8/29/2021

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

I just got off my Zoom Meeting for Worship with the Yangon Quaker group. Today we had Friends from South Korea, England, Japan, PA, MI, CA & Myanmar. Our Friend in Myanmar is a seeker. I believe his ethnicity is Rohingya. As violence swirls around him, he is asking himself the fundamental questions that underly all religions: Why be good? What happens after this life? What is the meaning of my life? I’m sure the families of the 13 military folk who perished in Kabul this week are asking themselves these questions, too. I hope their visit with you today brings them some solace.

My heart goes out to them. I was especially touched to learn about Sgt. Nicole Gee who grew up not too far from here in Roseville. She was a maintenance technician with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit from Camp Lejeune in NC, who had the job of searching women & children at the gate of the airport because local custom dictates that men cannot touch women. You probably saw the photo of her holding a baby shortly before her passing. She was known as a “beautiful soul & a complete badass.”

Perhaps the following ideas which we shared this morning will be helpful to you & others seeking consolation:

1) Walk cheerfully on the Earth & look for that of God in everyone.

2) There is no way to peace. Peace is the way.

3) You know your own truth.

Please do all you can to eliminate the occasion for war so folks like Nicole can live long, productive lives.

HYITL,