Mr. Grifter, Actually, a grifter is a small-scale swindler so it doesn’t really apply to you but I’m enamored of the rhyme (“mister” and “grifter”) so I’m going with it. I don’t want to focus squarely on you today though, so I’m going to segue to my preferred topic, which is the relationship between fear … Continue reading LOVE > FEAR
LKM Basics
Remembering to breathe
President* Trump, I know that whichever way the election goes over the next days (weeks?), you’ll still technically be president until some time on Wednesday January 20, 2021 (I just checked, the inauguration ceremony time hasn’t been set yet), which is 77 long days from now. Assuming for now, from this temporal perch early on … Continue reading Remembering to breathe
There is no miracle that will deliver us from our racist history or the need to face it
President* Trump, Please note, I’m fully aware that we lost the wonderfully notorious RBG today, which no doubt has you and Mitch giddy with shitty possibilities, but I’m going to do some serious grieving before I comment further on her passing and will instead send you the letter I started this morning before her death … Continue reading There is no miracle that will deliver us from our racist history or the need to face it
Weaponizing mismanagement
President* Trump, The Worldometer shows the US as having added 61,848 new covid-19 cases today while another 890 of our inhabitants died from the disease today. Our total (known) covid death count is almost 135,000. Greg Sargent called you out this morning in his WP editorial saying that it’s simply not within the realm of … Continue reading Weaponizing mismanagement
Piecing together connection and being
Dear President Trump, For about the last year I’ve closed my walking lovingkindness meditation with the following: May we all have the courage and the resolve to be peace and kindness. May we all have the resolve and courage to accept kindness and peace. Maybe I’ve told you about this before – I’m not sure … Continue reading Piecing together connection and being
How we are in the world
Dear President Trump, Over about the last six weeks I’ve changed the final line of the loving-kindness prayer I say every morning at least four times. The other three lines, the ones sending out wishes/hopes/intentions for safety, happiness, and health/strength have stayed consistent except for occasionally focusing on how much I want the person, typically … Continue reading How we are in the world
Another necessary ingredient: restraint
Dear President Trump, Friday morning as I was making my way through my loving-kindness recitation and just as I got to the recently redone last line that goes like: “May your life unfold, open, and intersect non-violently and constructively”, it occurred to me to wonder whether “constructively” could logically be used when what needs to … Continue reading Another necessary ingredient: restraint
We have to spread some love because if we don’t, who will?
Dear President Trump, The new sign for this morning is a small one that just fits the rectangular dimensions of a multi-pane front window. It was done in crayon and it says “Spread Love.” A house a few houses before this one sported three small signs that say: “Thank,” “You,” and “Resist,” all of which … Continue reading We have to spread some love because if we don’t, who will?
Birthdays and death on our beautiful blue planet
Dear President Trump, I know this is the fourth time I’ve told you, but I’m sure you aren’t much of a birthday tracker so I’ll remind you that today is my birthday. And it’s Laura’s brother’s birthday as well as the little girl’s across the street. It’s also the anniversary of the Waco massacre and … Continue reading Birthdays and death on our beautiful blue planet
Constructive non-violence
Dear President Trump, So what to do besides send money to liberal candidates and tilt at windmills with these daily letters? I honestly don’t know at this point, but as lame as it’s probably going to sound, I decided this morning that rather than closing my morning lovingkindness walking meditation with “May our lives unfold, … Continue reading Constructive non-violence