May we all be filled with hope for understanding and the willingness to do whatever is needed to build bridges.

Church of Jesus Christ President Russell M. Nelson and leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People—Derrick Johnson, Leon Russell, and Amos C. Brown—they describe how their unlikely collaborations can serve as an example of how we can open our hearts to build bonds of respect, reconciliation, and love. They mourn with those that mourn over the divisiveness in America and over the continued racism and disregard for human life...every human life.

We agree with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s statement, that “hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.” It is this kind of love that inspires us to do the rigorous work of building bridges of cooperation rather than walls of segregation and alienation. We call on people everywhere to join us in a journey of understanding and overcoming. As de Tocqueville said, America is great because she is good. It is paramount that we rediscover the goodness in each and every human heart. In this spirit, there are things every one of us can do. 

                                                     ..................................................

"The Creator of us all calls on each of us to abandon attitudes of prejudice against any group of God's children. Any of us who has prejudice toward another race needs to repent!

During the Savior's earthly mission, He constantly ministered to those who were excluded, marginalized, judged, overlooked, abused, and discounted. As His followers, can we do anything less? The answer is no! We believe in freedom, kindness, and fairness for all of God's children!"

—President Russell M. Nelson

To be part of the solution: 

1. Pray that we will all abandon attitudes of prejudice.
2. Look for ways to reach out and serve someone of a different background or race.
3. Teach children in the home to love all and to find the good in others.
4. Learn to value the differences in others.

Memorial at scene of George Floyd's death site

Reverend Al Sharpton delivers an address at the Houston service for Floyd

Mourners at the funeral of George Floyd

On the Stanford University "Oval" black students are honored with photos and names.

As with other schools and universities throughout the country, most students were sent home in March from this beautiful campus, though many 2020 graduates have donned caps and gowns to have their photos taken.

What is our future?

And if we’ve learned anything about 2020 so far, it’s to expect the unexpected.

So much has changed in the past few months. Three months ago, more than a hundred thousand Americans had not yet died of the corona virus. Two months ago, there were 18 million more jobs. A month ago, an outpouring of rage over racism was not roiling the country. Many of those on the move: refugees, asylum seekers, migrants are the hardest hit by the pandemic. How can anything so pretty as the Corona virus be so lethal? Looks can be deceiving!  We are all waiting for a vaccine. What is your story of isolating together with just your immediate household? What have you learned about yourself? Write it up for posterity! Who will forget 2020? I finally joined the effort to make masks. These 60+ for farm workers who labor in the heat and sun to provide our food. In Santa Clara County we are still wearing masks and keeping our social distance. Free tests are now available to all. When current events are overwhelming and so uncertain, we can look into the sky .... I enjoyed seeing this amazing line-up of three heavenly bodies....and appreciate the "insignificance of man amidst the magnificence of many spectacular celestial phenomena... Have a look! And have hope! Through adversity there are always lessons to be learned if we are willing to learn.

And if we’ve learned anything about 2020 so far, it’s to expect the unexpected.

So much has changed in the past few months. Three months ago, more than a hundred thousand Americans had not yet died of the corona virus. Two months ago, there were 18 million more jobs. A month ago, an outpouring of rage over racism was not roiling the country.

Many of those on the move: refugees, asylum seekers, migrants are the hardest hit by the pandemic.


How can anything so pretty as the Corona virus be so lethal? Looks can be deceiving! 
We are all waiting for a vaccine.
What is your story of isolating together with just your immediate household? What have you learned about yourself? Write it up for posterity! Who will forget 2020?

I finally joined the effort to make masks. These 60+ for farm workers who labor in the heat and sun to provide our food. In Santa Clara County we are still wearing masks and keeping our social distance. Free tests are now available to all.





When current events are overwhelming and so uncertain, we can look into the sky .... I enjoyed seeing this amazing line-up of three heavenly bodies....and appreciate the "insignificance of man amidst the magnificence of many spectacular celestial phenomena... Have a look! And have hope! Through adversity there are always lessons to be learned if we are willing to learn.

And Happy Father's Day this Sunday! We can honor our forefathers, current fathers, and all the men who currently provide essential services, are positive role models, and all who show kindness, compassion and strength at this time which calls for understanding, patience, cooperation.

Father’s Day Gains Momentum

Several other people across the nation had similar ideas throughout the years, but Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd is credited for being the one to popularize it, starting events that led to Father’s Day becoming a U.S. national holiday. Her story began as she sat listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Mrs. Dodd thought that it might be nice to honor fathers as well. Her father, William Smart, had raised his SIX children alone on his farm in Washington after his wife died giving birth to their sixth child.

I am grateful to see my sons and sons-in-law raising the next generation, lovingly and wisely involved in their lives. My 17 grandchildren are blessed with great dads!

A Difficult Week and Hard Work Ahead

My grand-daughter Cordelia in Utah helped paint this wonderful sign. Yes, they do!
In the aftermath of police brutality in the unwarranted deaths of George Floyd and other Black victims last week, public outrage has erupted throughout the country and world with protests, violence and public and private statements from all corners of society. Such as the following...

"We condemn the actions and inaction of the police officers in Minnesota and we do not tolerate or condone this type of behavior in Palo Alto at any level," "Their actions have had a tremendous impact on all police officers serving communities like Palo Alto all across our great nation." A curfew has been imposed from 8:30 PM to 5 AM for a couple of days to curb any evening violence.

The local director Phillipe Rey, of Adolescent Services, made the following statement: "Many of us have experienced being marginalized, feeling invisible, or threatened with violence because of our various identities. I hope that we all can draw on our own experiences and empathize with the anger, hurt, and frustration being felt nationwide by communities of color (especially black communities)."

"Peaceful events and their necessary calls for change should outshine the acts of violence taking place in several communities," a statement reads.

Melina Abdullah, Los Angeles leader, says "it is not a big police budget that keeps communities safe. What keeps communities safe is good jobs, mental health resources, housing, parks, after-school programs."

A peaceful march in Houston on June 2, 2020

Protesters (masked and social distancing) in Palo Alto

Protesters outside the Capitol in Washington,D.C.

An excerpt from our LDS President Nelson's plea to all of us:

"We join with many throughout this nation and around the world
 who are deeply saddened at recent evidences of racism and a blatant disregard for human life. We abhor the reality that some would deny others respect and the most basic of freedoms because of the color of his or her skin."

If you have not read Bryan Stevenson's book Just Mercy,or seen the film, I recommend it for everyone. We all deserve justice, mercy and God's grace in this difficult world, and it is up to us to lose our ignorance, blindness, hatred towards any group based on color, race, religion, class. We must make room in our hearts for empathy, understanding, kindness.
We are all racist to some degree, but we can learn by listening better. Please watch the following excellent short video by a young British white woman: "but I'm not racist?" https://youtu.be/NTmNV5KTdDo

I have been listening to an excellent, scholarly history of Reconstruction, white supremacy, and the rise of Jim Crow by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Stony the Road

As with the thorny artichoke, may we learn (especially by listening) to see and 
to discover the worth and value of every person on the earth.

I took the following photos 10 years ago this week while serving a mission in the Dominican Republic. The "rug" I bought from this woman is draped over the chair I sit in every day. It was made of Victoria Secret scraps sent to the DR. These children really make their way into the heart! I hope they have a good future...


I think fondly of my many friends all over the world who are also sharing the challenges of this time. I painted this Quito Ecuador area scene from a photo I took 10+ years ago.

Life goes on. 

Jameson Welch returned from his 2 year mission to South London

High school graduates such as Miranda Wiener (joined by her grandfather Peter Giles and mom Jen) and other friends, social distancing, who came to offer congratulations. No official gatherings allowed with the Covid pandemic

My first trip away from Palo Alto in almost 3 months, was to Napa to get together with my Aunt Julie and cousins Doug and David (and Nancy, not pictured, and their spouses) to share family stories and photos. The drive through California's golden summer hills and green vineyards along winding roads was refreshingly beautiful after so much quarantining (not over yet).

.... and my first trip in a long time to our beautiful Palo Alto Foothills Park. 

We are not far from the Pacific Ocean so sometimes the fog sits on the foothills and rolls in.

Elsie and I helped celebrate Jessie's (right) birthday

June 6, 2020, is the anniversary of the Normandy Landing, the beginning of the liberation of northwestern Europe from Nazi power in WWII. I thank these men who were all part of the Landing. The BBC article link is well worth reading https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/48456573