I have learned that gratitude is a far more powerful way of living in this world. I was given an ALS diagnosis 3.5 years ago with an initial start a year before, so I seem to be ahead of the averages. As my world shrinks, I am able to read such great things as TFP. I read of the ideologies, i.e., woke, that present resentment as a dominant world view driven by anger, angst, and strong envious desire for what one does not have and what others have. I am thankful for many things including reading the thoughtful views of so many people.
Thanks Lee. This is a beautiful message. My father is dealing with terminal cancer right now. I left New York City to care for him. Life is a blessing and it’s very short. Your words are wise. ❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥
Your words will stay with me far longer than anything else written here - or anywhere else for that matter. You exemplify all those qualities, strength, determination, perspective, derided and minimized these days. I am so full of anger most of the time, and I don’t know what to do with it. Your words, your attitude put me and my rage to shame. Please know that you will always be in my mind, cheering me on to do better, to live better. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to the rest of us who are far lesser beings than you.
I feel you CBL. I stopped listening to news or reading the paper. I do listen to a couple political podcasts such as The 5th Column. I try to get outside. Nature. Walks. Calls with friends. Books. Ditching the Perpetual Internet Rage Machine.
I am grateful for your comment, Lee. I pray that during 2023, that I can bring even a little joy to someone's life each day: a smile, saying "thank you," realizing that we don't know what is going on in someone's life that might make them cranky or less kind. God bless you, Lee and Happy New Year.
I learned to be patient for the pendulum to start swinging the other way, and for the real people to take over from the absurd, the bullies, the crybabies, the mean people. Anonymity breeds contempt.
The lessons that you all learned are wonderful and I'm grateful to have read them. The second to last piece stood out to me the most due to ordinary citizens standing up to tyranny. We often hear elitist voices telling us what we should and shouldnt do; however, it's the common person whose voice can triumph over tyranny. That's what we need the most in this country.
Mr. Perez, in this current end of year writing, used the term common sense. I for one wish you had not changed the name to The Free Press. COMMON SENSE was the perfect name and the reason I began reading you almost from the beginning after Bari left the NYT...I am delighted and grateful to be a subscriber to what truly feels like common sense!
I have learned that subscribing to The Free Press is money very well spent. Thank you for this site. And I have learned that the saying "if you can be anything, be nice", really is important in our world at this time.
I have learned to not hold on to secrets. A secret I held tight for over 40 years was revealed this year, causing my husband of 37 years to question - no, seriously challenge - his trust in me. What I have also learned is to place my trust in God, as there are no secrets from him, and that his forgiveness is real.
I have to say what a great way it was to start the new year today by revisiting all these comments on what we’ve learned in 2022.
Thank you to everyone for all your sage advice and reflections. You’re amazing.
I realize that joining Substack in 2022 and particularly subscribing to Bari and Matt Taibi and reading Nellie every week, has been the best decision for my mental health! Thank you Free Press and all the posters on here, even those I don’t agree with, you’re simply the best!
I learned that I need to stop thinking that a new year will mean things are going to get easier. We’ve said that for a few years now, and we keep being proven wrong. 2023 is going to be hard. Maybe harder than any year most of us have ever seen. But now I know that instead of blindly thinking the circumstances will be better for us, we have to make sure that we are better in the face of whatever is coming. Stronger. Kinder. More resolved. Braver than most of us have ever had to be. Bring it.
Thanks for this. Gave me hope after a most horrible year. I’m nowhere near but I need to learn to forgive and let go. Just that realization gives me hope and gratitude.
To love is a choice, a verb and a challenge. Turning the other cheek to online bots has never been harder. Unconditional love is different. It’s the feeling you have after you give birth to human. Its uncontrollable. Where the term Grizzly Momma is born. I learned how give invisible hugs through the phone when facing opposing views and opinions of my adult children.
It’s been a hell of a year. Critical thinking is at an all-time low. Yet signs seem to be pointing to The Exhausted Masses. People are sick and bored of woke identity politics, and conservative extremism. It’s time to move on. Change is coming. And thank God. Like him or hate him (I’m not a fan), Trump rattled a lot of elitist cages. The gorilla exposed the flying shit behind the curtains. Wokeism clearly isn’t the answer. Sanity, rational thinking, commonsense, compassion, genuine love, forgiveness, and understanding are. We need to LISTEN to each other again. Make America Listen Again (MALA).
I have learned that gratitude is a far more powerful way of living in this world. I was given an ALS diagnosis 3.5 years ago with an initial start a year before, so I seem to be ahead of the averages. As my world shrinks, I am able to read such great things as TFP. I read of the ideologies, i.e., woke, that present resentment as a dominant world view driven by anger, angst, and strong envious desire for what one does not have and what others have. I am thankful for many things including reading the thoughtful views of so many people.
Thanks Lee. This is a beautiful message. My father is dealing with terminal cancer right now. I left New York City to care for him. Life is a blessing and it’s very short. Your words are wise. ❤️❤️❤️🔥🔥
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
Your words will stay with me far longer than anything else written here - or anywhere else for that matter. You exemplify all those qualities, strength, determination, perspective, derided and minimized these days. I am so full of anger most of the time, and I don’t know what to do with it. Your words, your attitude put me and my rage to shame. Please know that you will always be in my mind, cheering me on to do better, to live better. Thank you for taking the time to reach out to the rest of us who are far lesser beings than you.
I feel you CBL. I stopped listening to news or reading the paper. I do listen to a couple political podcasts such as The 5th Column. I try to get outside. Nature. Walks. Calls with friends. Books. Ditching the Perpetual Internet Rage Machine.
Stay strong. Stay clear. It matters.
Yes!
Yes, gratitude is such an important place to be because it serves as the best and most affective antidote for all things negative.
Great summation too about the woke ideology. You nailed it. That anger is what fuels them and is very dangerous.
Be well for 2023 and the new year.
💯🔥🔥
I am grateful for your comment, Lee. I pray that during 2023, that I can bring even a little joy to someone's life each day: a smile, saying "thank you," realizing that we don't know what is going on in someone's life that might make them cranky or less kind. God bless you, Lee and Happy New Year.
❤️❤️❤️🔥
I learned to be patient for the pendulum to start swinging the other way, and for the real people to take over from the absurd, the bullies, the crybabies, the mean people. Anonymity breeds contempt.
The lessons that you all learned are wonderful and I'm grateful to have read them. The second to last piece stood out to me the most due to ordinary citizens standing up to tyranny. We often hear elitist voices telling us what we should and shouldnt do; however, it's the common person whose voice can triumph over tyranny. That's what we need the most in this country.
These are wonderful, thoughtful pieces!
Late in 2022 I learned of Bari Weiss, Matt Taibbi, Walter Kirn and @russellbrand. Brand, whose amazing interview of Miss Weiss taught me,
a) The chasm between left and right is greatly exaggerated.
b) I’m NOT a Right-Wing Extremist (As pronounced by the white house).
c) To allow myself to entertain the “Other Side’s” view; to be uncomfortable in the experience long enough to truly understand.
d) Subtle changes in word definitions are creating a great deal of distrust and confusion, even hate.
Special shout out to Glenn Greenwald and Tucker Carlson for presenting him and his no BS reporting.
Mr. Perez, in this current end of year writing, used the term common sense. I for one wish you had not changed the name to The Free Press. COMMON SENSE was the perfect name and the reason I began reading you almost from the beginning after Bari left the NYT...I am delighted and grateful to be a subscriber to what truly feels like common sense!
I have learned that subscribing to The Free Press is money very well spent. Thank you for this site. And I have learned that the saying "if you can be anything, be nice", really is important in our world at this time.
I learned to read the news more selectively and not to become consumed by it.
I have learned to not hold on to secrets. A secret I held tight for over 40 years was revealed this year, causing my husband of 37 years to question - no, seriously challenge - his trust in me. What I have also learned is to place my trust in God, as there are no secrets from him, and that his forgiveness is real.
I have to say what a great way it was to start the new year today by revisiting all these comments on what we’ve learned in 2022.
Thank you to everyone for all your sage advice and reflections. You’re amazing.
I realize that joining Substack in 2022 and particularly subscribing to Bari and Matt Taibi and reading Nellie every week, has been the best decision for my mental health! Thank you Free Press and all the posters on here, even those I don’t agree with, you’re simply the best!
I learned that I need to stop thinking that a new year will mean things are going to get easier. We’ve said that for a few years now, and we keep being proven wrong. 2023 is going to be hard. Maybe harder than any year most of us have ever seen. But now I know that instead of blindly thinking the circumstances will be better for us, we have to make sure that we are better in the face of whatever is coming. Stronger. Kinder. More resolved. Braver than most of us have ever had to be. Bring it.
"unpublished loser"
How obnoxious.
Thanks for this. Gave me hope after a most horrible year. I’m nowhere near but I need to learn to forgive and let go. Just that realization gives me hope and gratitude.
The Perez article was hilarious and hat tip to Megan Daum for the podcast that explains the context...
To love is a choice, a verb and a challenge. Turning the other cheek to online bots has never been harder. Unconditional love is different. It’s the feeling you have after you give birth to human. Its uncontrollable. Where the term Grizzly Momma is born. I learned how give invisible hugs through the phone when facing opposing views and opinions of my adult children.
It’s been a hell of a year. Critical thinking is at an all-time low. Yet signs seem to be pointing to The Exhausted Masses. People are sick and bored of woke identity politics, and conservative extremism. It’s time to move on. Change is coming. And thank God. Like him or hate him (I’m not a fan), Trump rattled a lot of elitist cages. The gorilla exposed the flying shit behind the curtains. Wokeism clearly isn’t the answer. Sanity, rational thinking, commonsense, compassion, genuine love, forgiveness, and understanding are. We need to LISTEN to each other again. Make America Listen Again (MALA).
Michael Mohr
‘Sincere American Writing’
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/