I’m grateful for a cool, cloudy, drizzly day; grateful for a mug shot finally though I can’t bear to look at it again; grateful for a wonderful class this afternoon; and grateful for another great cheese sandwich today! I spent some intervals outside basking in humidity with a curly mop of hair to show for it when I came in to teach Session #7, Mindfulness in Relationships and Cultivating an Open Heart. Focusing on the Four Immeasurable Attitudes of Equanimity, Loving-Kindness, Compassion, and Empathetic Joy helped me forget, for awhile, the distressing yet somehow gratifying image in the headlines this morning. Turning my attention to what is deeply good in me and in most of humanity helps me withstand the sensory and emotional assault of the coming election year.

As Robert Hubbell says, “You can affect the outcome of the election but can’t affect the outcome of the trials. By letting go of worry over external events you cannot control, you will be more effective (and calmer) in helping Democrats win in 2024.” He also references the mug shot in Today’s Edition: “Against the deeply unsettling MAGA mugshot, Democrats will feature the kindly face of Joe Biden as he reaches to pet a rescue dog or hug a survivor of the Hawaii wildfires. Joe Biden may be older than some would like, but his face exhibits kindness and wisdom. We should not underestimate visceral reactions to human decency—or lack thereof—in our leaders.”