Beware the Pure Spirit, Let the Flesh Instruct the Mind

No secret that my life is one big ol' ball of stress. For those of you who have ever undertaken a thesis/dissertation project, you do have some idea of what my life is like right now. I'd say I'm over 75% there, it's the remaining 25% that has my "panties all up in a wad." Much of my stress is self imposed and has led to a paralysis of sorts. That's the way of my world. I look forward to completing this project and feeling the sense of accomplishment that will come with it. I'm committed, I am also feeling some wear and tear physically and emotionally. To that end, I am still trying to find some balance in my life, not there yet but working towards it. I enjoy nature. I enjoy all things flora and fauna related. So I wander around outside and I take pictures of things I find interesting. It gives me some sense of peace. "The wonder is that we can see these trees and not wonder more." - Ralph Waldo Emerson  

So I'm grading papers today for my class and I come across this little beauty. Never mind that this particular student is severely anti-everything about this public health diversity class. I have several students like him every year, that is, they all rage against anything that would cause them to consider life from another point of view. Very ethnocentric, very religiocentric in their views and positions. Not in the least willing to consider the lives of those they would label as "Other." No matter, the class is still taught and I hope that they do come away with some consideration of the lives of others. Last week's topic dealt with examining LGBT populations as a groups and how from a health standpoint they face challenges that most folks don't even have to consider.  I had a panel of experts (college aged representatives from ETSU LGBT groups) come and discuss their lived experiences. This particular student felt the need to write about the "dangers of ...