3/16/2024

March 16, 2024

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            Yesterday was the Ides of March. Did anything bad happen? My Google search indicates that Shakespeare wrote, “Beware the Ides of March” in Julius Cesar, because that’s the day Julius was assassinated in 44BC.  Then on the 4th anniversary of his death, Octavia had 300 senators executed. These murders led to the fall of the Roman empire.

            Do you ever wonder about when the USA “empire” will fall? I do.

Countries come & go. I would have never anticipated that the USSR would split up & then it did. Someday, the USA will disband or shrink or disintegrate. I just hope that doesn’t happen in my lifetime.

People will always be grappling with our primal instinct to defend our territories from infringement. As humans we CAN control this impulse, but it takes discipline to see the Other as Friend. It requires compromise to resolve differences & live in harmony. Some of my fellow citizens don’t have the energy these days to engage in the challenging work of making agreements. When they feel threatened, they’d like to destroy their foe. It’s the dysfunctional mentality that Bibi & the junta have, which will never work.

According to my neighbor, whose daughter lives in Israel, many of the people there are organizing for peace & she is hopeful that the situation in Gaza will improve soon. WINTA!!

I love the line you shared with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. "May the hinge of our friendship never go rusty.”

Have a wonderful Saturday!