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
Love and Compassion
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
Hope and a big gamble
Dear President Trump, There’s nothing like starting off a letter to you still teary and feeling verklempt after reading a sweet article about President Obama. Guess what he did yesterday – he called three Chicago schoolteachers and had video chats with them to express his appreciation for them and their work. They were so beyond … Continue reading Hope and a big gamble
Another essential element: empathy
Dear President Trump, I’ve got another essential element for our post-covid-19, post-you, better-culture-for-all; empathy. However, before I unpack it (again), I want to do something I don’t do very often (ever?), which is to thank you for being such an incredible foil. Most of the time it would make no sense whatsoever for me to … Continue reading Another essential element: empathy
Sunday snippets
Dear President Trump, A less than 2 minute scan over the WP headlines tonight suggests there are any number of heavy, hard, actually shitty, things that I could choose to write to you about – the heaviest, hardest, and shittiest of which is the headline “’For black folks, it’s like a set-up: Are you trying … Continue reading Sunday snippets
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?
Sign makers and receivers
Dear President Trump, The other day something new appeared down at the corner by the bus stop where the tulips were recently planted and the bus driver, Lynn from Lynnwood, left the sweet note I told you about the other day. North of the note, on the other side of the bus shelter, someone affixed … Continue reading Sign makers and receivers
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
Degrees of freedom
Dear President Trump, It isn’t often that I choose a title for a letter to you before the letter is written, but this afternoon I decided today’s title needs to be Degrees of Freedom, which really, is kind of ironic since by choosing the title ahead of time, I boxed myself in to talking about … Continue reading Degrees of freedom
ALONE / ALL ONE
Dear President Trump, I probably didn’t need to consult the Google Oracle to confirm that the rainbow pictures cropping up in windows around Seattle (many of which are also hosting Teddy bears) are related to covid-19, but I just had to be sure. And yep, they are – apparently a nurse in NYC posted rainbow … Continue reading ALONE / ALL ONE
Daily Trump Letters 