There is plenty of good in the world, including developments that keep hope alive for better days ahead. But there is no denying that we’ve had another year filled with tumult, uncertainty, pain, and suffering. As 2023 winds down and we look to the year ahead, there is little indication that these troublesome and dangerous trends will abate. If anything, they will likely intensify as we gallop toward a presidential election — probably one of the most consequential in our nation’s history.
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Also, Dan. My best wishes to you and your entire staff for continuing to raise the banner of hope for all of us. Patricia.
Thanks for reminding me of what’s important. What you said here sums it up well:
It might be hard to remember sometimes, but there is a lot of goodness in this world. It far outweighs the bad.
All I have to do is see the outpouring of care for our neighbors through donations to food banks or those who volunteer at animal shelters or give time visiting with those in nursing homes. I wish the media would spend as much time airing good new stories as they do on the worst happening around us.
Noble words and a huge pile of Baloney if you take into consideration that these same words and these same sentiments have been expressed over and over again for, at the very least, the number of decades that you and I have been alive. They have also been expressed for the many decades before your life and my life began. As long as there remains in place the prescription for insanity that A. Einstein expressed so many years ago this kind of world will produce and allow for much more of the same. All one has to do to understand the gravity of the nonsense of the last sentence of this tirade of poetry is to read quite a bit more regarding the initiations, motivations and influences for human behavior. Unfortunately for mankind there are concerns that human beings are occupied with that have nothing to do with the sociology of human society. The two-valuing value system that has infected the great majority of people on this planet is the first consideration to be determined. Unfortunately, mankind is strapped with an educational system that is rooted in religion, tradition, competition, human law, and especially scarcity with its accompaniment of the threat of scarcity. These same expressions of hope and prayer will be here next year and the next and so on and so forth. There are solutions to the problems of mankind, but they will not be found in religion, politics, law, tradition or any other conventional approach. A repeat of these conventional approaches will produce the same results as can be expected which is, of course, more of the same.
I am, as is true of so many readers of STEADY, so thankful for you, Dan and Elliot. I know I will always find sense in your posts, and the passion for the best that America can be that both of you share and express in your posts boost my flagging hopes for that country I, in my childhood in the 1950s was taught we were becoming but have slipped so far from being.
I am thankful for my good health in a stage of life that is, for many, a time of terminal illness, increasing frailty, and / or diminishing mental capacity. I still work full time at a job I love, I have family and friends whom I love and care about, and I have energy to keep fighting for decency, integrity, and belief in the rule of law for this country I love. I am so thankful for all that, and for the community I have with you, Dan and Elliott, and all who read STEADY.
a great example: read Thomas Friedman latest opinion in NYT; all about the Middle East and the quality of deep relatedness that does exists among all the different "religious" groups; that is what's to be thankful for, human beings acting human!!! Thank YOU, Dan
Happy Thanksgiving! I appreciate your message of balance and hope. I will be sharing it today, at least in part, with family and friends. The destruction and animosity is too prevalent. We need encouragement to find joy and community.
One must be thankful that we have this extraordinary place of reflection and expression in this space created by Dan and Elliot. Now we cannot imagine not having the Steady messaging . Thank you . Never give it up.
Listening to the hymn “ We Gather Together” is a good thing to do today. Also, call someone to say “Happy Thanksgiving” . Just a 4 minute call will bring 40 times that in joy and thanks from the other person. We have learned to Gather Together that way over the past 3 years.
Dear Dan and Elliot. With deep gratitude for all you do, and wishing you and all your loved ones all the blessings of this holiday season, and a better world to come.
Thank you Dan, as always, for your eloquent, heartfelt and astute observations - and in this particular writing, your encouragement. These are indeed discouraging times, exhausting times, when keeping the beacon of hope alive is a struggle. This newsletter helped me to maintain the long view and hope this Thanksgiving morning.
I am so grateful for your positivity outlook in such a divisive time. You have healed my soul. Thank you!
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Also, Dan. My best wishes to you and your entire staff for continuing to raise the banner of hope for all of us. Patricia.
Thanks for reminding me of what’s important. What you said here sums it up well:
It might be hard to remember sometimes, but there is a lot of goodness in this world. It far outweighs the bad.
All I have to do is see the outpouring of care for our neighbors through donations to food banks or those who volunteer at animal shelters or give time visiting with those in nursing homes. I wish the media would spend as much time airing good new stories as they do on the worst happening around us.
Wishing gratitude for all of us.
I am thankful for you, Dan Rather. Happy Thanksgiving.
Noble words and a huge pile of Baloney if you take into consideration that these same words and these same sentiments have been expressed over and over again for, at the very least, the number of decades that you and I have been alive. They have also been expressed for the many decades before your life and my life began. As long as there remains in place the prescription for insanity that A. Einstein expressed so many years ago this kind of world will produce and allow for much more of the same. All one has to do to understand the gravity of the nonsense of the last sentence of this tirade of poetry is to read quite a bit more regarding the initiations, motivations and influences for human behavior. Unfortunately for mankind there are concerns that human beings are occupied with that have nothing to do with the sociology of human society. The two-valuing value system that has infected the great majority of people on this planet is the first consideration to be determined. Unfortunately, mankind is strapped with an educational system that is rooted in religion, tradition, competition, human law, and especially scarcity with its accompaniment of the threat of scarcity. These same expressions of hope and prayer will be here next year and the next and so on and so forth. There are solutions to the problems of mankind, but they will not be found in religion, politics, law, tradition or any other conventional approach. A repeat of these conventional approaches will produce the same results as can be expected which is, of course, more of the same.
I am, as is true of so many readers of STEADY, so thankful for you, Dan and Elliot. I know I will always find sense in your posts, and the passion for the best that America can be that both of you share and express in your posts boost my flagging hopes for that country I, in my childhood in the 1950s was taught we were becoming but have slipped so far from being.
I am thankful for my good health in a stage of life that is, for many, a time of terminal illness, increasing frailty, and / or diminishing mental capacity. I still work full time at a job I love, I have family and friends whom I love and care about, and I have energy to keep fighting for decency, integrity, and belief in the rule of law for this country I love. I am so thankful for all that, and for the community I have with you, Dan and Elliott, and all who read STEADY.
Thank you. Dan and Elliot: I needed to read this today.
🙏🏻😌
Thank you! Hard times!
a great example: read Thomas Friedman latest opinion in NYT; all about the Middle East and the quality of deep relatedness that does exists among all the different "religious" groups; that is what's to be thankful for, human beings acting human!!! Thank YOU, Dan
Thank you for your time and thoughtfulness in writing this piece and all your others 🌺
Happy Thanksgiving! I appreciate your message of balance and hope. I will be sharing it today, at least in part, with family and friends. The destruction and animosity is too prevalent. We need encouragement to find joy and community.
Lovely message to share, and thank you! Wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving Day filed with love and joy.
One must be thankful that we have this extraordinary place of reflection and expression in this space created by Dan and Elliot. Now we cannot imagine not having the Steady messaging . Thank you . Never give it up.
Listening to the hymn “ We Gather Together” is a good thing to do today. Also, call someone to say “Happy Thanksgiving” . Just a 4 minute call will bring 40 times that in joy and thanks from the other person. We have learned to Gather Together that way over the past 3 years.
With Thanks for keeping us Steady!
Dear Dan and Elliot. With deep gratitude for all you do, and wishing you and all your loved ones all the blessings of this holiday season, and a better world to come.
With gratitude and love
Janet
Thank you Dan, as always, for your eloquent, heartfelt and astute observations - and in this particular writing, your encouragement. These are indeed discouraging times, exhausting times, when keeping the beacon of hope alive is a struggle. This newsletter helped me to maintain the long view and hope this Thanksgiving morning.
I count many blessings in my life and you sharing your insight in these difficult times is among those blessings.
Your blend of realism with persistent hope helps and inspires me.