I hadn’t heard from “Bob” for more than two years, and I was thrilled to get his e-mail a few days ago:
Thanks
Once again thanks.
I hadn’t heard from “Bob” for more than two years, and I was thrilled to get his e-mail a few days ago:
Brad
Stewart
Germany
Leonardo
Audre
Aung
Czeslaw
Mahatma
Nelson
Caliph
Tom
John
John
Leymah
You
Me
***
Trump: We have won this election in Georgia based on all of this. And there’s nothing wrong with saying that, Brad. You know, I mean, having the correct – the people of Georgia are angry. And these numbers are going to be repeated on Monday night. Along with others that we’re going to have by that time, which are much more substantial even. And the people of Georgia are angry, the people of the country are angry. And there’s nothing wrong with saying that, you know, that you’ve recalculated. Because the 2,236 in absentee ballots. I mean, they’re all exact numbers that were done by accounting firms, law firms, etc. And even if you cut ’em in half, cut ’em in half and cut ’em in half again, it’s more votes than we need.
Raffensperger: Well, Mr. President, the challenge that you have is the data you have is wrong.
ººº
Trump: Big Tech is on your side, you know. I don’t even know why you have a side because you should want to have an accurate election. And you’re a Republican.
Raffensperger: We believe that we do have an accurate election.
Trump: No, no you don’t. No, no you don’t. You don’t have. Not even close. You’re off by hundreds of thousands of votes.
***
Honesty is the rarest commodity in the 21st century. No one looks to the political class or journalists for truth these days. The average Joe seems to spend most of their time peddling a ludicrous, flawless Facebook version of their lives. The peer pressure of political correctness forgoes truth for the sake of groupthink. It seems that comedians and writers represent the last bastion of candour out there today. (
To say nothing is saying something. You must denounce things you are against or one might believe that you support things you really do not. (
Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence. (Leonardo da Vinci)
I have come to believe over and over again that what is most important to me must be spoken, made verbal and shared, even at the risk of having it bruised or misunderstood. (Audre Lorde)
You should never let your fears prevent you from doing what you know is right. (Aung San Suu Kyi)
In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot. (Czesław Miłosz)
Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly. (Mahatma Gandhi)
Fools multiply when wise men are silent. (Nelson Mandela)
And speak the truth. Do not hesitate to say what you consider to be the truth. Say what you feel. Let your conscience be your guide. Let your intentions be good, for verily God is aware of your intentions. In your deeds your intentions count. (Caliph Umar)
These days, a sling of truth can still make Goliath fall. (Tom Althouse)
When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something. You have to do something. (John Lewis)
When the President decides that he knows better than you know what’s good for you or your family, we’ve got trouble in this country. (John Barrasso)
The one thing I’ve never been afraid of is standing before important people and speaking my mind. I represent women who may never have the opportunity to go to the UN or meet with a president. (Leymah Gbowee)
I seem to be getting sillier.
I went for a walk today through my village of Belmont. The air was bright and the snow was just enough to feel Christmasy. I was hoping to see kids in the graduating Grade 6 class, kids I miss so much. I realize that I might not be volunteering in their classroom for the entire school year. (Sigh) May I be wrong.
***
“Ahh … here comes a middle-aged couple!” I was so eager for contact. From six feet away, we smiled at each other. And the words just tumbled out of my mouth: “I knew that if I saw somebody out here, I’d be so happy that I’d pack a good snowball and throw it at them!” The two of them cringed ever so slightly as their smiles took on a stationary look. Then I laughed a Santa laugh, and so did they. The snow remained on the ground. And we were off in our separate directions.
***
I smiled and waved at a mom and her adult daughter who were passing by. Our conversation amounted to “Hi.” A bit later, as I was doing a loop pattern through residential streets, I came upon a path between subdivisions. Coming towards me were the two women. Seizing upon a potential moment of irrationality, I looked at them as we got close and said “I was just on Robin Ridge Drive and saw two women just like you. Do you realize you have twins?” Their eyes widened and then relaxed. And we all chuckled together.
***
Further down the path of life came a young mom strolling her infant son or daughter. Another “Hi” and another smile. Funnily enough, she also looped back to my reality. Not being bored with my previous rendezvous, I said (with awesome originality): “I was just on Kettle Creek Drive and saw folks just like you and your child. Do you realize you have twins?” I mean really … why waste a good line?
***
Approaching Belmont Community Park, I saw three adults approaching – two men and a woman. One of the men had a cane, and was hunched over. We smiled and said “Hi.”
(Me) I knew that if I saw somebody out here, I’d be so happy that I’d pack a good snowball and throw it at them!
(Old man) Well, start with these two!
(Me) No, no … you appear to be older. You get the first shot at it.
(Old man) [Huge laugh, bending over even more]
(The other two) [Smiling as they watched the old fellow’s delight]
***
On the home stretch, down the street came a mom and her two daughters. As I got closer, I saw that one was “Brittany”, a Grade 6 kid I know. Her sister “Terra” said that she was in Grade 2. I told Brittany how much I was missing volunteering with her and her classmates. She got the message. I asked what recesses were like. “Do you have to wear masks outside?” > “No, we just have to socially distance.”
Looking at Terra, I said “So you have to stay sixty feet apart?” > “No! Just six feet,” she sputtered with a giggle. Terra met my gaze and noted that she and I were closer than six feet. (Actually we were maybe eight feet apart.) “No way!” > “Yes, way!” > “You’re wrong.” > “Okay, then I’m right!” Etcetera. Fun was had by all. And then we went our happy ways.
***
I should get out more often
I think that if we sit down and be quiet for awhile, most of us sense a “bigness” that spans far beyond our individual lives. My spirituality is Buddhist. Yours may be Christian or Muslim or Hindu. When you think of a vast presence, it may be Jesus who comes to mind … or God the Father, the Buddha, the Dalai Lama, Muhammad or simply The Divine. It may be an enlightened human being or an overarching Spirit.
I feel a presence that wishes me well, that is intimately for me. Someone is cheering me on, glad that I showed up on the planet. And someone is doing the same for you.
Here’s “The Blessing” … a song that speaks through the words and between the words. It’s for all men and all women.
The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
Be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
The Lord bless you
And keep you
Make His face shine upon you
Be gracious to you
The Lord turn His
Face toward you
And give you peace
Amen, amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children and their children
May His favor be upon you
And a thousand generations
And your family and your children
And their children and their children
May His presence go before you
And behind you and beside you
All around you and within you
He is with you, He is with you
In the morning, in the evening
In your coming, and your going
In your weeping, and rejoicing
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He is for you, He is for you
He’s always on your side
You’re always on His mind
He is for you
He never will forsake
He never makes mistakes
He is for you, He is for you
Amen, amen, amen
I’m not a suspicious person, or apparently a very careful one.
Yesterday I opened Facebook and saw a new communication in Messenger. It was from a friend whom I haven’t talked to for months. I was thrilled. There sat a video with the caption “Look what I found.” There was a tiny picture of some guy. Was that me? Had my friend dug up an old moment that we’d had way back in the past? I clicked. Nothing happened. (Sigh) I sent him a message saying that I couldn’t open the video. Our reunion would just have to wait.
That was the full extent of my thought process: communication delayed, curiosity unsatisfied. And so to sleep.
Then there was 7:54 this morning. I was having breakfast right then, blissfully unaware of the events in Cyberland. At that moment, for my entire address book, I believe, a video showed up in inboxes, declaring “Look what I found.” It was hours later that I realized lots of folks were trying to get hold of me.
Did you send me a video?
I can’t open your video
Looks suspicious to me
You’ve been hacked, my friend
Then a really big sigh. I wasn’t thinking clearly for the first few minutes but I finally decided to phone Facebook. I soon found out that such an action is virtually impossible. “Okay, then … change your password.” Of course! “And how exactly do I do that?” I fumbled around in Facebook menus for awhile before giving up. And then a magic word came to mind: Google. Lo and behold, a short YouTube video appeared in my life, voiced by a nice-sounding guy. I wasn’t in full control of my rational mind but I soon had a new password. I know I can trust you so here it is:
*************
I sort of sighed in relief, and figured out that I should phone my computer guy. Would he be working on Saturday? I called … and he answered. He said that all I could do was change my password (Done!) and warn everyone to not open the video. (The next part is my personal favourite) Brain matter swirling, I didn’t have a clue about how to let people know. My techy friend, ever patient, simply said “Post it on Facebook.”
I’m fascinated by my inability to figure that out on my own. Having said that, I posted. But the Messenger communications kept arriving. I answered them all.
I’m sad that my eagerness to connect with an old friend has led to so many people being at minimum inconvenienced, and perhaps severely hacked. Am I allowed to sigh a fourth time?
On we go
P.S. I just went to Facebook to post this and found out that the warning message I sent this afternoon went only to me! Arghh. I just changed it to “Public”. (Sigh number five)