Be Careful About What You Tolerate

One expression that grabs my attention more than anything else is, “Oh well, that is the way it is.” This statement is like other expressions that grab me, which include, “change takes time” or “this is the best we can do.”  What is scary about these expressions is that they are all true.   
Oh well, that is the way it is. This is a current state of reality. So, if you see that the sun is setting, that is what is happening. The sun is setting. That’s the way it is.
Change takes time. Yes, change takes time. For example, if you want to paint your front porch, it will take time to make that happen. 
This is the best we can do. Sometimes, this is the best we can do. For example, right now there are health conditions with not enough information about the best approaches to care.  At this moment, people may have been given the best advice there is.  
All these statements can be rephrased to challenge us to create a better world, explore other approaches, speed up the way things change, and change the current best to something better. 
Consider this issue around breast cancer. In 1813, Abigail Adams, the daughter of John Adams, the second president of the U.S., died at the age of 44 from breast cancer. She died 22 months after surgery, which was the only treatment available at that time. It was true then that everyone who had breast cancer would likely die from the disease. Today, the five-year survival rate of breast cancer in the U.S. for all types is 91%.  For early-stage cancers, the five-year survival is 99%. There are tremendous fundraising events for research. Many physicians have dedicated their lives to treating breast cancer. There is greater public awareness, more knowledge around early detection and causes. Insurance offers mammograms at no cost. There are support groups for people going through treatment. 
WHY have we seen all this progress? We decided not to tolerate it. Someone started a movement to make death from breast cancer an old story, something we said was conquered. 
Right now, we need to name the things we tolerate. When are we using these expressions? 
Here are some… 
The workforce crisis is here to stay. Turnover will get worse as we compete for staff with the for-profit world. So, since the pay is too low, and staff must work too many hours to make a decent amount of money, this is the way it is. Change will take time, advocacy, and more money.  Oh, and by the way, the fact that a person in a group home may be expected to have a stranger assist them in the shower tonight is the best we can do.  
The number of children with autism is on the rise. There is not enough support for these children and without the right support, these kids will not get what they need. Change takes time, advocacy, programs to train staff, and of course more money. So. in the meantime, we need to accept that some will get help, and some will not. That is the best we can do.  
Hmm, these do not sound like realities that I can accept. So, let’s decide not to tolerate them. The behavior which comes after that decision is not complaining. It is exploring possibilities, and it is mobilizing resources. Then the dream will come true. This is our WHY.