Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 16, 2025
In the midst of perceived darkness, I hold high my candle, saying look, see the path, witness the Hope.
Yes, these are challenging days. I am finding, as may we all, my sense of the up and downs of daily life stretched and bent into new shapes by the streaming of the faces, voices, and decisions of the day. My elderhood sense of reality has become distorted by the suffering and the pain of so many in our American workforce, society and cultures and the world.
In these days I offer encouragement and support. I lean into the proven values and life practices of the past challenging times in our political, economic, and faith beliefs and systems of American life.
- Accept the as much of the changing and shifting realities without being over-whelmed by too much, too soon of any given day. Tomorrow will be soon enough to allow and adjust to additional shifts and realignments with your mind, emotions, and spirit.
- Adjust your expectations of persons, events, and systems of governess and care of others. You may have journals, writers and writings to remind you of the longer view, not just the experience of day by day.
- Maintaining your physical, emotional, and spiritual balance in times of the chaotic is best achieved by anchoring yourself in essential values, personal and family rituals, staying flexible, choosing to be quiet when the noise becomes too loud.
- Protect your creative, emotional, and sacred space. Push back to the pressures to limit, to give in, to settle.
- Knowing the individuals and relationships that form your village, your circle, are vital to your energy, resiliency, and capacity to restore when the noise and uncertainties dull your edges and wear you down.
- Rely on and have confidence in your life experiences, all you have learned from both achievement as well as disappointments. Bring forth these as personal strengths to smile back at the distortions and noise of these days.
- Continue to practice compassion, express empathy, be supportive and present with those being excluded, suffering pain from decisions and lack of support from those charged with the responsibility to care and to lead.
“Continuous strengthening of our daily rituals, actions, and relationships are the ways we live our best mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical health.” Adapted from Tarrant County Physicians article
Roy, tightening the hold on my Light, held high
Much needed for today and our tomorrows!
Friend Marty….I do reach forward to “the balancing wheel of tomorrows to come.
I can only suggest to check who is in your village, your circle.
We are stronger, healthier together…..less so individually, isolated.
I stand with you….we do so together…..RB
such a wonderful list of very practical ways to get through all this chaos around us. I hold you in my prayers to keep you strong and sharp to share with us your understanding of life and how we can remain sane. Hugs,
Frank Long
I have discovered I need more still time to allow my Sunday thoughts to emerge and be known to me.
Not my practice when younger, more action, get it done workstyle.
Now, more 0lean back, slower to act, comfortable with small steps, quieter.
This would be coffee words with you and Harry. We need a helicopter back and forth.
All appreciation your way…..RB
I think practicing compassion is key to surviving the chaos around us. If you can truly make a difference in someone’s life and strive to make someone’s life a little better then you can sleep better at night. All of your suggestions are spot on and give me great examples of what I can do each day, and when I am overwhelmed I take a long nap!
No doubt you showed compassion even in your younger days, and most certainly now in your more elder yrs.
I do believe our habits become our behaviors.
You are indeed a difference maker…..making life better for more than you know.
Thank you for teaching me, showing me compassion….and forgiveness as well.RB
Limit the amount of evil actions that pierces your spirit each day.
And there are too many of those to maintain a healthy diet.
BUT, we can balance the ongoing harm with ongoing goodness and kindness.
One bahavior BUILDS
One behavior DESTROYS
Meg, you are indeed a BUILDER
My small world is stronger and better with you in the middle of it all…..RB
Good thoughts for current sucurmstances. In finding our own way I remember another’s thought. “To thine own self be true, then thou canst be false to any one.”
Thank you friend Peter, and for the additional good and true thought.
Since our move back you have indeed become a valuable part of our life, and we yours.
The good news we have more to be together, and we will. RB
Lest we realize the source of the chaos. Liberal lawmakers resorting to spewing expletives at their adversaries as they have no other grounds for argument, protestors destroying Tesla dealerships because they don’t agree with someone sacrificing their livelihood to save a country that is destined to self destruction, idiots storming the lobby of the President’s business in support of an anti-Semite calling for the destruction of Israel, the deportation of millions of illegal immigrants who by the definition of our laws are criminals.
Chaos exists, examine the source.
Friend Jerry….
My appreciation for your reading and gratitude for your intentional Comments.
Jerry, I am an organization guy, a systems guy, not a political guy.
I do know about developing healthy, contributing, sustainable organizations and systems of care.
One contributing, healthy quality is including others in the information sharing and decision making.
For me, I would rate today’s political as failing to meet minimum effort, lack of interest in this being a value.
And yes, my home page over flows with unproductive noise and actions.
Tis like 2 brothers in the back seat, “He hit me first.” Nothing good to follow.
Beth and are dedicated to positive regard of all persons, loving kindness in our actions and behaviors, speaking no to those creating separation and hatred, and having the long view of change, making our world (all peoples, all parts) better in the small ways we can and do. Is this enough?
I can say we are engaged, we show up, take risks, and communicate openly on several social platforms.
I have invited our sharing an iced tea more than once, i do so again now. Person to person works best for me.
Again, continue to read, to add Comments, and always feel welcomed in all possible ways…..Roy, of long aso, of present now
Thank you Roy for words to hold near and to be our best selves! I also want the Sunday Readers to know that Roy wrote this with one of his eyes almost swollen shut due to a surgical removal of a Melanoma. The surgery gave us good results but not so much on a swollen eye! Your dedication and loyalty are and always have been one of the many reasons I love you! Please do not e upset that I shared this information!❤️❤️❤️
There is no SL without your ideas, editing, and encouragement.
Your voice is a consistent positive in my life and days.
And we have tomorrows before us. Roy
Cook a meal for someone(s) and fill it with LOVE. Share a meal and let the conversation lead to greater understanding. Our family had the tradition of Sunday dinner in the afternoon about 2 PM. It’s a traditional Italian style and value. And though the conversations could at time be very”noisy” as Italians are full of life and vigor; they never degraded nor intentionally hurt. Gather round the table and be grateful, as we so are for you Roy and you Beth. Much love, your little fiery Italian in Santa Fe.
Add 2 more chairs around your noisy, hands flying Italian meal.
Would be an honor indeed.
My village, my circle stronger with joined hands
& thanks for patience as I attempt to find a way for us all……RB