8/31/2023

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Ignore the WP’s silly article about how you can’t keep your stories straight. Psychologists have proven that none of us can. Every time we tell a story, we create new associations in our brain which distort the original memory. It’s how brains work. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about!

            That being said, I suggest you stop telling the gay men kissing story. Gay men did not kiss in public in the ‘60s, & even if they did, it’s unlikely that your dad would have approved.

            Life is so complicated!

Today’s reminder of this came when I googled, “Idalia climate change” & got a WP piece, “Hurricane Idalia’s rapid intensification is becoming the norm for gulf storms.” Weirdly, storms move slower now so they intensify quickly going from being Cat 1 to Cat 4 in 24 hours.  Forecasting this is challenging & meteorologists argue we need to improve coastal resilience. Easier said than done!

            Let’s resist getting caught up in this complexity & follow the Quaker Testimony to simplify. George Fox’s early thoughts about this involved worship. He eschewed fancy rituals & elaborate sanctuaries, recognizing that God does not reside in a house of worship, rather we each embody a Divine spark which will reveal itself if we let it. We can never know it all, so best to go with the flow.

            Enough preaching.

            Please look into the latest news from Burma that ASEAN is organizing a military exercise in Russia, co-chaired by the Myanmar military junta.

            As you know I am not a fan of military exercises & I am shocked that ASEAN would have anything to do with the junta.

            BYBS,