Nearly one year after I sent her a pre-election letter that described the basic truths of her political idol and his record simply and concisely, my republican sister will still not respond to my phone calls or email.
My feeling now is - she's standing on pride. Takes a stand, hides behind one issue or two, and a big fat "R".
I have called (left voice mails - calls are screened) and sent email about 8 or 10 times in the past year. No Response. Yes, she's still alive - I hear through our parents.
Please help - Read my latest email to her and take the poll!
Dear Priscilla,
I was thinking about you again today.
And today I wondered about what I have learned from this...whatever this is between you and me. So I thought about it and decided to summarize and write down what I have learned.
"I have learned that the strength of love will always be revealed in ones courage to place great importance on the truth. In speaking the truth you may either gain love's recompense or suffer its loss. Either way it is that important. And so, I will always speak the truth."
You can quote me.
While I still feel the pain of this loss, I still can't help but wonder why you could become so angry about one person's telling of the truth. Is it because you know it is indeed the truth and you are let down or saddened by the facts? And if you are not saddened by the facts, what does that say about your character? Otherwise, if you don't believe my telling of the truth, then why not just go on as normal like others who don't necessarily believe everything I had to say but did not choose to end their relationship with me just because we disagree? It's just sad, I don't understand.
I'm left to guess, and guess I will.
I do know this. Life is bigger than any of this. It's about being better - not better than you or someone else - but me being better today than I was yesterday. It's not about walking around with my panties in a wad and feeling insulted by you or anyone. It's not between me and you or you and anyone. It's between me and God. It's between you and God.
You know, just because I'm younger than you doesn't mean you can't learn a thing or two from me. We can all learn from each other. I know this-- God says that there are no justified resentments. Period. God says be compassionate. Period.
So this is what I think. I think you and anyone on the political or religious right should realize that God is not a Republican or a Democrat- He is a Compassionate. His title is this - God, President of The Universe (C). Not (R), Not (D).
You and anyone on the political or religious right should realize that hundreds of thousands of people are suffering and dying at the hands of George W. Bush and you should all...
Say NO to Bush's failure to extend and expand care for the poor.
Say NO to Bush's made up piety.
Say NO to Bush's unjustified war in Iraq.
Say NO to Bush's favoritism to the wealthy and the burden to the working poor.
Say NO to Bush's actions that promote destruction of our natural environment.
Say NO to Bush's intolerance and divisiveness.
Say NO to Bush's failure to listen to those with whom he disagrees.
Say NO to Bush's right wing ideology because your faith trumps politics.
Your employed, hard-working brother -who cannot afford health insurance-and his family will probably lose their government-subsidized health insurance thanks to george bush's drastic funding cuts to the program. So add two more young children to the nearly 50 million now without health insurance in America. Oh well. Go ahead rationalize it.
OK, I will... Millions of people all over the world are dying hungry or impoverished thanks to America's thirst for oil and violence and greed - so why should my family have health insurance? At least we're not hungry. There, I rationalized it.
"There is an unbreakable bond between the work of peace and respect for truth." Pope John Paul II
Good luck.