Melissa Lee-Tammeus

The truth is, every family is different. Even the semantics of what “family” is for each person and group is diverse. For instance, my family consists of me, my husband, and one male 16 year old that we conceived together. And six cats, two dogs, and a fish, but who’s counting? I have been married before, but am widowed.

Last night, I was in my local neighborhood grocery store. It had been a long day of clients and I was feeling a bit beaten down. I just wanted to get home, make a quick dinner for the family, and put my feet up for the night. I wasn’t paying attention to anything but the goal at hand – pick up some fast dinner items, go through the self-checkout lane, and get out quick.

I am an avid animal lover. A few months ago, I took in three, five week old kittens that needed some extra care from a local shelter before they could be put up for adoption. Our family already has three cats and two dogs, so to add more to the family was a bit of a handful. But, the whole family ended up falling in love with them and when they were old enough to be officially adopted, I just couldn’t do it.

I am in Jacksonville, Florida. Today is the day after Hurricane Matthew blew through our beloved town and we have awakened to slight wind and sunshine. For some, there were only a few limbs and an occasional fallen mailbox or tree to clean up. For others, their homes and businesses are flooded and they are still trying to get back into their neighborhoods after being evacuated.

I just read an incredibly interesting article by Robinson Meyer from May 24th of this year entitled How to Preserve Your Mental Health Despite the 2016 Election. It could not have come at a better time, as after scrolling through facebook to get a feel for first presidential debate results and attitudes across the nation, I felt my own bit of anxiety.