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Marilyn Jahnke's avatar

I REALLY get that mind wondering thing. Just spent about an hour being quiet with this guy in the background.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28jFas5ml2s

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Dawn Downey's avatar

Being quiet is a big challenge!

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Martha Anne Toll's avatar

I really love this one. You are never-endingly clever and insightful, and how do you always pack that punch?!

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Dawn Downey's avatar

I remember writing this and feeling that insights about our common humanity were sincere, but noticed I was censoring myself from taking a strong stand. The t shirt is pretty bold and I'll have to face the fear of wearing it.

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Anne Melia's avatar

This resonates for me - I sometimes look at the folks around me at the grocery store, restaurants, at parks, etc. and wonder how/who they voted for....and try not to dislike them if I think they voted the "other way." It's hard these days when for so many of us the lines in the sand representing right and wrong, morality, compassion, and empathy are more like crevasses....too deep and wide to cross. Thank you once again for a lovely, thoughtful essay.

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Dawn Downey's avatar

Anne, this is exactly what I'm going through. It's very hard to remain high minded. The lack of compassion in his policies gives me nightmares.

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Anne Melia's avatar

Same here. I’ve had some very disturbing dreams. I’m sorry you are having them too. I guess it is all part of having an empathic soul. 🤗

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Dawn Downey's avatar

An empathic soul is inconvenient, isn't it? It helps my writing, because it makes me keep writing until I say something that makes me uncomfortable, somethig that makes me afraid of offending someone.

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Anne Melia's avatar

Your empathic soul is what makes your writing so powerful- you get to the heart of things and your readers are drawn into to thinking along with you.❤️

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Dawn Downey's avatar

Thank you for this, Anne.

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