Dear Reader:

As much as I love Valentine candy, or cards, or flowers … it is the hug at the end of a visit that lifts my spirits the highest! Human contact!

I love what Meryl Strip added to the ancient ritual of hugging -release of empathy!

When I think back on all the hugs I have given and received… a high degree of empathy comes from the ritual of human contact. A wooden cut-out hug reminding us to give people we love empathy is a fulfilling prophecy!

Look at the scary world we live in -watching the news these days is like going to the Vampire movies as kids screaming 😱 throughout it!

And now why are many adults afraid of the news-because we all let greed win out over empathy to our fellow man and are slowly watching our Constitution being readily dismissed -the founding fathers’ powerful Bill of rights to protect individual rights… being threatened… the thought of losing our democracy makes me want to scream… are we really willing to give up the American dream ( that only came about from Americans willing to fight for ” We the People and instead turn our individual rights over to one individual who wants no restrictions on power?

So yes… we , as a nation, must keep our founding father’s dream of a democracy alive!

( Okay I just stepped off the podium … but a 35 year old veteran ( American History teacher) doesn’t go down easily!) I love my Democratic country too much to give democracy away. Our forefathers sacrificed too much not to keep it alive at any costs!

Yesterday ( Monday) was a wonderful day -been waiting on my kitchen and torn tiles to be replaced since arrival and today a new construction worker came in and fixed the unhinged top cabinet and replaced it with his own handmade design … no more fear it is going to fall off!

Then my sister-in-law-Susan Cadwell came by for a visit before going to a doctor appointment and it was so nice to have time to catch up with family and look at the ” pretty in pink” tiny blossoms she left me… Susan Swicegood said they have a very different name-

Ka Launch O … a type of succulent!

I wish Susan and I had more time catching up but the rains picked up and Susan wanted to leave the medical appointment asap…and get to a friend’s home who lives in Mt P …( went to grade school and high school together) where she was spending the night-another fun evening with an old friend!

There is something magical about reacquainting with friends who knew us when ! And for all of us … let’s extend our hug into empathy and compassion… we never know… it might be the last chance to do so!!!