I am working with a homeless vet/Bernie supporter...

[Buddyblazon]

I posted this in another thread. But figured it was Memorial Day yesterday...and the vet in question is a die hard Bernie supporter.

He is like the Rainman of cannabis growers. Has taught me much about growing. And I was far from a beginner when we met. Let him stay on my couch for a couple months. We got him into a home. He comes by several times a week and we garden together. The garden is definitely where he is meant to be. For his time, he takes cannabis with him and his fellow vets at the home. Says they're really appreciative as cannabis seems to do the best overall for all of them for their myriad of maladies...from pain and insomnia to PTSD and anxiety/depression.

And the only acceptable politicians in this vets eyes are Warren and Sanders. Talks for hours about Sanders as we farm. Believes Sanders is the only politician to truly be interested in the plight of vets. Guy gets worked up to tears over the crap he's been put through by a system designed by today's politicians to practically ensure getting the help he needs is a long tedious, frustrating process that can seem so insurmountable that some vets take their own lives during the process.

Guy adamantly believes Bernie is the only politician that cares. Has all his vet friends at the group home on the same tip. I'm trying to brace him for Bernies possible loss in the primaries..."expect the best, be prepared for the worst.", is what I continue to tell him...but he truly believes that with all the stuff he's going through desperately trying to get help from a VA whose job it appears is to make it as difficult as possible for vets in some weird insurance-like repetitive denial process, a loss by Bernie will mean not only the death of him, but also many other vets lost in a system that doesn't end and is egged on by all other politicians.

I just tell him that this too shall pass...mind the plants....concentrate on the zen and peace of gardening and everything will fall into place eventually.

But how the fuck do you tell the hopeless to "chin up"? He and his fellow group home vets deserve far better treatment than this for the sacrifices they've made for their love of this country. Physical and mental scars they have obtained from their defense of this country...they carry those with them until they're laid in their graves.

Its really an embarrassment that we allow them to be treated like this.

[monmouth4]

1. Thank goodness he has a friend like you Buddy...n/t

[Donkees]

2. Tell him that the American dream is on the compost heap, and we're going to need a lot of gardeners

to turn the pile of dung into blossoms. As long as he can help his fellow vets and tend the gardens, he's not hopeless.

[Buddyblazon]

3. That's actually what keeps him going lately...

He wants to teach his fellow vets at the home how to grow. Grow your own medicine. This round, a couple of them will help us harvest. He's trying to help them set up small grows for themselves as their more permanent housing for each of them becomes available.

Most of those vets in this home truly feel hopeless. My vet friend is only 39 and needs a cane to walk already. This project has given them something more positive to focus on....because dealing with the VA is apparently a depressing task.

[Donkees]

4. He's the inspiration right where he's planted. Like a wounded healer shaman, empowering others.

[Duckfan]

5. Anyone who helps a vet suffering from PTSD and level 1 depression...

I salute you.