PLEASE JUST STOP

July 27, 2016

Today's photo from the porch includes a helicopter.  Well, the helicopter was there a second ago!?  Oh well.

A pal of mine has suggested that I abandon Facebook until after the election because I tend to take some of the junk that folks post a bit too seriously.  My approach to things is to find a way to harmony.  Most of us get our backs up and get defensive instead of looking for a solution to a problem.  

I'm posting my letter to the Republican candidate again, just in case some folks might like to follow my lead and politely ask him to just stop.  We can never know unless we ask.  It's not too much to ask, is it?  Maybe he'll do me the courtesy of a response.   I think of the stories of the snowflake or the butterfly flapping its wings that make a big difference.  So, here it is: 

Mr. Donald Trump

725 5th Avenue

New York, NY  10022

Dear Mr. Trump:

Please just stop.

Sincerely, 

Michael Sheehan

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I wonder what would happen if a million people just wrote to this person?  I am remembering Miracle on 34th Street as the trial of Kris Kringle is presented with bags of letters to Santa!  

This, of course, is an art project.  I tell two friends, (or the hundred or so of you who take time to read this journal) and you tell two friends, etc. and, if bags of mail started to pile up at the candidate's address, that might be interesting!  Will you send a letter to the candidate? Will  you encourage two friends to encourage two friends? The exponential effect, if nothing else, might get some news attention?  Please pass it on. It's a simple request.

//

Evidently, I am still in trouble with my friend. I've come to the realization that if someone wants to hurt you, that you can either take it or decide to stand up and let the hurt roll off your back. Not easy for me.  Passive aggression is easy to foist on someone. "You know what you did!"  Well.. even if I was sure, I want to find a way to fix it: to move forward and allow the hurt to heal. 

Of course, there may be pain or hurt feelings with my friend.. Dealing with a person who is taciturn until a flash of anger snaps is a challenge, of course. There's a red flag there.  If the only real emotion you experience from anyone is anger or annoyance, that must be considered.   Of course, one starts walking on egg shells when the feeling that any misstep will get you in trouble and this leads to a superficial relationship.   In my experience, there are few friends and many nice others with whom we share mostly superficial stuff.  When one is blessed with true friends, it's a gift.   

I write about this dust up because I don't fully understand it.  My friend is silent.  Having fun is a challenge for both of us.  If life is always so serious, that makes having any fun difficult.  Jokes or teasing are part of fun. Never knowing if your sense of humor syncs with another person is pretty upsetting.  Noting the sad news of the day is important, but in my philosophy, if I can't do something  about it, (like writing to the republican) I want to be respectful, but not dwell on it.  To me dwelling on any huge issue to the point of obsessing, is not my job.  

As frustrating as this current issue is, I hope to stop dwelling on it and either fix it or let it go.  There may be an in between space and that's okay as we move along.. At least it's moving.  

///

I had to let a very good friend go a couple of years ago and I still feel awful about it.  He was a brilliant artist (at least in his own mind!) and got off on being cruel with his teasing me.  When I asked him in person and even wrote a letter to him saying that he was making me feel awful and if the only way that we could still be pals was to just let the abuse continue, that I wouldn't do it.  Should I have just allowed that this person was incapable of being kind or understanding of my request and kept the friendship by being the 'bigger' person?  Some folks stay in spite of the abuse.  I miss my pal.

I've felt only a little abused in the connection that I've been writing about. The benefits of this friendship have been quite nice.   I hope communication will get better and that a resolution will evolve.  Evolution : moving forward... having some fun?  Seems like a good idea to me.

Meanwhile?  Please copy and paste the republican's address into a simple letter. Even a post card?  and ask him to just Stop! I thought about sending a check for a dollar to see if he would cash it!

Mr. Donald Trump

725 5th Avenue

New York, NY  10022

July 27, 2016

michael sheehan