I hope all of you are doing okay. I don’t know what’s happened this year, but it seems as if the earth was zapped with a whole lot of negative energy. I’m fine, but so many people surrounding me are dealing with various crises, such as accidents, falls, cracked bones, radiation treatments, poor health prognoses, and the death of a loved one. My only crisis is a financial one — the incredible rate increase for my already astronomical house insurance (the rates in this area are among the highest in the country — because of wind and hail damage, I’ve been told), but the solution there is an easy one: find a different insurance company or find ways to be more economical so I pay the bill and worry about next year’s insurance when next year comes.
There’s not much I can do about other people’s problems but be there if they need something. It does seem odd, though, that so many things are going wrong in such a short period of time. I hate the thought of being grateful that so far I am on the caregiving end of the situation rather than the care needing end because it seems so . . . smug or complacent or arrogant or somesuch, but I am grateful that, as of now, I am healthy and able to help where I can.
I have no words of wisdom in the situation. In fact, I’m hurrying up to get this finished so I can go be with a woman who needs help, but I wanted to write something so as not to break my blogging streak, and this cluster of calamities is on my mind.
Take care of yourself! There are enough ills in the world without our adding to it.
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Pat Bertram is the author of Grief: The Inside Story – A Guide to Surviving the Loss of a Loved One. “Grief: The Inside Story is perfect and that is not hyperbole! It is exactly what folk who are grieving need to read.” –Leesa Healy, RN, GDAS GDAT, Emotional/Mental Health Therapist & Educator
Bertram's Blog 
February 5, 2021 at 12:33 pm
I wonder if adding an attractive tin roof would reduce the premiums by offering better protection against hail or if it would add the premium and he taxes by increasing the value of your home. When we built this house several years ago, we wanted a tin roof, but they’re not cheap.
February 5, 2021 at 4:41 pm
My roof is not very old, and it’s shingle, but it’s supposed to be hurricane resistant, as is the roof of my garage. I think it’s just the area. Most of the increase has to do with their not making enough money. A robbing the poor to pay the rich sort of thing.
February 5, 2021 at 2:44 pm
Seems like a lot of crazy is going around this week. I can’t count how many people have said this week hit them harder than most.
February 5, 2021 at 4:41 pm
So weird all over. Interesting.
February 6, 2021 at 11:37 am
Could the cluster be more perception than reality? Are there really more bad things happening, or does it just seem so? I wonder if the constant chronic drumbeat of Bob news is just wearing on us and altering our perceptions.
I’ve been feeling something similar, but chocked it up to my wife having died about the same time as the Bob got going.
February 6, 2021 at 5:32 pm
Both perception and reality, I think. Two of the cluster components have affected my life even though they are not my crises. I tend the rest are perception, and I am adding them to cluster to because I’ve heard about them, even though there might not be more crises than normal.
February 6, 2021 at 1:18 pm
This month I am going trough two anniversaries the dead of my soulmate and the funeral 10 days after. I am still shell shocked.
But it is more difficult for a father or mother with adults children.
The children going to remind of their soulmate in all circumstances.
To be a father and a mother the same time it is very difficult.
But one thing I am sure one day the children realize the effort did by the father or mother and return of their love.
At the moment I have other crises of life apart from curfew 6 pm to 6 am
I must get going if bob can.
I am naturally a pragmatic person. If I cannot make it get going on my own I must do it for my soulmate and my best friend to honneur and pay homage to her.
February 6, 2021 at 5:33 pm
I’m sure it doesn’t feel like it, but you’re doing well. You’ll get going when the time is right.