[Dear You. . .]

[cassiesmom]

Dear P.,

The article you posted scared the living daylights out of me. It's borderline hate speech. You maintain that you are right and everyone else is wrong. Yet you continue to avoid and insulate yourself from people whose beliefs differ from yours. I know people who work in that profession and they are not all what the author of the article you posted claims they are. He is using a couple of extreme examples to paint the entire group with a very broad brush, and that's not right. You really need to get out more and spend time with people who are not like you. The one thing we have in common is not enough to keep me in our affinity group for much longer. Don't point out the log in someone else's eye until you do something about the speck in your own.

Sad and angry at the same time,
E.

[cassiesmom]

Dear friends up in west Michigan, yes, I would like very much to go to the tulip festival up in Holland next year! And to go to the beach! And maybe even take a drive up to see the Grand Hotel! (Which I've heard is very beautiful and luxurious) Thank you for suggesting it!

[sleepgrazed]

some of the dear you posts here left a stain in my heart, so to speak. real people with real feelings.

dear ina,

why are you like that? can't you be more giving and loving towards my children. money is not everything and since you have it, why not gladly give instead of showing to everyone that you've "given"?

[cassiesmom]

Dear O.,

You texted to ask if I wanted to meet you for breakfast. You already chewed me out for being slow to respond to your texts and I promised to try to do better. I replied with what I thought was a clear answer and you threw it right back at me again. I felt like I was getting resistance from you by saying "I'm sorry, I can't". I was hurt when you said I'm not doing anything. I don't want to disclose to you how I spend each day. I also don't want to spend $15 on breakfast right now- that's an expense I'd rather not incur. So please, I need you to accept "I can't" as a complete answer for the time being. Don't throw it back at me, because that puts me on the defensive. I'll let you know when I can afford to eat out again.

Thank you for understanding,
Your friend who's watching every dollar these days

[cassiesmom]

Dear Novel Coronavirus:

I am sick of you messing with my life. I want to go to a restaurant or be able to grocery shop without having to race through the store in a tearing hurry. I'd really like to go get a haircut and to accompany an elderly family member not only to the doctor's office, but to stay with them during the visit (this is so important to me because their memory is failing and they need a support person to make the appointment a success). Now that I've cleaned out some drawers, I want to take the "donate" box to the Goodwill store. I want to go to the domestic violence program's consignment shop, which I've heard so many great things about from, like, everyone I know. You caused festivals and state fairs to be cancelled. The Illinois state fair is not such a big deal, but no trip to the Wisconsin state fair means I don't get a freshly made cream puff (scratch-made puff pastry and you watch the cream being whipped on-site) and a coffee for an entire year. I can't go to the zoo or the arboretum, I can't enjoy the Chicago Botanic Garden. Not only is the entire season gone from the Ravinia Festival but now the Lyric Opera has cancelled their entire fall season as well. You're taking people's livelihoods away.

Here's the other problem. You're making people really, really sick. Respiratory failure and sepsis and blood dyscrasias and more. You're making good people critically ill for extended periods of time. You're creating stress and fatigue for my friends and co-workers. Because of you we can't let family members in to visit our patients, and that's one of the most difficult parts of the pandemic for me. Patients need the support of their families, and when the patient can't respond, we need family members to help us coordinate our care because they know the patient a lot better than we do. You need to just go away, like, forever.

Scram (and take a few other sucky diseases with you).
Signed,
Overwhelmed nurse

[Karen]

Well stated.

[cassiesmom]

Dear O.,
I'm not willing to discuss my weight management or other health issues with you. I'm not interested in having you teach me how to grocery shop or cook - I already know how to do those things. If you're looking for someone to be a life coach for, it will not be me. I'm sure you can find someone else who would like that kind of help once you start looking. If you decide to take early retirement that might be an effective second career for you. But it will not be me.

Thank you for the offer,
Your friend who's still watching every dollar these days

[cassiesmom]

Dear Baseball,
Wouldn't it be ironic (and mean) to have the Cubs and the White Sox playing in the World Series with no fans in the stands. Please lose the recorded crowd noise- it sounds "fake" without the people in their seats.

Thanks,
One who bleeds Cubby blue

[phesina]

If the Cubs and the White Sox actually do win their league championships, then would all the World Series games be played in Chicago?

Just curious!...

[cassiesmom]

Dear Chicago Bears: I would like very much to see Nick Foles get the start this coming Sunday. Much was made of his signing; let's see what he's capable of.

Dear Chicago Cubs: You are my team, even in this most unusual year. Mills' no-hitter this past Sunday was a joy to watch.

Thanks,
Fan

[cassiesmom]

If the Cubs and the White Sox actually do win their league championships, then would all the World Series games be played in Chicago?

Just curious!...

Nope. I just heard on the news that the play-offs will be in Texas and/or California this year.

[Vette]

Dear me

learn to let go an to forgive yourself
OPEN UP. stop being a clam shell all the time
ask for help when you know you 'need it'
stop thinking people are judging you
listen better
regain your patience
try new things
dont be in such a rush. flowers are too pretty to not notice them

take Pixie on a walk. youre running a bit late

[sleepgrazed]

Dear me,

I know life has been tough lately, thank you for not giving up
Always learn to love and appreciate yourself before you want to be accepted or loved by others.
Stop being so hard on yourself, we both know you’re doing the best you can.
You are in the exact place you are meant to be right now.
So breathe, be patient, and trust the course of your life.