i took a 45-minute uber ride home from the airport last night after a brutal, three-day business trip.
i was completely emotionally and physically drained, and my social battery was at absolute zero.
when i got into the car, the driver.. an older guy named kabir.. didn't say the usual "how was your flight?" or turn on the radio.
instead, he just handed me a small, laminated piece of paper attached to the back of his headrest.
it was a literal "ride menu."
it said:
1. *the silent ride* (total quiet, no pressure to talk).
2. *the therapist ride* (if you need to vent about your day, i am listening).
3. *the tourist ride* (i will tell you cool facts about the city).
4. *the radio ride* (we just listen to old jazz and coast).
i smiled, pointed to number 1, and whispered, "silent ride, please. thank you."
he gave me a warm nod in the rearview mirror, adjusted the AC, and drove the entire 45 minutes in absolute, beautiful silence.
it was the most peaceful, therapeutic boundary i’ve experienced all year. i felt my entire nervous system finally reset.
when he dropped me off, i gave him a massive tip and told him, "that menu is a genius business idea. you must get amazing reviews."
He looked back at me and said, "i didn't make the menu to get better tips, dear.
my daughter has severe social anxiety, and she told me that the hardest part of her day is navigating small talk with strangers when her brain is tired.
she told me it feels like running a marathon.
i made the card so that anyone who gets into my car can feel completely safe dropping the mask for a little while."
i walked into my apartment and just sat on my suitcase.
we live in a world that is constantly screaming at us to perform, to network, to be "on," and to over-communicate.
but sometimes, the deepest form of love and respect you can show another human being is just creating a small, safe pocket of silence for them to rest in.
pay attention to the people who give you permission to be quiet. they are rare.
Whatever you do, don’t save this picture and reply to all of Trump/White House/ Foxnews/ MAGAs tweets with this picture . Please. Trump wants it to go away:
If you think I’m trashing MAGA (whatever that is now) I really am sorry. I know for certain there are millions of Americans who voted for Donald Trump that love this country and love their neighbors and love their families and struggle and succeed and fail just like me and you and everyone. And I don’t begrudge them their political affiliation in any way. I just abhor the hate. The meanness for the sake of being mean. No matter where it’s coming from. I’m not your enemy man. I’m really not. They’re trying to get us to fight among ourselves while they pick our pockets and piss on our legs and tell us it’s raining. I’m not doing that to you and I sure as hell know you’re not doing that to me. What could we possibly gain by hating each other as they walk off with all the food on the table. We can disagree with each other without hating each other. We just all need to break the algorithm man. It’s so much more fun finding a reason to love someone than it is finding a reason to hate them.
Because of your voice on Delaney Hall, the Trump admin just released 18 yr old high school senior whose story I told. They released the pregnant women held inside. These releases show ICE isn’t targeting the violent criminals. ICE is feeling the pressure. Keep raising your voice.
The fosterer came back for their foster dog. The moment the dog saw them, it lit up with pure joy — eyes squinted in happiness, smiling so big that its whole face wrinkled up with relief.
The fosterer gently said, 'I told you we'd come back… I told you.'" 💗
So let me get this straight.
Jake Tapper is focused on attacking my Mom.
Jared and Ivanka are building a private island paradise on Albanian protected land.
Don Jr married the daughter of Epstein’s banker, and a startup his fund backs just got a record $620M Pentagon loan.
Eric is taking an Israeli drone company public for $1.5B in the middle of a war with Iran that nobody wanted.
And I know: “But what about your paintings, Hunter?”
Please.
It’s metastatic bone cancer that spread from the prostate. They caught the bone issue quite early and with radiation and hormone therapy it’s under control, but he will live with cancer for the rest of his life. Listen man- I understand if you don’t like my Dad’s politics and you hate me because you believe everything Fox News has told you. I’m fine with that, but my Dad has cancer. How is that an issue you want to attack. What sickness is in you that makes that fair game Patrick.
In Wisconsin, a graduate was forced to stop on stage when his diploma couldn't be found.
That's when the school said a person traveled thousands of miles to deliver it to him.
It was his sister, returning from military service, for over a year. ❤️