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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (June 13, 2020)
B4 THEASTORIAN • SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2020 Learn to say ‘no ’ Park: Appreciative of nature’s rich gift Dear Annie: With your funds, which she was using advice, I hope my family to help pay rent and grocer will be able to deal with a ies, have ceased. Her usual problem. Our 45-year-old summer job is uncertain. daughter is at the heart of the But most troubling of all, issue. “Jane” has had a chal due to the coronavirus, her lenging past. She is an intel prospects of a teaching job ligent and motivated person, in her area are also uncer but starting in high school, tain. She gets by month to she began a difficult life month. Last summer, she asked us for funds (mostly to do with her poor choices in to help her lease her DEAR (new) car. We gave relationships). ANNIE her $4,700. This She had a son at goes on and on. age 19, got married Last year, my and then divorced soon after. She wife and I retired. And without raiding floundered for five our savings we can years or so. After several relation not afford to support ANNIE LANE ships, she found her anymore. June Creators is approaching, and another man. In Syndicate Inc. so is the fall. I am those few years, anticipating Jane she gave up custody will appear with another of her first child, left a full time job and followed her request for funds. My wife new man to another country doesn’t handle confronta (for a job that didn’t work tions well, and much of our out). Then she returned giving has been motivated to the states, did every either by avoidance or guilt. Besides just saying no, is thing she could to get preg nant again, and succeeded. there any other answer? — Shortly thereafter, the rela Jane’s Father Dear Jane’s Father: tionship ended. With our help, Jane relo Tough love is tough to give. cated to another (smaller) But you and your wife are city 150 miles from us. doing your daughter no Briefly, she held a good favors in the long-term. If job and was managing well you keep acting as her finan in raising her second son. cial crutch, she’ll be lean After three years, she was ing on you forever. That’s let go from her job. In the not just immoral; it’s also interim, she managed to live unsustainable. Deplete your on welfare. Four years ago, retirement savings, she’ll still be asking for more she announced her inten tion of returning to college when there’s nothing left to to get her teaching degree. give. And you’ll be in dire We knew that she’d never straits right alongside her. be able to work long enough “Just saying no” is eas to repay her loans, but we ier said than done; I know. were encouraging and sup It will be a hard conversa ported her decision. tion. Your daughter is not Now the present prob going to like it. But do not lem. In the past five years, for one second accept any my wife and I have “spot guilt she tries to lay at your ted” her money, to keep feet. You’ve done nothing to her afloat — approximately earn that. $12,000. If you find the situation Much of it went toward taking a heavy emotional leased automobiles, but toll on you and your wife, there has been more — you might consider attend $100 and $500 here and ing counseling or a sup there for “incidentals.” For port group such as Families tunately, she will graduate Anonymous for help devel in June. But her student loan oping healthy boundaries. Our friendly Continued from Page B1 You too can walk pri vately and carefully along the plethora of forest trails and deserted beaches. Practice social distancing but come. Why did Steve choose to retire to the peninsula? That answer is clear, here, in this land of forest and beach and crashing ocean waves. Lead- better Point State Park is sur rounded on three sides by the Pacific Ocean and Willapa Bay, one of the most pristine venues in the United States. I have descended into Death Valley and walked on the rim of the Grand Can yon. I studied in New York City and in Paris, France. I would go back in a flash. But here, in our small comer of the world, we are surrounded by landscape all as lovely as the high mountains and rag ing rivers. Steve moves through a forest now inundated with gorse. He leads me on, stop ping only to clip back the invasive bush. Bird song is sharp, soft, rolling and sweet. A rain lifts and pelts us for a few minutes. Then, the sun comes tumbling through. We relish the deep green. We are free for a couple of hours; free of the pandemic and worry. Free in the land of persistent evergreen, ocean and the poetry trees offer, our silent friends with deep roots. Mushrooms have a sym biotic relationship with the trees. They draw energy and nutrition through their myce- lia. When the mushrooms die, they give back. So is the way of the forest. So it impacts us, this voice like a silent dog whistle, a subterra nean mantra emanating from terra firma. Two friends fashion their own way, an unfurling path through bramble, under tree and charging sky and beside the surge of bay water, of ebb and flow. After cutting a bas ket full of mushrooms we stumble back home, happy wanderers, appreciative always of nature’s rich gift. Photos by David Campiche ABOVE: Moss covered trees in the deep woods. RIGHT: Harvested oyster mushrooms. dedicated Physicians and Physician Assistants are of your routine healthcare needs, not just for emergency and available for all situations! headache, toothache, earache, backache, any illness or injury, are in need of a refill of your prescription medications, or even a sports physical or DOT physical, our dedicated staff is here to If you’re suffering from a assist you! We are open 7 days a week. We are located in the Park Medical Building East in Suite 111. We accept most insurances, offer a cash discount and also accept the Oregon Health Plan, WA Medicaid and Medicare. COVID-19 TESTING AVAILABLE! We are currently serving walk-in patients, same day appointments and telehealth appointments w Kenyon Solecki, PA-C habla español Mark Tabor, PA-C Sally Baker, PA-C Keith Klatt, MD 503-325-0333 or Visit www.urgentcarenwastoria We observe the following holidays & are closed on July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Year’s Day. HOURS: MON-FRI 7 am - 7 pm • SAT-SUN 9 am - 7 pm 2120 Exchange Street • Suite 111 »Astoria, Oregon Express Healthcare for Busy Lifestyles
