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I Care Too Much to Watch

February 26, 2022 by Jim Potter 2 Comments

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(To  listen to the audio of this blog post, use the purple play button.)

 

I Care Too Much to Watch

By Jim Potter

My friend told me he was going to

end the call

and watch the news.

“Ukraine is being invaded,”

he said.

I was silent,

knowing I would not

watch the news.

I care,

I hurt,

but I can’t hurt enough

to help another.

Out of my control,

unable to cope

with the deep,

personal suffering.

Instead,

I help others

where and when

I can.

Until next time, happy writing and reading.

 

 

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Comments

  1. Miriam Iwashige says

    Thanks for caring and thanks for helping those who are within your reach. None of us can do everything, but we can all do something–as you are showing us.

    Late Wednesday evening I stumbled onto the NYT Live broadcast of the fourth emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in NYC (during which the invasion occurred) and couldn’t stop watching till the meeting was adjourned. I will say that the resolve that I heard everyone in the room express–to stand with Ukraine–was heartening (except for the Russian Federation representative who didn’t appear to have a friend in the room). Then I went back to praying for the R. L. family whose parents go to our church. They had gone to Ukraine for about a month to help in a garden seed distribution project and were happily reconnecting with old friends from R. L.’s earlier years of living in the country when the invasion occurred. They had some tense moments and long waits, but they were eventually able to cross safely by land into one of the neighboring countries–a plan that they had put into place earlier. The whole mess is really heart-wrenching, but glimmers of goodness and courage and faith are present also. For that I am grateful.

    This morning in church we heard from a family who left us several months ago to move to Romania. In the last few days they’ve been inundated with refugees from Ukraine (they’ve served 60 families–many of them with women and children only because the men were conscripted). Sending aid for them to distribute is another place where we can plug in.

    Reply
    • Jim Potter says

      Thanks for the comment, Miriam, and the update.

      Reply

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Jim Potter, Author

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Testimonials

Karleen Wilson-Moon

Terrific story relevant to today’s social issues . . . well written . . . likable characters . . . insightful perspective from an insider in law enforcement.

Larry Kruckman, anthropologist

Jim Potter displays ethnographic skills in Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, creating vivid scenes and fascinating characters. The Greeks had a word for subcultures and people’s behavior: ‘ethos,’ or ‘ways of being.’ In colorful, sometimes marvelous detail, this novel captures various people and settings . . . the ethos of rural Kansas: a… Read more “Larry Kruckman, anthropologist”

Steve Becker

I’m impressed. It was an excellent read. . . . I hope you continue with more projects in the future.

Morgan Penner

Taking Back the Bullet is a novel that provides the reader with a window into the world of law enforcement. As the novel unfolds, the reader is able to see how split-second decisions alter the lives of the main characters in the story. Taking Back the Bullet also explores how humanity is impacted by mental… Read more “Morgan Penner”

Sean McArdle, Winchester, England

Retired police officer Potter’s novel centers on very disparate characters and through the tried and tested means of gradually introducing each one, builds a sense of anticipation about what is going to happen to them. This often used methodology is not easy to do well but is superbly handled by Potter who knows how to… Read more “Sean McArdle, Winchester, England”

Jane Holzrichter

I finished it last night around midnight. What a great piece of work. It kept me intrigued all the way to the end.

Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist

Jim Potter has done it again! After his book, Cop in the Classroom: Lessons I’ve Learned, Tales I’ve Told, Jim has written another great work. In Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, Jim Potter takes us on an insightful journey into the lives and relationships of numerous characters. Jim is such a talented storyteller… Read more “Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist”

Diana Dester

Good story line, building the characters along the way. Great job!

Wynona Winn, PhD, retired school superintendent

Three main characters walk different paths but with the same destination – each coping with his or her self-discovery, self-identity, and self-realization. Much like their earlier counterparts – Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield – their journeys are often joyous, often tedious and often tragic.

Judy Hawk

. . . I was impressed with the Native American information as well as the depth of character development . . . .

John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement

I enjoyed your book. When I am looking for a new read, I always read the first page, last page and choose a random page somewhere in the middle before I decide to buy it. You had me on all three pages. I also like reading a book where you can relate to the characters… Read more “John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement”

Sheryl Remar

I enjoyed the different stories of this book because Tom, James, and Suanna, the three main characters, represent in their own way the different struggles with themselves and society’s idea of what is normal.

Rebecca Schillaci

As a former law enforcement officer, I found the story very relatable as it details the life of a law enforcement officer and the struggles some face throughout their careers. . . Taking Back the Bullet is a journey of understanding, respect, and forgiveness . . .

Dennis Perrin, educator

Masterful storytelling, exquisite character development, so real as to HURT and HOPE, a real page turner. Begs for stage, screenwriters, and visual episodic development a.k.a. TV series . . . Thanks Jim Potter for telling it like it is AND providing us visions of how it could be. Well done!

Rebecca from Proud Police Wife

Taking Back the Bullet is an emotional, yet captivating novel. Jim Potter does a superb job of intertwining each character and putting their individual identities on display. All law enforcement storylines are a true reflection of Potter’s years as a police officer because they are realistic and relatable. This is a book I highly recommend.

Denise Low, author of Jackalope (Red Mountain Press)

Jim Potter is a cop, retired, but he brings deep understanding of this job to his novel Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery. This layered novel has literary dimensions as characters explore crisis situations. Congratulations to this fine writer for his debut novel.

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