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August 31 is International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD). This global event is part of a campaign to end overdose, remember those who have died (without stigma), and acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind. The over-arching theme of IAOD each year is Time to Remember. Time to Act. I began to learn about using desktop computers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I was a slow learner. I remember asking questions about what new functions and capabilities were available to me. A frequent response to my “Why can’t I do this?” question was “You don’t have enough memory for that function.” I didn’t learn much about computers but I did learn that the size of the memory was often directly proportionate to the capability and functions available. The “Time to Remember. Time to Act.” theme of IAOD highlights what I learned about computers. In order to be capable of action, we have to have a big enough memory. We have to have the courage and capacity to remember. We can’t move forward in overdose prevention and future planning if we don’t understand and acknowledge overdose deaths and take the time to remember and grieve those who have been lost. |
