea-Monkey ecosystem—complete with algae, bacteria, reproduction, competition, and generations of inhabitants.
So, from their perspective, a world of Sea-Monkeys is entirely possible. From ours, it’s a fascinating little civilization in a tank."

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Fascinating, indeed.

I've been in situations that were "extremely salty, low in oxygen", where I've literally had to struggle to breathe. I've been in tanks that limited any hope of existing, much less thriving. I've been plopped into systems, climates, and micro-climates where I've had to learn to adapt for the sake of sustainability. I've been subjected to being put into labeled tanks...a member, a subscriber, a "valued customer", a number, a statistic, an algorithm. I've been held captive to the thoughts swimming around in my own head...fear, worry, depression, and doubt. I've had moments in my life where I would look in the mirror and think: "Who are you? Who have you become?"

It took time for me to realize that being a victim...to everything thrown at me, in a myriad of environments and micro-climates...prevented me from understanding the truth about myself. I don't want to live in fear. I don't want to be depressed. I don't want to be around people who use and abuse me, and then just throw me away. I don't want to struggle just to survive. I don't want to spend money on things that destroy my health, my mind, my behavior. I don't want to question my own existence.

I had to take ownership of myself, and understand what it is that I needed, not wanted: I needed purpose in my life, beyond my circumstances and control. I needed a job and the tools to be productive. I needed a good environment, a place to live and call home. I needed to live within my means. I needed to be around genuinely good people who were positive, encouraging, and understanding, and I needed to be the same with them. I need to smile, to laugh, to be happy. I need to be loved.

If you identify with any of that, the solution is and always has been: Love.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

An environment of Love is what everyone wants and needs! So rather than being a slave to unhealthy environments and associations...instead of wondering what brand of sea monkey I was, or what brand others wanted, expected, or labeled...I took ownership in becoming the person I truly needed to be, no matter where I was or where fate would land me the next day, next week, or next year, five, ten, or twenty.

Believe me, it isn't easy. Doing the hard thing never is. But the more I was able to admit and take ownership, the more I was able get a jump-start on being the self I needed to be. I stopped being in abusive, unhealthy relationships because I finally recognized the cycles of insanity. I stopped drinking because it impaired my health, judgment, and reasoning (and quite frankly, made me feel like shit). I started limiting my caffeine intake because I discovered that it affects/disrupts my flow of concentration. I started using AI more as a tool to help me gain some knowledge and understanding, not be spoonfed fabricated answers that it thought I wanted to hear. I started surrounding myself with the Nouns...people, places and things...that were meaningful to me and helped me live a healthy, sustainable, happy life.

"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."

Romans 12:3

Being in the world, not of it. The more I was able to honestly take ownership of my own heart, mind, body, and spirit...the more moments that revealed the truth of lessons learned, regardless of the tanks I was compelled to swim in...the more I became aware and discovered the places which were either filled with Love...or systematically and cyclically lacking it. Achieving that physical-mental-spiritual balance is a lot of work! But that's what it takes, and at least now I'll know if I made poor choices, because I'll inevitably feel and often regret them later. Same with the things I buy, the places I go, or the people I meet along the way. And I'm not perfect; I make mistakes, I'm human. Perfect isn't!

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."

Matthew 7: 3-5

I also learned not to waste time and play blame games about the issues, problems, and chaos going on in the world...but I do need to have an untainted knowledge and understanding of the problems before they can be adequately addressed (and that can be very hard to do in today's climates). I don't have all the answers; no one does! What I simply need is to do the work it takes in my own backyard and in my own skin. Am I a sea monkey, or a human being? If I don't have my own shit together, how could I ever understand or be considerate of those who might be swimming around in the many tanks of anger, hurt, confusion, and trauma? (All the while, being wary about how "hurt people hurt people"...I have to really work hard and be cautious enough to not get sucked into the hoses!) But I'm smart enough to know that all anyone wants or needs is Love. That's the answer everyone has, and the only one that matters. If we'd all work on Love as the answer, for ourselves and others...maybe that would solve a majority of problems.

Sometimes I find myself alone, but I'm never lonely. Every day I try to take moments to do things I love. I love grinding and smelling my (decaf) beans for my morning coffee. I love my moments of prayer and meditation with my Creator. I love playing my wood flute. I love trying to stay positive and maintain a sense of humor through a bad day. I love to cook (experimentally, lol). I love to laugh...even at myself! I love "Facelook" time, visiting with friends over coffee or a good meal. I have one game on my phone that I love to play (it's a word game). I love the smell of sagebrush on the open prairie...

I love my community and tribe, and the good people I associate and partner with. And quite honestly, I don't necessarily like meetings (and I attend quite a lot of them), but I do love productive ones where like-minded folks work together in the same "think tank"...where there is understanding and hope for goals and objectives to be accomplished and successful. And at the end of the day, I love to go home, draw in and breathe out a sigh of relief, kick off my shoes, shed the uniform, take off all the hats, peel off the 'labels'...and then do more of the things that I love as I watch the sun set on another day.

Simple truth? Time is all we have. Can I, by worrying, add a single hour to my life?

Love really is all we need. For everyone, including ourselves.

All You Need Is Love

By John Lennon & Paul McCartney

There's nothing you can do that can't be done

Nothing you can sing that can't be sung

Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game

It's easy

Nothing you can make that can't be made

No one you can save that can't be saved

Nothing you can do, but you can learn how to be you in time

It's easy

All you need is love

All you need is love

All you need is love, love

Love is all you need

There's nothing you can know that isn't known

Nothing you can see that isn't shown

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

It's easy

All you need is love

All you need is love

All you need is love, love

Love is all you need

Coffee With A View: Everything Takes Work to Work

By Carol Harper

One of the biggest reasons I came back to my hometown of Riverton was because I just couldn't afford to live in California anymore. After 35 years, the cost of living and salary/wages of my occupation(s) were just not sustainable. I even had to experience the stress of homelessness, and as I was praying through tears, trying to figure out what I was going to do...God put me on the path that led me home. And if it weren't for family and the friends who helped me, my discouragement levels might have escalated to a point of utter despair. Trials and challenges will always exist, but when faith is strong, love and hope endures.

As I've 'assessed the scene' of our local economies and approach Tuesday's primary elections, I admit that I've starteded to get that feeling as I did back when I lived California. We're at a turning point...several, in fact...where the choices we make will determine the outcomes for a sustainable future. It can be difficult to choose the right people who will do the right things for the right reasons, when we feel the effects of the wrong people doing the wrong things for the wrong reasons...or haven't effectively done the jobs they were elected to do.

It's easy to watch a "Candy-Date" forum...where candidates might throw out candy to the public like kids at a parade. But in truth, those aren't the people I want answering my questions. I would rather ask employees. I would rather ask the bookkeeper, the accountant, the office clerk. I would rather ask the administrative assistant, the cop, firefighter, EMT, the nurse, the mechanic, the driver, the roughneck, the teacher, the student, the librarian, the waiter/waitress, the food vendor, chef, line cook, housekeeper, landscaper, etc. Those are the people I'm interested in talking with.

Wheels Up: Our Friendly Skies

I don't use the airport. I'm more of a road-tripper...I actually don't mind driving to Casper, Denver or Salt Lake City, plus I have family and friends in those cities who I can make a point to visit while I'm there. I also don't mind picking up my friends and driving through our beautiful state and stopping at places along the way (like Farson for ice cream!) or visiting Main Street downtowns for a quick foodie tour, or to do some shopping. Gotta get that Wyoming bucking horse hoodie! As of late, gas prices have pretty much grounded me from road-tripping, but I do have friends from out-of-state who have expressed interest in visiting Wyoming, and they've asked: "Do you have an airport?" It's nice to be able to reply: "Why, yes we do!"

I recently interviewed our Chamber's Executive Director, Cindy Olsen-Roden, as the business Spotlight for the Downtowner's Newsletter this month, and she said that "tourism is hard" in Riverton. We do have individuals, businesses and organizations that utilize our airport, and I like to think that we will continue to have "friendly skies" for them. But I'm also thinking about those who support the airport's economic future...consider its development, mindful of the assets Riverton has while building and sustaining our local economy. As Cindy described our city as a "drive-thru", we're quite an important one...a central hub for both business and tourism...not just for ours, but for those who visit, stay, and play in other towns well.

From a disaster viewpoint (as I put on my 'emergency management hat')...having an airport is an advantage above communities who don't. The transport and delivery of emergency supplies, the ability to fly out critical patients, flying in blood supply, flying in doctors and medical professionals to our hospitals. Depending on the level of disaster or crisis, the ability to fly in DHS workers or Red Cross volunteers from across the country to a commercial airport is also an advantage, allowing help to arrive within hours instead of days, sometimes even weeks. I've been through two mock disaster exercises at the Riverton airport, and all our first responding agencies contribute and brief each other on what went well and where we could do better as far as response. It's all connected!

I am also pleased that community events are held that bring the community together, like the upcoming "Wheels At Work" (see poster below) this Saturday. Bringing our families to events like these can inspire our children and youth to be pilots or flight nurses, or take a vocational path such as a flight mechanic, line service technician, air traffic controller, security officer, etc. Providing job opportunities for an asset such as an airport is also an important part of career development and a sustainable future for the employed.

Wheels on the Bus (go round and round)!

The same can be said for our wheels on the ground: Public transportation. Do I use it? Have I used it? No, I hop in my car and drive myself to the station or various meetings and community events. Will I always have a car? I don't know. Will I always be able to drive? I don't know, but I've been legally blind before and been in the seat of Miss Daisy, so I'm familiar with the stress of not knowing.

I've taken public transportation in the cities I've lived in...BART in San Jose/San Francisco, WeGo Public Transit in Nashville, SacRT in Sacramento, AmadorTransit in Amador County (CA). Sometimes they had routes and schedules available to get me where I needed to go, sometimes not. I used Lyft and Uber when I was visiting Washington D.C., but they also had public transportation alternatives in my itinerary (including to and from the airport). Just knowing I could use public transportation as a 'plan B or C' backup plan gave me peace of mind.

Transportation is a huge part of economic infrastructure, and WRTA does an excellent job. Just SafeRides alone contributes greatly to community safety in ways we might not know of or see on any given weekend.

Wheels on the Ambulance: Care on the Ground

For the past 10 years, EMS operations in Fremont County and the WRIR have been under contract with several different corporate entities: Guardian Flight, Guardian, AMR, GMR, and now Frontier (Priority). The County has paid a subsidy to keep operations running under these companies. However, what some folks may not know is that the County owns the assets (three stations/a crew house, the ambulances, heart monitors and other equipment), which are severely depreciating and have gone through more than a decade's worth of overhaul and maintenence. Our EMTs are doing the very best they can with what they have. They are the service.

Whose fault is it, that we're in the situation we're in with EMS? Well...who owns the assets? The County. The contract with Priority was supposed to be negotiated and done by June 30. Now, because of a lot of hemming and hawing, the service is running under an extention of that contract which ends on October 1st. The County Commission has had ample time to either put the service out again for RFP, or negotiate/re-negotiate the current contract. With no foresight, and little attention to the rising costs of operations, they chose to kick the can for months and put off the fate of FCEMS until at its most critical juncture.

Fortunately, Fremont County Association of Governments (FCAG) did have the foresight back in August to form the Joint Committee for Funding Key Services, and eventually, the Regional Ambulance Service Evaluation Committee. Since last September, these committees have worked tirelessly in crunching numbers, creating models, planning project phases that have been presented to FCAG, city and town councils, and most recently, the Intertribal Council...all aware of critical deadlines approaching for sustainability and funding options and opportunities to keep these services going. Even executives from Priority sat in on several of the JCFKS and RASEC meeting, so they were well-informed and aware. Where was the County? Good question.

A side note...back before corporate interests took over the service, a 1/2-cent sales tax just for EMS was presented as a potential means for funding operations. The commissioners shot it down. That was over 10 years ago. If that tax...a 1/2-cent...had gone through back then, we would not be in the situation we're in today. A little foresight goes a long way.

Do you see why it is so important to understand and know what and who to vote for? Accountability and sustainability go hand in hand.

We, the People.

Everything takes work to work, and the burden of leadership is a great one to bear. Because, after an election, what is considered, decided, and done (or not done) from the top greatly affects those who are boots-on-the-ground, doing the work that makes all of the wheels turn. We expect our leaders to be held morally, ethically, and fiscally accountable...and if they haven't been, it's quite a mess to have to clean up.

Fiscal accountability. Before that can even happen, the funds actually have to be there. But when past councils, commissions, and administrations haven't been held accountable, funding becomes scarce to nil, budgets become a more of a shell game, and there is a lack of oversight/checks and balances, essential programs and services cut...it is unfortunate to discover that we end up bearing the brunt of failed leadership.

As voters, we too have a responsibility. It might be easy to rally around and vote for our friends, collegues, or political cohorts during an election year...but not really know just how qualified or effective they'll be while in office. Once backs are against the wall, it might be easier to just yell "No more taxes!" and let the cards fall where they may. It might be easier to sit back, point fingers, troll on social media, and play the blame game. But do we really read, or just skim? Where were we during council or commission meetings? Where were we when proposals and resolutions were being reviewed and decisions being made? A lot of us are working, trying to hold the line! It can be difficult when cards go up in the air, fall all over the floor...and then some of us end up having to be the clean-up crew because others didn't do their jobs.

Election years are not popularity contests, or panels with narratives tossed out like candy to the masses, or like texting in your vote for the next 'American Idol', or about choosing who makes the best cheeseburger or Indian taco. It's not a multiple-choice test where you randomly fill in the circles and hope for the best.

The voting booth is a very powerful place and an institution that amplifies the Constitutional (and Tribal!) voice of the People. It is about who we're putting our trust in, and about making carefully informed decisions about where we're placing our "lives, fortunes, and sacred honor" as we approach our various polling places...and having the hope that the leaders who take their seats will listen to and serve their constituents with wisdom, foresight, and integrity.