Roy’s Sunday Letter for November 30, 2025
A Thanksgiving Of Monks, Horses, Weather and Hope in Difficult Times
When Sunday Letter readers tell me the SL “makes me think,” I have good feelings of intent and purpose. Other comments highlight a pause to reflect on life thus far and the sense of the sacred found in meditation, prayer, and community worship. I hope my Sunday Letter lifts your eyes, hearts, and spirits to look outward beyond today’s challenges to the practice of wellness, healthy balancing and always with hope.
Beth and I are following the Buddhist monks from Ft. Worth on their 2,300 miles -120 day walk to D.C. They hope to promote an American society of peaceful living and kindness for all persons. Two were injured in Houston and yet their walk continues. What cause or mission calls you forward to make the world better and safer for everyone? Follow and learn about the monks Walk for Peace at Tik Tok Facebook, and other social platforms.
- A man asks random strangers 1,000, so far, “Are You Happy?” The responses have been compiled into a documentary and multiple spinoff web sites. The answers from the random strangers seem to an immediate Yes or No and then the events, persons, and reasons for their answer. So, “Are You Happy?” For me, the magic is in the asking, then fully listening to a person and being able to be trusted with their story.
North Texas is horse country with rodeos, roping, and the Stockyards twice daily parade of Long Horn cattle. All horse events have taken a two week pause due to the highly contagious Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1). Horses have died; owners, riders, and caretakers are worried. This weekend, with extreme caution, horse events are slowly returning to North Texas.
- The “Writers Helping Writers” web site has an article titled “The Power of Hopeful Fiction in Difficult Times.” Drafting hopeful writing is best when the writer is a person of hope, a believer of the transformation of the creative spirit of the inner and outer self. Many of my writings are about someone or a family making it through a difficult time. Rarely do they do so alone. Most often there is a supportive community of those who do not go away, who stay present in the loss and the regaining of memory, of relationships of themselves. Who and where is your community? Who in your life has been someone who does not go away, staying present and hopeful even in difficult times?
Thanksgiving Day, for me, was noticing that most commerce took a pause. Perhaps the pause gave us the opportunity to appreciate the arrival of someone who has aged, the taller grandson, a meal of joy and laughter, the national distraction of football, reminding us of gratefulness. This Thanksgiving weekend is about the walk of monks, keeping horses safe, those travelling safe and memories shared with those whose capacity for memories has faded. Beth and I are faithful to all we do and be, we do and be together.
Roy, both humbled and encouraged
I took a break from social media and just enjoyed visiting with family this holiday. There is a tranquility here in the mountains that I do not feel in the hustle of a large metropolitan city. I slept extremely well, ate wonderful food and watched lots of football with my kids. I am ready to tackle the Christmas season!
Taking pause breaks a needed and healthy time out for all of us.
Glad to hear the wellness of SF and family held you close in the best of ways.
Taking breaks is healthy and will add to your sense of balance and wellness.
Lunch with we 3 is one of those pauses. We will gather together soon…..Roy
Good morning Roy and thanks much for the letter.. as always an early Sunday morning gift.. ” Are you happy” , a mere three word question that carries so much.
Loo and i sat at the table yesterday evening, soft music and a glass of wine, playing ” Texas Marbles”, a board game introduced to us by some friends from Idaho! A wonderful and peaceful Thanksgiving behind us. Didn’t make it to see any of the kids, but enjoyed lengthy phone chats with all 4. Quick and meaningful in person visits with both my elderly John’s, Mr. Rudolph and Mr. Cudlipp.. developing and improving my faith thru friendship and companionship with those needing it most. I am happy Roy, also very humbly grateful. Doing my best to be worthy of all this…. Happy Sunday to all.
Improving faith through friendships and companionships. A wonderful path.
A Thanksgiving friend supported the positive of taking a pause.
Both for horses and we folk hanging around the arena.
So, continue being you two and all the kids and family as well.
Well done, dear pilgrim, well done.
I’m a horrible student! I’ve missed a lot of classes but thankfully my teacher keeps his “lectures” online to read later. I promise to get caught up.
Am I Happy? What a question! Hopefully “yes and no” is an acceptable answer. It’s not an either/or for me. I’m both/and. Thanksgiving Day was not a happy day, but there was happiness in my heart. I was not happy because I couldn’t express that happiness to those around me. Being in a new relationship is filling me with happiness, but we are a couple of misfits! A most unlikely relationship. And because of that, we have made the decision to keep the relationship quiet. We are not ready to face the public scrutiny. We will, but only when it is right for both of us.
Thanks for the thoughtful and hopeful SL.
All on the quiet of a true confessional….both ways.
Perhaps new relationships are like grilling.
How long?
You know when you know.
WE have just returned from a museum movie with friends.
There is the death of a spouse, plus 2 kids in the script.
In one session the therapist said to the surviving spouse: “We need to talk today of the difference between grieve and despair.”
A good point in the time of all grief journeys.
The holiday season has many a moment of happy talk…..Best to allow the intended goodness in while maintaining your balance point in the life circle you are in.
Best to you dear friend and the best also to all those surrounding you with care and caring.
Who in your life has been someone who does not go away, staying present and hopeful even in difficult times?
YOU, Roy Carroll Bowen. In ny darkest hours, you wrote me a snail mail letter and on one of the pages you traced your hand and wrote something that you were willing to do/share with me. The phone call that resulted from that letter, led me to your Beth and the journey of loss and grief and recovery. I am forever grateful for your presence and that of Beth’s in my life. Change makers, goodness holders, ministers of Hope and Love. X/O
Roy, thank you for your weekly gifts. I find it important to participate in the beauty of being in the midst of watching mother nature transform each day into a new wonderful treasure as the seasons unfold in their ever changing beauty. Watching the delicate snow flakes drifting gently from mother nature to gently caress mother earth. Each flake a beautiful creation. The ducks murmuring to each other of the sweetness of life’s special moments as they participate in the changing of life’s seasons. The squirrels gathering nuts in a scamper to fortify food supplies from the wispers of winters signs. Dogs becoming artists as they flip on their back and create snow angels in the snow. And they jump up shaking off the snow gathered on their fur in the excited moment as they look for loving recognition for their recent athletic feat. There is the excitement of children finding any suitable object to serve as a sled to carene down a snow bound hill as they scream out their excitement of their most excellent athletic feat. Many joys, smiles, and memories to be treasured as part of a life well lived.
Peter, ss you revisit ur TX roots, Beth, you, me, and a few others may begin our own Writer’s Group.
Your gift of slowing down your works A new way of supporting each other and our common enjoyment of the who and what surrounding us.
Keep the poetry going as you immerse yourself as a witness to your world. And, this is good. RB
and soon, our presence together once again.
we 3, and so many more, make up our flow of a world.
I offer a raised hand of blessings to you, both 2 legged and 4 legged.
RB