breathing proof teamwork works . Traveling to Kansas City to appeal for unity , Jeff spoke at a rally near the old Volker Park , cautioning the crowd ; divided , we are all less . It ’ s true . Math doesn ’ t lie .
Jeff was no more successful in uniting Missouri than Nancy and I at reintegrating the anti-war movement . That war ended in April of 1975 because we lost , but in the end , the soldiers were finally given the opportunity to show their humanity when they pushed Huey
Using the mathematical premise “ united we are more ,” I found some wisdom to share with accompanying tools , tools we can use to avoid becoming crabs in a bucket again .
Our first contributor , Social Psychologist Heidi Grant , guest on CBS Mornings , billed with the headline , “ How to Win an Argument .”
1 . Start with legitimacy . “ I see why you feel that way .” Everyone has a need to be validated . We must actively listen to understand what our opposition believes .
2 . Feeling emotional ? Stop . Give that emotion a label . Are we angry ? Upset ? Then dial the emotions down a notch , allowing time to draw a breath and think before we speak .
3 . Identify what is more important , being right or coming to an understanding . The ideal is we come to an understanding with one of us changing our minds .
** I caution to maintain humility , as I am often proved wrong later down the path resulting in those who chose to follow me doing a header right off the cliff alongside me like a bunch of lemurs .
Huey helicopters are pushed off aircraft carriers into the Bay of Saigon to make space for those fleeing the Vietnam war .
helicopters off their aircraft carriers into the Bay of Saigon , making room for the 200,000 civilians they saved that day . My husband and I tearfully watched it unfold live in a CBS Special Report again , from the one and only Walter Cronkite .
Missouri ’ s 2015 internal cannabis battle in a puddle ended with the Missouri State NORML organization pulling the KCMO chapter charter . That fall , the newly reorganized KC NORML chapter under the leadership of power women Jamie Palmesino Kacz , Jessica Kelly , Paula Prentice , and Jen Shockley had its first meeting . It was my husband ’ s final outing , six weeks before his passing . He said one sentence , “ Do this for the children .”
We launched the 2016 medical signature campaign , “ for the children .” Stacey Marie from Nevada had one of those kids , 17-year-old Ethan Barnes , and together they turned in a record number of signatures for District 4 . Ethan had a smile that lit up any room he walked into , and he also had epilepsy . When Ethan ’ s mom posted his senior picture ( on left ) in May of 2017 , I smiled from ear to ear . Then , on life ’ s roller coaster , I looked up and saw the picture attached to Ethan ’ s obituary . Gut punch .
Would Ethan still be here had we succeeded in providing him with medical cannabis in 2016 ? Divided , we are less .
And this from Jamie Rollins , RN , BSN , Director of Clinical Operations for KetaMD , written just before speaking at the Cannabis Nurses Network Conference in San Diego in August . I felt it was meant to share :
“ Change is created by micro shifts , by many pieces moving together in the same direction . By small acts of kindness accumulated . Small actions can have HUGE impacts , so use your voice when your heart calls you to . It matters . You matter . …. But I think there is a select group that asks themselves , “ Did I change the world enough today ?” … Nurses — I ’ m talking to you — and I ’ m here to tell you , you did . Just by showing up , you changed the world enough today . I think that ’ s the key — show up — and do your best to be kind . …. I wake up every day and have a chance to try again . To do it a little different than the day before . If I feel uncomfortable about an exchange I try and address it and make amends immediately . I want people to feel loved and valued . I ’ m working on it . Every Day Constant evolution of self . After all , we are all just walking each other home .”
Thanks , ladies .
Dolores Montgomery Halbin , RN , BSN , and Ordained Nurse Minister , resides in SW Missouri . After her husband passed in 2015 , she retired from nursing . She worked with the 2014-2018 Missouri campaigns for legalized medical marijuana . She continues as a cannabis reform activist volunteering with Canna Convict Project and working toward Federal decriminalization through educational speaking and freelance journalism . Dolores Halbin ,
doloreshalbin @ gmail . com .