CHAOS IN THE RANKS!! When Billy was a young lad, he and his mother belonged to a little country church. On Communion Sundays, the deacons would pass around the bread and grape juice. On Sunday, they attended a church that was out of town and more liturgical. What their church called bread and grape juice, that church called the elements, a word that young Billy didn't understand. As Communion began, the minister said, "If the deacons will come forward, the elements will pass among us." Billy was really excited and made quite a ruckus in the pew. Then he leaned forward and whispered something into his mother's ear, which caused her to burst out laughing. With all eyes on them, the Mom took her child by the hand and made a hasty retreat. All the way to the car, Billy protested, "Mom, we're going to miss the circus. The minister said the elephants were going to pass among us." Sometimes church life can seem like a circus, and sometimes we don't always hear what is said clearly. You could say that we all experience a bit of this in these divisive and conflicted times. I always admired how Kermit the Frog handled the chaos around him on The Muppets Show. Nothing seemed to go right at times as he tried to create order out of the confusion of personalities in Piggy, Fozzie, The Great Gonzo, Statler and Waldorf in the balcony, Beaker, Sam the Eagle, and all the others. Somehow, though, Kermit was able to pull them together enough to produce a thoroughly entertaining show. Their creator, Jim Henson, captured a slew of personality types in his Muppet characters, making the show both real and humorous. A subtle theme that ran throughout his production was that despite the setbacks of life – whether on stage – or off of it – we can pull together and create something of beauty. This optimism in Henson's work certainly resonates with me. I also think that it resonated with his millions of fans who tuned into the zany episodes weekly. I miss that injection of humor and optimism, which I don't see in most of the highly-rated television shows that dominate today's airwaves. Even the movie theaters are dominated by science fiction horror pics and dark dramas imbued with senseless violence and mayhem. So, if you find yourself a bit depressed these days, it might be well to stay away from "Reality T.V." and its offshoots. As you'll read in the Mayo Clinic's Family Health Book, you can take steps to control your stress. One step is to be selective in what you listen to and watch on the radio, the computer, and the television. Another way to fight depression is to reach out to family and friends – even if you have to resort to telephone calls, texting, and emails. If things get beyond your control and you feel like your depression is worsening, seek professional help. These professionals can help you work out a long- term maintenance treatment program to prevent a relapse of symptoms. So, hang in there. Getting help when you need it is not a sign of weakness but strength. I'm pretty sure that Kermit the Frog availed himself of the support around him, and the results were good medicine for all of us. Take care, stay well, and keep smiling – we'll all get through these rough times and be the better for it. Blessings, PR PR .