Where is Humanity
When the Fridge Is Full but the World Is Hungry
Before I lay down for bed after a long day, I find myself planning Sunday dinner. What will I cook? It’s become my routine to prepare two meals—one for my son and something different for myself. Sometimes we order takeout. I don’t cook as much as I used to since Im now a widow.
I used to take joy in cooking for my husband. Now it feels more like a chore. Still, I keep the freezer and pantry full out of habit. I’ve always had a quiet fear of running out of food, so I overbuy. We went from a family of six to just two, yet my shopping habits haven’t changed.
Then my thoughts drift—like they often do—to the state of the world. Another crisis, another blow to families already stretched thin. SNAP benefits are reportedly on hold for November 2025. That once “magical” EBT card, the one that could buy bread and milk, is now just a piece of plastic—powerless to feed the many who depend on it.
No, this doesn’t directly affect me. But emotionally, it does. I can’t stop thinking about the children who will go to bed hungry, about mothers forced to choose between paying rent or buying groceries. I imagine people standing in long lines at food banks, only to discover there’s little left when they finally reach the front.
I’ve seen the harsh comments online: “Get a job.” “They shouldn’t have kids if they can’t afford them.” Words that sting because they reveal how divided we’ve become.
But here’s what many don’t realize: SNAP benefits don’t simply reflect economic need—they reflect inequality. Households headed by women—disabled, unemployed, low wage earners, older women, and caregivers—are more likely to need this assistance because of historic and structural gaps in wages and support.
In fiscal year 2023, about 39% of all SNAP participants were children, 42% were adults between 18 and 59, and 19% were age 60 or older.
Looking at race and ethnicity, roughly 35% of participants identified as White (non-Hispanic), 26% as Black/African American, 16% as Hispanic/Latino, 4% as Asian, and 1% as Native American—with about 17% not reporting race.
That means many of the people we might reflexively think of as “other” are in fact part of the broader American family of struggle. And when SNAP is disrupted, those interconnecting layers of disadvantage—age, gender, race, and working-poor status—feel the impact most keenly.
And then comes the domino effect. When one mother can’t pay rent because she had to buy food, her landlord may fall behind on the mortgage. Stores lose revenue, raise prices to compensate, and the cycle deepens. Federal workers miss paychecks, some receiving only partial wages. Yet, somewhere, a new president is building a ballroom in the White House—while millions wonder how to keep food on the table and heat in their homes.
I keep thinking, what if? Because so much of what we once took for granted feels uncertain now.
They call it the beautiful bill
They call it the beautiful bill
I call it bullshit
Approved on Capitol Hill
By cowards, liars a stroke of a pen
Politicians committing grievous sins
planned and orchestrated this doom
The innocent to suffer quite soon
Republicans souls are corrupt
Hidden agendas plan to disrupt
Creating a maze of discord
Striving to become Lords
Over the people – I think not
Cowards in suits while children cry
Justice , truth, they distribute only lies
We grown weary but not to surrender – we detest
We don’t second guess your motives – we protest
The poor not deserving
you laugh over drinks
Thinking of more ways to stump out life
You created this broken bridge of strife
The foul smell of trickery permeates the air
And justice is to being torn apart – not fair
Yet it’s not over
We the people stand for democracy
now that has been turned into hypocrisy
Each new bill breeds only hate
NEWS FLASH
We reject it – we refuse to take
Your bullshit that rocks are minds
It’s not time – NOT TIME
Endless city blocks of tears
And ICE draws from fear
Death travels the corridors of schools at noon
Creeping though walls in broken rooms
Set off by fools with no remorse
Pushing pain like drugs – it’s part of the course
We feel the pain like a knife in our chest
Democracy is burning- can’t lay it to rest
Every law is a lie they hurry to write
Families destroyed – stolen in the night
They push “we the people” out of the way
These new laws are meant to decay hope
In homes screams echo in the night
Dreams of freedom erased in the policy fight
Scheming agenda planning attacks
Against Americans these are the facts
We will thrive like beautiful flowers
We will rise upward dare not cower
No justice, no peace, we don’t pretend
This is our beginning and it’s not the end.
Displaying the Ten Commandments: Is It Necessary?
Why Post the Ten Commandments in Classrooms?
The President has announced a decision to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom across the country. Why?
I think a simple sentence would suffice -“Treat others the way you want to be treated.”
This one principle-known as the Golden Rule-is found not just in Christianity, but also in Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and many other belief systems. Even those who identify as spiritual rather than
religious often live by this rule. If we truly treated others as we wish to be treated, we would not lie, steal, cheat, or kill. We wouldn’t harm or exploit one another.
America is a diverse nation-a melting pot of nationalities, cultures, and religions. To force a specific religious doctrine in a public school setting, especially one tradition’s version of morality, it bias and can feel exclusionary.
Many young students may not even understand the Ten Commandments, but nearly any child can understand the idea of being kind and fair: “Treat your classmate as you want to be treated.”
It’s also ironic-and sad-that many of the same people pushing to display the Ten Commandments inschools are the very ones who violate them. Politicians, church leaders, and others in power often
act in ways that contradict the values they claim to uphold.
If our government truly followed biblical principles, we wouldn’t be tearing families apart at the border or using fear and intimidation through agencies like ICE. Compassion, mercy, and justice
would take priority.
As the Bible says in James 2:10,
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” Before we post commandments in public school walls, perhaps we should focus on living them-with
integrity, humility, and love. Around now I don’t see it – our country is bursting at the seams with hatred, hatred that comes from our government. I would think maybe they should hang that sign in their homes and offices since they need to be reminded.
Please share your point of view.
From Bully to President
I used to ditch school often in the seventh grade. I was truant from many of my classes–not because I didn’t want to learn, but because I was afraid. I would show up to school and then hide: in the bathroom stall or some hidden corner of the schoolyard, hoping not to be noticed. When the truant officer finally contacted my mother, there was hell to pay. But the real punishment wasn’t at home–it was at school, where Sharon, the school bully, made my life a daily nightmare.
Fear stayed close, like a shadow I couldn’t shake. I’d lock myself in a bathroom stall, praying I wouldn’t run into her. I’d stay there fifteen, twenty minutes after the bell rang, waiting for the coast to clear. Then I’d slip out quietly and head for the school gates. Sometimes I got lucky–maybe she was gone, or busy tormenting someone else–but eventually, our paths would cross.
I never understood what I had done to deserve her cruelty. She took my lunch money, emptied my book bag, yanked my long braids, and sometimes even spit on me. She called me names so ugly I still remember how they stung. She even insulted my mother–a woman she had never met. Sharon always had a group of kids with her. I don’t believe they truly liked her; they followed her out of fear. Some would laugh nervously at her jokes, hoping she wouldn’t turn on them next. Her power came from our fear. We gave it to her without meaning to.
Later in life, I realized Sharon was a coward. Her strength didn’t come from within–it came from her enablers. I ran into her in high school after she had dropped out. She didn’t say a word. She wouldn’t even look me in the eye. By then, I had found my voice–and I was ready.
I hadn’t thought about Sharon in years–until I saw Donald Trump rise to power. Watching him insult,
humiliate, and mock anyone who disagreed with him brought all those buried memories flooding back. The helplessness. The shame. The way his followers laughed and clapped as he belittled others. It was Sharon all over again, only now the stage was national, and the stakes far higher.
Trump insulted women, targeted immigrants, mocked the disabled, and used Twitter as a weapon. His cruelty wasn’t confined to back hallways or cafeteria tables–his bullying was broadcast across the world. And just like Sharon, he fed off fear. He ruled with intimidation, not integrity. With ego, not empathy.
Many of the people who voted for him now feel regret but stay silent. They fear the backlash. They fear being targeted next. Trump has taught them that dissent will be punished. He doesn’t lead with unity or vision. He leads with vengeance. And still, he gains strength from those who follow him anyway.
Now he threatens our very democracy. What frightens me most is that I believe he truly thinks he’s the only one who can fix America. He flirts openly with authoritarianism–undermining institutions, dismissing the Constitution, and acting as though laws don’t apply to him. He spreads lies with conviction, as if truth itself is an inconvenience.
Isn’t this the behavior of someone who wishes to be a dictator?
We must not remain silent. Because when bullies are left unchecked, they don’t disappear–they grow louder, more dangerous, and more powerful. Whether in a schoolyard or a seat of government, bullying must be called what it is: a weapon of fear. And we, the people, must remember–we hold the power to say no.
WE DO NOT BOW DOWN
We do not bow down to tyrant kings
Who detest the poor and deny our truth
Who steal the smiles of our youth
For now they understand what hate means
We know the sneer that hides behind the grin
Twisted lies that grow as weeds within
Muffled cries come from doors locked
Tear gas travels the many city blocks
We are proud, together we are strong
For every deed you do is wrong’
Void of compassion impossible to shame.
Blinded by lies you can’t accept blame
Our hearts are aligned
We come together as one mind
We will march through blood and flames
as we holler out your name.
The sound of freedom rings in our ears
We unite as humanity without fear
Trump you bully, stupid, too loud
You feed your ego from the crowd.
But truth rises as – Justice wakes.
And history records all misdeeds in any shape..
Humanity is both proud and strong:
We live in a country where we all belong.
Get ready for a good fight – follow the light
We do not bow down to a self proclaimed King
Our nation has become so chaotic. Let’s not forget our r…
Our nation has become so chaotic. Let’s not forget our rights as Americans documented or not – speak out, use your voice. it doesn’t matter if we disagree but no person has the right to silence our words. We are human first and the color of our skin should not separate us for we are all the same.
I’m sad because I see our country not moving forward but sliding backwards. People don’t want to be reminded of the past, but it serves as a guide. We cannot repeat the atrocities this nation grew from.
Trump’s World
Listen up – don’t dare tell me to shut up or claim my words lack insight. Truth when spoken is worth more than gold. It’s light that shines showing us what’s wrong or right in this world.
There’s a devil in the midst, whispering lies, ignoring the cries of a nation in fear. An evil host, desecrating our space. Leaving behind bitterness, sorrow, tears. Some of you gave him a toast, yes raised a glass to him, drank to his fraud and played his game of insanity.
SHAME ON YOU! For playing along, for feeding his fire, then running from the flames. Some of you no more than cattle blind to the battle allowed him to tame you.
The constitution gives us hope. A joke to him wages a sin against humanity. A document to rewrite however he sees fit. You won’t win. The sacred words that built this country now under siege in real time, not myth but fact.
He slides into madness – vision askew. Breaking bonds with nations abroad. What does he see? Power and pride. What do you see? A tyrant. A fraud. The sacred flame that united us as one is burning fast. The question is how long must his madness last?
His eyes – shut to our nation’s needs. Take heed. Listen to his plan as he spins out of control holding this country hostage to his demands. Don’t silence truth. Don’t quiet dissent. Don’t let him cage the voice of hope. Life isn’t a joke to sweep under a rug by this man who is criminal and portrays a thug.
He wears a mask riddled with holes. Empty of a soul. His strength is from pain. Feeds on discord growing in the dark. Sinful laughter that creeps from him as we shoulder the strain.
Watch closely…..the road he paves. We carry the weight. He plays the game. Some stand idle, blind to his moves. Human pieces , pawns of shame. He calls this great but greatness it’s not. Not when built on hatred and rooted in fear.
We contemplate peace yet we dread the next day. Shaky. Unclear our fears.
Citizen, immigrant, documented or not. We all feel it. The pull. The twist. The sting. The hist of a snake. What’s the angle, the plan as he strangles the American dream.
Don’t dare me to shut up- this truth is mine and must be told.
Roe Vs Wade – a right reversed. A woman’s voice now silent. Can love be love if judged by law? Who decides what’s right or wrong – whose passion is allowed to speak?
Mass deportation echoes loud. History repeats. In painful hues. From Project Wetback to braceros. Immigrants served and were used. Then tossed away. Tools gone dull. Shipped though citizens true. Not forward – no. We move in reverse. And the pain it’s carried by me as by you too.
Families torn, mothers, fathers, children wave though bus window glass. Citizens by birth…….punished by blood. Compassion now a thing of the past.
We are many- many faces , many voices. Many names, documented, undocumented. Human beings not pawns in a game.
Doctors, laborers, teachers, and more. Artist, actors and yes even thieves. We are gay, straight, trans. Proud mothers, fathers. Each heart believes. Black, Brown, White, Yellow, red – every hue the eye can see. We climb. We strive. We sacrifice. Chasing the American Dream.
We came some by force and some by choice but we all want a piece of Liberty and not misery.
And still we hope and still we rise for we are one struggling to survive this calamity.
We are humanity with a voice of free will to make our own choice.
Navigating the Dark
I know when I’m approaching a dark tunnel and in most instances I know how to cover that tunnel and not get sucked into it. Most of the times I have been able to plan my escape but nothing in my life stays the same, even when it may appear identical, it’s not.
Recently I feel like Alice must be kin to me – I’m falling, falling, falling into that dark tunnel and I’m never certain of my destination. Depression has been a close foe for many years, doctors are fast to offer medication to eliminate depression but I have always been able to fight against the pressure.
I detest things that hide in the dark and a pill would only be a temporary fix. The tunnel would still exist. So my personal quest has always been a struggle to cover up the tunnel – only eventually it always opens again.
A life running from fibromyalgia
These days I’m unable to lace up my tennis shoes and rush out the door. I find it challenging to even consider leaving the safety of my bedroom. My doctor advised me to walk as much as possible to strengthen my bones because of my osteoporosis, although I don’t think he realizes how my fibromyalgia prevents me from doing a lot of things.
There was a time I looked forward to my walks. I never cared for a walking track for I felt it restricted me from viewing the world. I enjoyed walking on the street where I had a view of people and I made mental notes of stories that popped into my head. I felt so alive blending with my surroundings. Now I miss all the many sounds of life. Busy city streets, the sounds of pedestrians and cars traveling to unknown destinations.
Today I have cried from the pain that blankets my world. No one can seem to understand my dilemma? They think it is more mental, than physical – it’s very real. I am becoming so depressed and my only wish is to close my eyes, wake up to a new day painless. So sad because my body is not my body – this is not me.
This week the pain has traveled down my legs and feet, making it impossible to even contemplate leaving the house and walking a few blocks. I have been in bed nearly the entire day as was the same as yesterday. A holiday has come and I hold no excitement because I wonder will tomorrow be the same as yesterday.
I so desperately wish for this episode to pass but sometimes I feel like this for a couple of days and other times for a couple of weeks, never knowing for certain how long this pain will glue itself to my body. I question what is worst the pain or the depression since both are entwined as one.
I have prescribed medicine for pain but I’m holding out waiting for it to pass . Two days without taking Norco. I want my body back! I want to be pain free. I want to discover a way to function and enjoy my life without enduring my pain.
.
Serenity1956's Blog 