December 17, 2008 – For me, the decisions I make are about freedom, my right to live my life and make my choices. I got a message today from a woman named Becky whose daughter, a college student, committed suicide a couple of years ago. She was a gifted,  sensitive, very beautiful young woman.
  Reading a message like this, you stop and think and see clearly how puny our own problems are, how small our dramas. A message like this is about perspective.
   Becky was following the predicable steer and cow discussion. She said for reasons she did not understand, she found great comfort this year in reading my blog, especially the writings about spirituality, personal responsibility and animal behavior.
  “The fact that you are donating these animals to a shelter is admirable,” she wrote. “It is also admirable that you took such good care of them for as long as you did. Everybody is at a different point in the journey of life. Judgementalism is not a quality to aspire to. And those who are judging you just don’t see the hypocrisy in that. They may never in this life. I wish you well on your journey and look forward to more of your photographs and your writings.”
  When people tell me they will not read my books or blog because of a decision I made that they don’t agree with, I always have the same reaction. These are not people you really need to keep around. Juddgementalism is epidemic in American life – just turn on any cable new channel. It is also deeply enmeshed in the dog and animal world, where there are significant numbers of people eager to tell other people what they should do by dint of their owning an animal. My response to these people is always the same. People who don’t like my decisions are free to go, and go in peace. And if they are uncomfortable, they should.
  I’m with Becky. I don’t subscribe to judgementalism. I don’t know what other people should do (I didn’t always believe this.) I just know what I should do, and even that is not a black and white thing.
  Thank you Becky. That was a great message. Your perspective is good with me, and I am grateful for your reminding me of what is important in life.

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  Strong pre-orders for “Out Of The Shadows,” a photo and text account of my wrestling match with what we call “depression” last year. It was quite a battle. The book, to be published by the Troy Bookmakers in January, is available for purchase. I am pushing this book, which is available along with Mary Kellogg’s first volume of poetry “My Place On Earth” because i believe it is important to be open about emotional issues like depression, as it brings comfort and encouragement to many people.