Thank you for this. I am one of those people who cares. Sometimes I think too much. My mother used to call it soft hearted. Now I know why, and I am proud.
My first time to this page, my first time finding you, and I am so glad I did. Thank you for the courage and words...Thank you for putting it "out there" from "in here".
-A fellow traveler gathering the gumption one step at a time
Hey Connie…do you think Sherrod would consider holding a Townhall for Ohioans since neither of our Senators are brave enough to schedule one during their recess!!?!?!?
Thank you. My substack blog is about old dog rescue. Having something positive to focus on keeps me from going off the rails, frankly. Doing anything positive right now is infinitely better than doing nothing.
I loved you article it is so hard to let ourselves feel joy.
Our grandson Colin is home on leave we have not seen him in over a year. He was serving as a helicopter in Kuwait and other parts of the middle east for 10 months. Yesterday he surprised his dad, stepmom and brother, and sister at His brothers Basketball game My Husband and I were there along with his Aunt Uncle and cousins We went to lunch it had been a long time since we were all together. It was a wonderful day with many tears. I am going to find reasons to be joyful, with all this madness we need it. Thank you
"So much stewing and handwringing, trying to find something original—something important—to say. As if writing about anything but this firehose of an administration would appear to trivialize its impact on large swaths of innocent people.
I’m declaring an end to that. We should all care about our country, and find ways, big or small, to help."
YES! Yes! I think we each need to see what and how we can do! "How do you eat an Elephant? A bite at a time!"
Each of your columns are such gems. I am so grateful, too, that they aren't every day. It increases their value exponentially. Like many others, I am calling or writing my representatives in DC with the hope that it'll produce some results. They are all Democrats so they have limited options, but there are others standing up, speaking loudly which I must continue to hope is not in vain. Thank you for giving us so many good words to ease our minds.
Thanks so much for your positive attitude. I have been writing to my senators and rep and have received welcome replies from them. Waiting for a Spartacus from republicans but in the meantime it’s up to us.
Thank Sherrod for Fairness law. I received my windfall check today and am very grateful. Life will be a bit easier for us retired folks.
Thank you for reminding us that we still have control over how we respond to the current mess we are in and that HOPE is the answer, if we just look around us. Every morning, after grabbing a cup of coffee, feeding my dogs and cat, and meditating for 5 minutes, I read the news from the AP and PBS, and then decide what I can do to make the day better in my own little world. Today, I will pick my 8 year old grandson up when he gets off the bus and we will go for East Coast Custard and then we will hang out at the park and see if Grandma can still do one pull-up on the monkey bars. He laughs at me every time I call it the "monkey bars", but he still can't tell me what they are supposed to be called, so we will keep pretending to be monkeys! Until it's time to go, I will do some writing, because you always remind me that it's something I love doing. Thank you, as always.
"If you weren't a good person, you wouldn't care."
This line hit me hard. It's so easy to forget that our capacity for empathy and concern is a strength, not a weakness. We're often told to "toughen up," to not let things affect us so deeply. But as you so eloquently pointed out, it's our very ability to feel and to care that makes us human. It's what connects us to one another, and it's what gives us the strength to fight for a better world.
Yep... everything you said. We all feel it. I bought a small box of cards....happy creatures dancing under a tree - with sparkles... and I started sending them out to people who I am so grateful to know - in my community, at my Y (water walking where all the conversations take place...), folks far away, casual acquaintances. I sent them all out and then bought another box of cards and am sending them to many others. So many people have told me how touched they were to get a card in the mail that brightened their day. Plus - my son works for the PO which is once again in the crosshairs so - small support from one mom for her son's livelihood....each day, one small kindness... Keep on Connie - you de bomb!
Thank you for this. I am one of those people who cares. Sometimes I think too much. My mother used to call it soft hearted. Now I know why, and I am proud.
Sorry, I don’t understand your comment 🤔
My first time to this page, my first time finding you, and I am so glad I did. Thank you for the courage and words...Thank you for putting it "out there" from "in here".
-A fellow traveler gathering the gumption one step at a time
Where can send you a poignant little story that you’ll appreciate, referencing your “Roar Like a Lion” piece?
I don't know how you do it, but you always manage to write exactly what I most need to hear at the right moment. Thank you.
Hey Connie…do you think Sherrod would consider holding a Townhall for Ohioans since neither of our Senators are brave enough to schedule one during their recess!!?!?!?
Thank you. My substack blog is about old dog rescue. Having something positive to focus on keeps me from going off the rails, frankly. Doing anything positive right now is infinitely better than doing nothing.
Connie,
I loved you article it is so hard to let ourselves feel joy.
Our grandson Colin is home on leave we have not seen him in over a year. He was serving as a helicopter in Kuwait and other parts of the middle east for 10 months. Yesterday he surprised his dad, stepmom and brother, and sister at His brothers Basketball game My Husband and I were there along with his Aunt Uncle and cousins We went to lunch it had been a long time since we were all together. It was a wonderful day with many tears. I am going to find reasons to be joyful, with all this madness we need it. Thank you
"So much stewing and handwringing, trying to find something original—something important—to say. As if writing about anything but this firehose of an administration would appear to trivialize its impact on large swaths of innocent people.
I’m declaring an end to that. We should all care about our country, and find ways, big or small, to help."
YES! Yes! I think we each need to see what and how we can do! "How do you eat an Elephant? A bite at a time!"
Each of your columns are such gems. I am so grateful, too, that they aren't every day. It increases their value exponentially. Like many others, I am calling or writing my representatives in DC with the hope that it'll produce some results. They are all Democrats so they have limited options, but there are others standing up, speaking loudly which I must continue to hope is not in vain. Thank you for giving us so many good words to ease our minds.
Thanks so much for your positive attitude. I have been writing to my senators and rep and have received welcome replies from them. Waiting for a Spartacus from republicans but in the meantime it’s up to us.
Thank Sherrod for Fairness law. I received my windfall check today and am very grateful. Life will be a bit easier for us retired folks.
Thank you for reminding us that we still have control over how we respond to the current mess we are in and that HOPE is the answer, if we just look around us. Every morning, after grabbing a cup of coffee, feeding my dogs and cat, and meditating for 5 minutes, I read the news from the AP and PBS, and then decide what I can do to make the day better in my own little world. Today, I will pick my 8 year old grandson up when he gets off the bus and we will go for East Coast Custard and then we will hang out at the park and see if Grandma can still do one pull-up on the monkey bars. He laughs at me every time I call it the "monkey bars", but he still can't tell me what they are supposed to be called, so we will keep pretending to be monkeys! Until it's time to go, I will do some writing, because you always remind me that it's something I love doing. Thank you, as always.
Joy and hope are all around us. We only need to look. My FB cover is currently this poem:
hope is the voice
that meets you
in the storm
and says,
“there is more
than what you
can see right now.”
Perfect, Connie.
"If you weren't a good person, you wouldn't care."
This line hit me hard. It's so easy to forget that our capacity for empathy and concern is a strength, not a weakness. We're often told to "toughen up," to not let things affect us so deeply. But as you so eloquently pointed out, it's our very ability to feel and to care that makes us human. It's what connects us to one another, and it's what gives us the strength to fight for a better world.
Yep... everything you said. We all feel it. I bought a small box of cards....happy creatures dancing under a tree - with sparkles... and I started sending them out to people who I am so grateful to know - in my community, at my Y (water walking where all the conversations take place...), folks far away, casual acquaintances. I sent them all out and then bought another box of cards and am sending them to many others. So many people have told me how touched they were to get a card in the mail that brightened their day. Plus - my son works for the PO which is once again in the crosshairs so - small support from one mom for her son's livelihood....each day, one small kindness... Keep on Connie - you de bomb!