It has been a hard couple of weeks in a hard couple of years, but I found two lovely things that made me feel better today and I would like to share them, because they might make you feel better too. Even if you are already feeling *fantastic*, these two things are nourishment for the spirit.

Thing the first: Interview with Alice Walker with YES! magazine, I found it at Truth-out. She is positive and transcendent, but under no illusions as to what we are up against:

We’re sitting back thinking that every single person has a conscience, if you could just reach it. Why should we believe that? I mean, what would make you actually believe that? Certainly not the history of the world as we know it. So it’s about trying to understand the history of the world, how it’s been shaped, and by whom, and for what purposes.

If that raises any AHA’s with you, do read the whole interview, and I am thinking I need to read some of her books as well.

Thing the second: a young man in Pakistan celebrated his 22nd birthday in an unusual way. Thank you, unknown Pakistani dude.