A Letter To My Nephew The Police Officer

My sister became a grandmother yesterday and she was very excited to have a beautiful and healthy granddaughter.  I remember the birth of her son and how wonderful that day was.  He too was a beautiful child.  He grew up well loved and cared for by all of us in the family.  Now he is starting his own.  

I want to write a letter to him about this momentous occasion.  It would be my hope that he would be receptive to my message here even though he might want to discount his uncle who sees the world in a different way then most of the people in his work.  My nephew is a police officer and he works with many of the same types of people I do (he is in Oregon, I am in Colorado).  We work with people who have substance abuse problems and break the law.

Dear Nephew (no name for his privacy)

I first want to send you much love and congratulations on the arrival of your daughter.  Such amazing grace has come your way.  You deserve these blessings of a beautiful daughter and a wonderful wife.  

I remember when you came into the world surrounded by love.  I watched you grow up always with love in my heart and the joy of knowing you.  You are a special human being with a wonderful heart.  You turned out this way because of the love you received since your life force entered my sister.  

Now you are an adult and you get to hold your precious daughter.  She too will be surrounded by love.  Take a deep look into her eyes and remember the child in you too.  This wonder and perfection of your creation came from love.  

When you return to work there is something I ask you keep in mind.  In my work as a therapist with those who have addictions and end up in trouble with the law, I have learned a few things.  Inside of each one of them is the innocent child you see in your arms.  They may not have been born in love however.  Most of these precious infants certainly were not surrounded by love as they grew up as you did and as your daughter will.  Many survived drugs before they were born, suffered serious neglect, were physical, emotionally and sexually abused.  The percentage of people in jail that were seriously abused as children is around 90%.

Those you encounter during your work did not have the precious love and support your received.  That is not your fault and helping them get to some kind of healthy view of self and the world is often a very long journey.  That has been my work for many years.  

What I hope for you is that you remember the love for your daughter and family when at work and have compassion for those you police.  They too need caring and kindness, they have so much to overcome.  I have heard how police talk about the people they deal with and it all sounds so heartless and dehumanizing.  That frankly is the opposite of what is needed.  

Please keep you heart open in your work, you are a gentle and wonderful human being and very capable of much compassion.  The world is badly in need of compassion and kindness.  

Much love to you, your daughter and your wife,

Your Uncle Joe



Peace Letter #44

Dear Mr. President,

My sister became a grandmother yesterday and I was reminded of how wonderful life is and how important being raised in love is to individual and societal well-being.   There is so much fear going on these days that I wonder where the love and compassion has gone.  

Congress, particularly the Senate, seems to be run by people who live in fear and have lost touch with their hearts.  Where is the compassion: for each other, for the challenges you and the rest of us face, for the needs of the people?  

Essential human service programs are being cut here in Colorado and I am sure all over the nation.  The people are loosing out as the egos battle for profit and power.  How come so many hearts are being pushed aside by closed and rationalizing minds?

Please be guided by your heart Mr. President and you will know what is right.  While in your heart, I request you guide us out of war soon.

Thank you for all the work you are doing to keep our nation going forward.  

Joseph Bernard, Ph.D.


Join me and send President Obama emails of support and encourage the end of war and the other dysfunctional ways of government at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact