​“I can’t believe I have to spend $25 on that bitch and I don’t even like her!” 

That shocking statement came from the beautiful woman walking with several others slightly ahead of me. Although the sidewalks were crowded, the sound carried clearly in the balmy night air.

I was meandering along 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica, enjoying the street performers, and occasionally ducking into shops. The atmosphere was festive, as were the decorated store fronts. It was, after all, just before Christmas.

So the angry sounding words seemed totally out of place for the happy vibrancy I was experiencing. But as I found myself drifting along with the crowd, I couldn’t help but notice this wasn’t the only disgruntled grumblings that made it’s way to my ears. ​

​We are having a crisis in this country. I’m amazed that no one is actually talking about it. Oh sure you hear bits and pieces of it pop up in conversations. Usually as complaints about something personally related to them. But no one is talking about the bigger issue. The thing that has become so toxic, I’m constantly flabbergasted that we haven’t had an actually protest about it yet.

Do you know which issue I mean? No? Here’s a hint:

It’s a contamination of epic proportions and it’s affecting every decision we make and how we show up in the world to each other.

Still not getting it? 

I’m not surprised considering it’s been insidiously worming it’s way into our physical systems and social structures for some time now. To the point where most people don’t even know it’s a problem anymore. Practically everyone over the age of 18 is literally infected. And our youth are conditioned to think this is “normal health”.

It’s a dis-ease of adulthood. Or rather the lack of adulthood.

Put simply, we grownups are no longer allowed to be grownups and it’s poisoning us from the inside out.

“This is why I don’t fuck girls like you…”

The coarse communication showed up in my texts at 3:43am. Thankfully my phone was on silent, and I was blissfully asleep - unaware of the vulgar greeting I would get in the morning. At first when I saw it in it’s entirety, I could only shake my head thinking “wow I dodged a bullet with this one.”

We had gone on one date. Admittedly It had been fun - with lots of laughter and sharing of stories. He drove me home and came in for a short time to my place. We even made out, got a little hot and heavy, and then he went home. We didn’t have sex. So for the record, no pussies were harmed in the making of this story. (I’ll leave it for you to decide which one I’m referring to.)