I woke up this morning, and took a walk with Red,

I thought I have to write a  letter to my country today,

I have to say why I love my country,

in a letter,

even when it is having a hard time,

and send it.

As Maria loved me when I was having  a hard time,

and other people did not give up on me,

or walk away.

I love my country for my Grandma Minnie,

whose father told her, just before he was killed in another place

by people who called themselves police, “get to America,

my sweet thing, you will be safe there.”

And she did. And she was. “this is a wonderful country,

Johnny,” she often told me, “I hope you will never know why.”

And I named my barn cat after her.

I have to write a letter to my country today,

In my good  life in America,

I have always felt safe, and always felt free.

I have written 23 books,

too many articles, posts, columns to count.

No one ever told me I couldn’t say what I wished to say,

or hurt me for saying it.

I was born a Jew,  and became a Quaker,

and was lost and found and not once in all

of my life did anyone hurt me for being Jewish, or

stop me for being Jewish, or hunt me down and kill me

for being Jewish, as my great-grandfather and great-grandmother

were. And so many others have been, in so many places.

When I wanted to buy a farm, I did buy a farm,

and my life changed forever. Just like that.

I have to write a letter to my country today.

I rarely thought to write a love poem to my country, it is

a remarkable and blessed place, a dream and light to the world,

sometimes a great force for good, sometimes not.

But I remember when I was having bad days, and

when I needed a love letter, so I thought I would

think about why I love my country, today, every day right now,

every time somebody tells me about the news.

I remember one day when Maria told me she wanted to be

an artist. And she is.

I remember one day when my daughter said she wanted to be

a writer, who wrote about baseball. And she is.

I hear my grandmother’s voice telling both of them, I hope

they never get to know what a miracle those things are,

and can be.

So every morning now I think about why I love you country,

every day I see the goodness

and love and strength in you, and I am writing to

tell you that the very best of you is waking up,

and dancing with the stars, and will make you well,

and you will be fine.

I have to write a letter to my country today.

Much love, Jon