I was surprised, and gratefully so, to receive a letter from one of the doctors who has challenged and inspired me to refuse lethargy and complacency and to find joy and salvation in turning away from anger and hate by doing good.

I won’t embarrass this doctor by disclosing his or her name – I’ve never gotten a personal letter from a doctor before.

This one touched me deeply, I was so surprised by it I called Maria from the post office to read it to her.

She cried.

I came close.

I might cry when I read it again later in my meditation hour.

This doctor, like most of my others, knows my weaknesses in an intimate and thorough way. Doctors see us at our vulnerable worse, I am so pleased this doctor saw more of me than that.

This doctor says I inspired her, but she may not realize that she inspired me.

The doctor explained in her letter to me that she (almost all my doctors are women) had been deeply involved in a project to help a poor and troubled medical community far from this area.  “I apologize for not having been as available as I used to be,” said the letter.

“I wanted you to know that I am cheering you on over your constant effort of self-improvement and your refusal to accept defeat by complacency and over life’s difficulties.

Through your blog, you reminded me that service to others is nurturing to our soul and finding joy in our daily lives is a survival mechanism. 

You actually helped me through a very difficult year just by sharing y our farm, your life, and your art. I thank you, and look forward to seeing you at our next appointment.”

This is a doctor who helped me a lot more than I could ever help her.  This doctor sparked the beginning of my journey back to health. And helped make it happen.

My doctors have a lot less time on their hands than I do, and that made this letter all the more precious.

People complain to me about their doctors all the time, the fates have blessed me, mine had been faithful and caring magical helpers at every turn on the hero’s journey.

I turned to good deeds as a response to hatred, bigotry, cruelty, and anger I was feeling boiling all around me. I decided to match fear and resentment with good feelings, joy, and good deeds. It was the best prescription I ever had, and I wrote the scrip myself.

It does come down to a choice – surrender to fear and joy – or not. Like much of the world, I am further inspired by the brave men, women, grandmothers, and children of the Ukraine, who are risking their lives to fight for the freedom we have but take for granted.

Vladimir Putin and his Fan Boy Donald Trump and the dictators everywhere are turning the world upside down in ways they never imagined, uniting billions of people in an appreciation of freedom and democracy.

Freedom is on everyone’s lips and in their souls and hearts. Putin and Trump are reminding us just what freedom means and what it is worth.

We have looked the other way while fools, cowards, liars, and opportunists have weaseled their way into politics, Congress, the courts, and government. It will take a long time to drive them out, and even I won’t be around to see it, but I have absolute faith that we will get our democracy back.

There is a powerful resistance to evil kings and dictators in our country too, just like in Ukraine, and it will also fight against the people who would curb our freedom or take it away.

The Ukraine struggle is significant and profound.

It tells me that we are not alone in the fight for democracy and freedom.

All over the world, people and countries are rising up in a great roar to say this is enough, this is too much, too far. It won’t stand. Putin, like his best friend Trump, has done much more harm than good to his own people.

More innocent victims of arrogant leaders.

Some of us fight with guns, some with good deeds, money, governments,  some with votes, some with blogs and art.

We are saying enough to Donald Trump, the Marjory-Taylor-Greenes. the new wave of cowardly and opportunistic bigots and morons in Congress, the and to the Alexandr Putins.

Speaking only for me, I will never surrender my complacency to them or permit them to draw me into a life of anger and fear. There are people everywhere who could use a dose of good, I can find at least one every day.

Doing good is the answer, so is self-awareness, self-improvement a love for the freedoms and blessings we have been given. The world is crying out in one voice, more so than I have ever seen in my lifetime.

Democracy is important. Billions of people believe in it. Almost everyone else dreams of it.  It will prevail over the small and angry minds who seek to take it from us.

I appreciate my doctor for urging me to be healthier, and to her for seeing past my weaknesses and willfulness and cheering me on. That matters.