Reply to From the Bottom, Looking Up

by DTA

The first thing that strikes me as odd is saying "I hate the American institution. Not the American people as a whole, just the government and the minority...support behind ‘Dubya’..." If you hate our system, then you hate our people. Saying that is the equivalent of saying, "I hate the way you dress, your mind set, and everything you believe in, but I don't hate you." Hating the current administration and Bush is not the same as hating the American institution. Also, just because people throw their support at him does not necessarily mean that it's blind; in fact, there are people who do support him who do know the facts, otherwise he wouldn't have become president... after all, the president is not voted in by the common people's vote, though it is influenced.

I do not understand what you mean when you say September 11th was not a bad thing. I'm guessing you did not mean it in a way which saying that multiple people died unwarranted, but I have no idea how else this statement could be taken.

"September 11 was not a bad thing. At least from some perspectives. This Iranian woman... (who won the Nobel prize – I cant remember her name) saying that the US has used September 11 as an excuse to rape and pillage the world in their relentless search for a debt-breaking oil they have been looking for – e.g. Iraq." Is this not you putting blind faith in this woman's words, just because she has won a nobel prize? (not saying that's not impressive, but just because someone is merrited an award does not mean they know everything). This is not to say that the Bush Administration is not using such tactics to further their pocket books, however is this not also blindly following someone?

Anyways, sorry about the above negative feedback, but I see such statements often and it bothers me. Now, on to a little more positive input...

As for the stress build up from school and needing to pick a career, I am in no way fully understanding of the system in Australia. So, what I'm saying is from my experience where I live. Many people end up not doing what they went to school for. My sister went for psychology, she ended up being a manager for Southwest Bell and wrote a lot of instruction manuals. My brother went for information technology and is now doing finance. It would be nice to know what you want to do so you're time in school is better spent, but life never works in a straight line. If you go to college and do well, there's a good chance you'll end up with a decent enough job.

The nicest people normally are those who have gone through hell and back because they are more apt to understanding other people's problems and also have had enough extreme experience to not care about the small things so much.

I am sincerely sorry to hear about your girlfriend's medical condition. At the church I attend, many people have had testimonies after getting over extreme low points in their life through miraculous healing. My father was on the death bed after his intestines went bad, and in that week he turned to the Bible for the first time in many years. He got stronger, and with it became a better person. There's a woman who came down from Pittsburgh once who could no longer walk, mostly due to the problems that come with aging and illness, and had had problems walking for a while. By the end of the church session, we had had a prayer gathering and she was able to run again.

When my grandfather died, my father still wasn't sure about how to go about praying with others and hoping for healing. My grandfather died, but a year later my Dad went to see a friend who was stuck in the hospital with a disease, I believe it was brain cancer but am not sure. When my father went in, it was the exact same room in the exact same area where my grandfather had died. They talked for a while and prayed. My dad was stressed to say "You are healed" but he still didn't say it, fearing that he could be wrong. The sick man's own pastor basically told him things didn't look good and get things right with God before he died. The man had been praying for someone else to come in and tell him what he needed to hear, and by the end of his session with my father he was crying, saying that's exactly what he wanted to hear, and not even his pastor would tell him that. Months later, he overheard people in the foundary talking about the man who was sick, saying that he was talking about how the doctor came in after he met with a friend and did some tests, then told him the cancer had receded a good bit and would still be a problem, but he had a few months more to live than what was previously expected. The man lived a full year and ended up dying on his bed at home. My father still wonders what could have happened if he had just said "You're healed."

I have numerous stories like this, but these are the two that I actually have had direct knowledge in and mean the most to me.

Anyways, back on track... the loss of feeling since 7 years ago is probably since you've grown up and have had more experiences. At 10, things aren't as clear.

You've come through a lot, and don't sound weak to me. I wish you better luck in the future.