MIDSUMMER BREAK

Today is both midsummer and the beginning of summer. I stayed up until midnight last night, but alas, I had no bonfire to jump over. Not that I could jump over a bonfire.

I am going to take some time off and celebrate that I have finished a difficult task. Celebration is a very important part of life.

The world is changing, and change is very upsetting.

But there are good changes happening as well as bad changes. If you live in the US and object to any proposed government policy, please do NOT broadcast anger. Societal anger can cause the mentally ill to do horrible things, like shoot up baseball games.

If you are angry, do what US citizens have the absolute right to do. Send a letter outlining the policy to which you object and what you think would be a better plan. Send a copy of your letter to YOUR US Representative, YOUR two US Senators, to the President of the US, and to the head of the US Department in charge of implementing any policy change. Make certain that your voting address is in the letter.

There is something magical about letters. Lawyers and courts use letters as legal notification of an event. A letter is an undeniable physical manifestation of your objections. Before the internet, rock stars based their assessment of popularity by the sacks of fan mail that arrived.

BE POLITE in your letter.

Your letter can look like:

Your name and address at the top.

The names of all people who were sent the letter come next.

Open with Dear Sir or Madam:

Then put ONE issue into the body of the letter.

Sign it, "Sincerely, Your name" Sign the letter.

Put a return address on the envelope. If you want, you can put the subject of your letter in the lower left hand corner where many people put the ATTN: ____________. Doing this will help sort the letters.

Roomfuls of letters will have a greater effect than streets full of protestors.

Feel free to send multiple letters if you are concerned about more than one issue.

DO NOT PUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN SEVERAL PIECES OF PAPER INTO YOUR LETTERS.

Do not give up the good fight. But please go to the beach or pool or hiking. Touch base with the nature that we are committed to saving.