Last evening, Clare and I had a wonderful moonlight picnic with new friends, a couple we met at Tiguex Park earlier that afternoon. The young couple are expecting a child, and we were so impressed by the strength and loyalty of their love that we chose to meet them to go over a number of social services to guide them to what’s available in our community.

For me, the knowledge of helpful services is in part due to the great number of causes and committees I’ve gifted with my peer perspective, and it is more to do with the great number of peers I’ve come to know over the last six years. That peers have shared their lives with me so often is a gift paid forward to the community, that their life experiences benefit further peers. This is TRUE peer representation, and I’m one of the most fortunate peer advocates because I’ve earned trust and respect from my peers.

For Clare, she is recently departed from Molina Healthcare as a care coordinator, moving forward to work on our education programs and Stand Up To Stigma. Clare’s unique insight from her time at Molina moved the picnic conversation to how to request a higher level of care and how this care offered by Molina will directly benefit this young couple and young family in the making. Clare is so respected and trusted by her members and her colleagues that it is a simple statement to say Molina is the poorer from her choice to leave the company.

Last evening, Clare and I realized, we don’t need an MCO or a community advisement committee or any acronized entity to do the right thing. In fact, such entities often impede doing the right thing. And what is this right thing? What simple truth is this? Here goes.

Caring for People and Our Community.

Both of us came home last night feeling the best we’ve felt in ages, free from the frustration and pressure artificially placed upon us by systems heavy on suppressing innovation and caring.

We helped guide a young family to learn what’s available so they can help themselves, empower themselves, and advocate for themselves. We both felt it, the distilled simplicity of what needs to be done. It’s moving forward together. And that’s way cool.