7/15/2023

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            A sensational person, Evelyn Boyd Granville, the 2nd Black Women to get a PhD in math recently died. Please acknowledge her passing.

Sensational! Have you been reciting our mantra, “I am sensational” when you feel a twinge, ache or spasm? It will help you to avoid firing the fear circuit in your autonomous nervous system & lets you get on with things.

            The news is sensational, too, but in a bad way. Reporters embellish & elaborate stimulating our alarm bells. When we dig deeper, we see that every situation is complicated. Often the “news” isn’t new. If we pause, take a breath & adopt a curious stance, it becomes fascinating rather than terrifying, & our “lizard brain” does not get into flight or fight mode. I have learned from my buddy, the brilliant Dr. Brad, that this process works for inward struggles with chronic pain & anxiety, so let’s try it for our societal struggles, too.

            Did you hear about the storm in KC yesterday? It knocked down a tree limb at my daughter’s house, which is now resting on a power line. I hope her neighbors are as helpful as the folks in VT. Today’s CSM notes, “Tropical Storm Irene gave flooded Vermont a wake-up call. Efforts since then to build resiliency – alongside a humanitarian spirit – are helping this week.” Thanks for funding infrastructure projects, like the culvert in Brandon, to enable citizens to live in harmony with Mother Nature.

            Speaking of living in harmony, I appreciate Sec. Blinken’s remarks to “press the military regime (in Burma) to stop the violence, to implement ASEAN's five-point consensus, to support a return to democratic governance.” I hope he got a chance to talk with the rep from Thailand & let him know that he needs to be a team player & not go making special deals with the junta. We don’t want Thailand to become the next Burma.

            Take it easy,

            BYBS,