It's wonderful to read your notes again. Hope Thailand is treating you well.
On Grief - my dad passed away a couple of years ago and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't anticipate how I would feel when his first death anniversary rolled around (it sucked). The second one is coming up soon and I'm dreading that too, but all this is to say (to you and to me): hang in there, and it will eventually pass.
On Swimming - it's wonderful to hear someone discovering the joys of swimming. I've been swimming since before I could walk, and it's the most invigorating thing I do besides prayer. I can quietly slip away underwater and the whole world disappears - the only thing that remains is breath. Ironically, it makes me feel more connected to the world and my place in it. Waterlog by the late and great Roger Deakin and The Swimmer by John Cheever are excellent reads (but tone-wise very different) if you're interested.
In the pool (and in life): just keep swimming. We're rooting for you. 🐬
So good to see you and to hear your distinctive voice! So much to reply to, but I’m just going to choose one: politics and political engagement. The short version is we live in a democracy, or at least we used to. How we got to this place where our democracy itself is so damaged that it’s possible, and arguably appropriate, to think of it in the past tense, is a long story. For now, let just say that living in a democracy has responsibilities. To be a citizen in a democracy requires staying informed and participating. If everyone took those responsibilities seriously it wouldn’t be appropriate to refer yo our democracy in the past tense. If you Grant, or anyone on your Substack would like some ideas how to get educated about our political process or how to get engaged with the process, please reach out.
Lisa and I miss Jim. He was a remarkable man. We loved him.
It's wonderful to read your notes again. Hope Thailand is treating you well.
On Grief - my dad passed away a couple of years ago and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't anticipate how I would feel when his first death anniversary rolled around (it sucked). The second one is coming up soon and I'm dreading that too, but all this is to say (to you and to me): hang in there, and it will eventually pass.
On Swimming - it's wonderful to hear someone discovering the joys of swimming. I've been swimming since before I could walk, and it's the most invigorating thing I do besides prayer. I can quietly slip away underwater and the whole world disappears - the only thing that remains is breath. Ironically, it makes me feel more connected to the world and my place in it. Waterlog by the late and great Roger Deakin and The Swimmer by John Cheever are excellent reads (but tone-wise very different) if you're interested.
In the pool (and in life): just keep swimming. We're rooting for you. 🐬
So good to see you and to hear your distinctive voice! So much to reply to, but I’m just going to choose one: politics and political engagement. The short version is we live in a democracy, or at least we used to. How we got to this place where our democracy itself is so damaged that it’s possible, and arguably appropriate, to think of it in the past tense, is a long story. For now, let just say that living in a democracy has responsibilities. To be a citizen in a democracy requires staying informed and participating. If everyone took those responsibilities seriously it wouldn’t be appropriate to refer yo our democracy in the past tense. If you Grant, or anyone on your Substack would like some ideas how to get educated about our political process or how to get engaged with the process, please reach out.