This is taken from the April 2022 Newsletter. This was near the time when the war broke out between Russia and Ukraine.
Book Recommendation:
The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse
(click the blue link to see it on Amazon)
I enjoy reading. A little too much sometimes. In fact, I publish my book list every year so I can keep track of what I’ve read. I love reading a book that can challenge my way of thinking and get me to see the world in a different way. This may come in the form of a good biography, science fiction, a murder mystery, or just a short book with simple messages.
Some of you may have already read The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse since it has been out for a few years, but this book got me to smile and helped me connect thoughts I’ve had in my head with the bigger picture of what truly matters. My wife and I gave this book out as our Christmas gifts this year. You’ll want the physical copy. I had a good friend listen to the audiobook and it just doesn’t have the same effect. You need to see the pictures to understand.
Words of Wisdom:
This may be more of a somber Words of Wisdom thought, and I hope you’ll forgive me for that.
Something that weighs heavily on my mind is what is going on between Russia and Ukraine. I lived in South-West Russia for a few years, right near the border of Ukraine. I have dear friends who are Russian and dear friends who are Ukrainian. It is awful to see what is taking place and the lives that have been and continue to be devastated by what is happening over there.
I do not have the full story. I do not know what will happen. Like most people, I am fearful of where this conflict could lead.
I do know that there are unbelievably kind, caring, loving, peaceful, and beautiful people who happen to be Russian. I do know that there are kind, caring, loving, peaceful, and beautiful people who happen to be Ukrainian. I do know there are millions suffering, not just in this conflict but in other like conflicts around the world, most often at no fault of their own.
Whether you believe in a God, or karma, or nature, please keep these other human beings in mind as the world tries to figure out a way to resolve this issue. I love humanity. The human experience is an incredible combination of good, bad, joyous, and devastating – and I hope that we can all look for empathy as we interact with others. It is easy to judge someone without knowing their story. It’s easy to critique when we, ourselves, are having a bad day. It takes a lot of effort to pull our vision past the front of our noses and see a bigger picture – that we are all, each and every one of us, trying our best to find connection, peace, happiness, and good health. I wish these for the people of Ukraine and Russia. I wish these for you.
Hey, if you enjoy the random thoughts of some guy who’s doing his best to find his place in this world, consider subscribing.
Erik Soderborg 