Yesterday I pointed you to the Slate.com series on the end of the world US (yes, I do know the difference, but the strikeout thingie doesn’t show up that well in post titles, and I couldn’t resist the REM reference).
Within a half hour of posting yesterday, I found my way to this video. And maybe I’m naive, but I believe that connecting with each other — all of us, every single person on the planet, even if only for a moment — is what can save us from apocalypse. I think President Obama believes this too; and it heartens me — a good word, hearten — that he reads letters, that he responds, that he makes space in his day for our stories and not just The Big News from the Big World.
And seriously, there’s a job I could love — Director of Correspondence. That combination of communication and story and process and management, moving from the big picture of who needs to know what right down to the level of an individual American’s story. Another big what if?
Enjoy your day. And if you’ve got something to say, write the President a letter.
(PS — Happy birthday, Mr. President. I hope you have some fun today.)
Before I watched the video, I was thinking some pretty cynical thoughts about it, but he won me over. You’re right — hearten is a good word. And I agree with you about connecting being the thing.
…and I feel fine.