What troubling questions are on your mind, here and now?
My troubling questions include:
- What do I do about the realities of white supremacy?
- How do I deal with the realities of the coronavirus?
- Why is wearing a mask a political issue?
- What does the American flag even mean these days?
- How will we know when (and if) to euthanize our cat Oscar, who has cancer?
- Why am I so worried about making mistakes?
- Should I go back to being a vegetarian?
- Why is it so difficult to wait?
- Why is it so difficult for the human mind to stay in the present moment?
- Why are people so concerned about their image and how they appear to others?
- Why is it that when life is more difficult, people often feel worse about themselves?
- Why are trauma and abuse so often multi-generational?
- What do you do when you suspect a friend or colleague is having a mental breakdown?
- Does power corrupt and does absolute power corrupt absolutely?
- What is going to happen to nature as the world keeps warming?
- What kind of world is my 22-year-old son going to live in?
- Should we try to protect those we love from pain?
Do you see any troubling questions in these recent photos? (And is that a troubling question?)
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If you have any troubling questions about why I have slinkies in my office, see this very early blog post.
Jennifer Eberhardt answers troubling questions about racial bias in this excellent TED talk:
Unquestionably, that is a very important video.
Circling back to the image that inspired today’s title …
… here is the live studio version of “Cloisonné” from Album Raises New and Troubling Questions by They Might Be Giants:
Feel free to raise new and troubling questions or answer any question in a comment, below.
Thanks to all who took the trouble to read this “Troubling Questions” post today, including YOU.
The Year(s) of Living Non-Judgmentally 
with all of this, swirling around in the world, all I can focus on is Oscar.
I can relate, beth. ❤
I know that sometimes difficult questions can be resolved with simple measures; racial bias can be addressed through conversations. Sometimes talking it out is what it takes.
Thanks for talking it out here, Chris. ❤
I think Oscar will tell you when it’s time, Ann. He’s been communicating so well with you and Michael every day of his well-loved life.
Thank you, my well-loved friend. ❤
Sending you much love and hugs, my dear friend. ✧❥✧¸.•*¨*✧♡✧ ℒℴѵℯ ✧♡✧*¨*•.❥(੭ु｡╹▿╹｡)੭ु⁾⁾(੭ु｡╹▿╹｡)੭ु⁾⁾(੭ु｡╹▿╹｡)੭ु⁾⁾(੭ु｡╹▿╹｡)੭ु⁾⁾(੭ु｡╹▿╹｡)੭ु⁾⁾(੭ु｡╹▿╹｡)੭ु✧❥✧¸.•*¨*✧♡✧ ℒℴѵℯ ✧♡✧*¨*•.❥
Love is the answer, my wonderful friend! ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
♱♡‿♡♰
Do I give it a few days after the opening permission before I go to the barber’s?
Good question, Derrick. I’ve been cutting my own hair at home!
So many questions and so few answers. Oscar will let you know when he needs to go.
Thank you for a typically beautiful answer, my friend. ❤
You might not know when the right time to give Oscar an assisted death is, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t answer that question. It might be obvious such as if you have to give him intravenous fluid under his skin several times a day and he is miserable and you are miserable when doing that, and he doesn’t seem to feel better. But cats are stoic. He may just slip away, having somehow enjoyed even the crappy moments.
I was asking myself the same question in 2014, about my cat Snowflake. I was giving her intravenous fluid and in retrospect, I wish I had spared her that as it didn’t really help.(It may have been too late to help.) I was lying on the floor next to her one night when she suddenly had a stroke and died.
Oscar knows you love him. We all know you are doing the best you can for him. The moment will come, whether you euthanize him or you don’t. You can only use your love for Oscar as a guide. It’s a hard thing. I wish you and Michael strength and peace.
Thank you for this typically thoughtful, helpful, and loving answer, my friend. ❤ ❤ ❤
So sorry to read about Oscar. Been through it, every day I would just plead not to have to make the decision. Heartbreaking. Your Heron in the reeds is beautiful. I am glad you have such wonderful views during these times… it helps. ❤ Stay well
It always helps to see you here, Lisa. Many, many thanks for the visit. ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
Hi, Ann, excuse my ignorance, but is it imperative that Oscar be euthanized? I think what’s frustrating about 2020 questions is that there are no answers- nothing is certain. It’s very frustrating because we are used to being in control * I’m referring to the Virus itself. Have a nice day, Ann
That is not ignorance. Euthanasia for Oscar is not an imperative and you helped me rewrite this to make that clear. Thanks for another nice and helpful comment.
Troubling questions will get sorted out with Harley’s coaching course
Harley has the answer to everything!