1/17/2024
My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,
Do you ever feel stressed out? If so, how do you handle it? You manage to look cheerful most of the time, but I’ve seen glimmers of anger in your speeches, the most recent being on Oct 7 when you talked about the Hamas attack on Israeli citizens. Seeing you smile & hearing you talk about your optimism is uplifting. Please keep doing that!
I am asking about stress because my to-be-neighbors at Washington Commons keep talking about how we are “stressed” as we get ready to occupy our new premises in mid-March. For me that has negative connotations. I suggested we replace the word “stressed” with the word “aroused,” but, of course, that word has its own set of connotations. Perhaps “heightened emotion” is the best way to describe our conditions as we anticipate our new lives together.
According to Corbett et al (2019), “stress can be defined as an actual or anticipated disruption of homeostasis or an anticipated threat to well-being” & comes from “situations perceived as novel, unpredictable, & uncontrollable.…In order for a situation to provoke a stress response it must be perceived as threatening to the individual.” I don’t like to think that moving into our new condos poses a threat to us, but it certainly represents a major change, the outcome of which is indeterminate.
We worry that we may be short-tempered during our move-in phase which might lead to nastiness & conflict. Do you have suggestions for how we might prevent this?
I hesitate to ask, given all that is on your plate. According to Google, the biggest news item for you is how to deal with Gaza. The NYT suggests you “embrace the need for a full cease-fire now” stop talking about a two-state solution & distance yourself from Bibi.
I would love to see you succeed in your next election. Once you do, you can start dismantling the military industrial complex which profits from war. That would be a dream come true!
Keep calm & carry on,
BYBS,
