It started Monday with a familiar tingle at the back of my throat and by the time I left work I was feeling feverish. I took cold medicine and fell asleep on the couch and that's pretty much where I stayed for the last two days. Wednesday looked promising. I got up and took a shower and pretended that I was going to work, but just the effort of showering left me exhausted. I went back to bed and slept for two hours, only to get up to move to the couch where I dozed on and off most of the day while Boardwalk Empire played in the background. I could have easily repeated all of that again today, but instead I gave myself a slap and went to work.

Now I am sitting like zombie at my desk with my supervisor asking me why didn't I just stay home. One day off work was necessary. Two days off work seemed decadent. Three days off work means I have some serious ills and I'm not willing to admit that. So I showed up. I'm making an effort. My ears crackle when I swallow, but I've added a paragraph and picture to a newsletter that I'm working on. I'm starting to think that this is all I will accomplish today. Something I didn't do while I laid on the couch for two days was anything with the internet. I didn't write. I didn't check emails. I went to facebook once to wish some people a Happy Birthday, but that's all I did. I didn't read my daily Skimm of news. I barely replied to text messages and I did not take any pictures of anything. I'm now missing two days in my 365 photo happiness project. I'm not all that upset about it. There's more important things to be upset about. 

I have written and deleted and written and deleted over and over something about the University of Missouri. None if it seemed right. Then I realize that this is kind of the point. This whole situation is not right. Everything about any of it is not right. It's not right that these kids did not (do not) feel safe at their own school. It's not right that there are people out there STILL teaching their kids to hate. It's not right that so many choose to ignore or brush aside racism. How can you write something to that makes sense of something so wrong? I can't, but I can show my support. I stand with those students of the University of Missouri. I believe in their peaceful protest demanding change. I am in awe of their bravery to stand up and do so. May these students give others the courage to stand up to the face of injustice. Because you're fooling yourself if you think violent acts of racism are only happening on this particular college campus. 

There's is not much that I can say that hasn't been said before, except maybe that I am listening. I hear the cries of your protest and I recognize that my problems are nothing compared to your's. I want those students to know they are making a difference. They are making things better.