I wanted to take a minute to share a couple of numbers for veterans and their families. If you or a loved one are struggling, please contact the VA or use the Veterans Crisis Hotline number. All is kept strictly confidential and is available 24/7: Veterans Crisis Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 Press #1 Or you can text: 838255 Veteran Administration - www.va.gov MyVA311: 1-844-698-2311 #myva #veterans #ptsd

There are those who battle personal demons. Whatever they may be; addiction, loss, post traumatic stress. Everyone has something that they battle on occasion. Some battles may come more frequently than others. The word darkness has been lurking around me lately. Popping in my head at seemingly random times. Darkness can mean many things to many people. It may simply be a dark night sky, filled with stars glittering in the distance. It could be a room darkened by nightfall.

Perspective. It is all in how you view things. I have had a recurring dream for years. Decades actually. A dark muddy path with trees on each side creating a canopy overhead. Dark. It is so very dark and the mud so thick that you can barely move though it; it pulls at your feet, causing you to stumble and fall. Try as I might, I continue to struggle to run while dark arms reach out from the trees, grasping at me. In my mind I scream, if I can only get to the end of this road.