1/22/2022

My dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Today is a momentous day – well, every day on this glorious planet which we each inhabit for such a short time should be momentous, but I digress – First, Jan 22 marks the day that I started writing letters to you. I still don’t know who reads them, but it would be nice if someone in the WH could acknowledge my diligence. Over 100,000 words comprising over 200 pages in my Word Doc. If I count the 4 years of writing to the previous POTUS, I estimate that I have spent 2625 hours at my keyboard sending advice & encouragement to the WH. We’ll see how much longer I will persist in this particular spiritual practice.

            The other thing that makes the 22nd day of the 1st month a special one is that it is the day that my mother was born in Montclair, NJ in 1934, in the depth of the Depression. I treasure her energy, her creativity, her diligence & her commitment. She is what some educational theorist would call “agentive” meaning she does stuff. She used to tell us, don’t complain about it, change it. She brings this intensity to her work at the “Nook” in the Williamsburg Library which would be a total mess without her.

            I’m sure you heard that the Tatmadaw has sentenced two prominent Burmese to death. One, Kyaw Min Yu, is a long time politician who rose to prominence in the 88 uprising & the other, Phyo Zayar Thaw, is a hip-hop pioneer who was elected to the parliament in 2015. Despite this setback the people remain undaunted. One of their associates said, “In terms of war, they might have captured a hill or a camp, but they will eventually lose the entire war. We, the people, will win.”

            May we remain undaunted as well.

            BYBS,