Pat Taub
Thanksgiving Memories
This Thanksgiving my oldest son, his wife and two teenage kids flew into Portland from Chicago to spend Thanksgiving with me. After cooking for two days, I didn’t dare clock the time it took to gobble down our turkey dinner, lest I tear my hair out over the discrepancy between cooking and eating. That aside, it was a lovely holiday weekend with hardly any arguments. We have our minor political differences and fiery genes, which were in check, thankfully. Maybe we’re all finally growing up!
Thanksgiving dinner: granddaughter Jane, 15, moi, daughter-in-law, Mel, grandson, Max, 14 and son, David
Two Memorable Films
In the past week I watched two amazing movies that feature whistle blowers: “Official Secrets,” and “The Report.” “Official Secrets” is the true story of a British whistleblower, an intelligence operator, played by Keira Knightley. When she has privy to fake information to push the UN Security Council into sanctioning the 2003 invasion of Iraq, her conscience prevails. She leaks her information to a leading British newspaper.
“The Report” is also based on a true story, that of Congressional staffer, Adam Driver, tasked by his boss Senator Dianne Feinstein to lead an investigation into the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program, created in the aftermath of 9/11. The torture scenes are very graphic and hard to watch. I was reminded that America has a long history of cruel practices, seen today in the inhumane treatment of migrant families and children in detention.
Adam Driver as the whistle blower in “The Report”
An Amazing Obit Request
Recently a wonderful woman, known to me through a class I taught at USM’s senior college died, leaving this request in her obit: In lieu of flowers, please honor Sally by donating your time, your talents, or your treasure to fighting the good fight for justice and equality. This heartfelt wish speaks volumes about a life lived in service to a better world.
One way to embrace the obit request to fight the good fight is to join the movement to close the migrant camps.
Social Depression
Lately I’ve been feeling down as the deaths of friends and family mount, along with the news of dear friends facing physical challenges related to aging. Then there are the mounting global and national crises. Society seems to go downhill by the day. The latest mean Trump decree cuts off food stamps for 700,000! I feel a blog post coming on . . .
A gratitude practice can alleviate social depression
