4/5/2021

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Did you have a nice time at Camp David this weekend? I saw that you made a video to wish us all a Happy Easter & encourage us to get vaccinated. You’ll be happy to know that it’s been more than 2 weeks since my 2nd Pfizer shot. Yeah! I took the risk of “partying” with 2 buddies for brunch on Sat. Partying is in quotes, because I let loose by eating a small helping of French toast, breaking my new practice of avoiding carbs & sugar.

            I understand that you are speaking about “the tradition of Easter” today. I share your faith in a Higher Power (HP) & find great comfort in recognizing that the life force that surrounds us tends toward beauty & love. In fact, my faith was renewed this morning when I happened to choose J. Boylan’s Op piece as my NYT article of the day. As I was reading about her relationship with Easter, I felt the presence of the HP when I read that she attended Quaker Meeting, & even more so when I read, “All we really know of God is what we can see in the eyes of our fellow men and women.” She concluded by noting, “He is not here, but his spirit is all around us …in our reckless, inexplicable hope for this banged-up world, a place so beautiful and so sad.”

            So, dear JRB, I am with you in spirit. BUT, I am not convinced that you should be preaching as the POTUS. You might take a look at Adam Gabbatt piece in the Guardian today to realize that many Americans prefer a separation of Church and State & in fact, are “allergic” to religion. They are particularly turned off by recent laws legalizing the discrimination of LGBTQ people. You might want to go to the Freedom From Religion webpage to better understand why mixing politics & religion is best avoided.

            I find my faith challenged by the news from Myanmar, particularly when I hear stories about neighbors being pressured to spy on one another there. Please continue to keep close tabs on the situation.

            BYBS,