Free Yes Please by Amy Poehler Page B

try. Apologies have nothing to do with you. They are balloons in the sky. They may never land. They may even choke a bird.
    Then I got this.
    From: Anastasia Somoza
    Date: April 7, 2013
    To: Amy Poehler
    Subject: Re: Fw: Truly sorry
    Dear Amy,
    Wow!!!! Oh my goodness, what a lovely surprise!! Thank you so very much for your donation to my campaign launched to raise funds that will hopefully cover the cost of my caretakers in my 2nd year at LSE, and for the kind message you wrote to Marianne and Chris, which they graciously forwarded along to me.
    They are two of the most amazingly wonderful, loving people I know and have been incredible supporters of me and my family!! I adore and admire them just as much as I do my own parents, for countless reasons, but most importantly for being a spectacular Mom and Dad duo to gorgeous Jesse!! It is thanks to them, Spike, many more of their closest friends and other fabulous people that I am at LSE today stressing out (like a typical grad student) over first year final papers and comprehensive exams that are fast approaching!
    I always knew you never meant to hurt us in doing the skit. After all, you didn’t even know we actually existed so I realized it wasn’t personal. It also certainly helps to know that you weren’t aware of the back story or real life references portrayed. That being said, Chris, Marianne, my family and I have worked tirelessly to make equal opportunity, the inclusion and positive portrayal of people with disabilities in society the norm rather than the exception. As such, I was upset more generally speaking, about the skit contributing to a severe lack of knowledge, awareness, understanding and empathy around disability. Too many people already fear, and are often disgusted or put off in other ways by disability and it saddened me to think of the impact the skit may have had in adding fuel to that fire.
    Just as you felt relieved I’m sure, to have the opportunity to apologize and express certain details to Marianne, it is important to me that you now know more about why the skit mattered. I hope you understand that Marianne wrote to you out of a deep love for her son, and my family for sure, but also precisely because the struggle to change the perception of disability goes far beyond us and the more people exposed to this reality the better.
    I’ve seen several episodes of your web series Smart Girls at the Party and I truly believe that the show’s goal in celebrating “extraordinary individuals who are changing the world by being themselves,” represents who you are and what you believe in, far more than the skit. It takes strength and character to admit responsibility by acknowledging, to Marianne and Chris, that you could and indeed should have done more to inform yourself about what you were being asked to act in the skit. I agree and greatly appreciate, admire and thank you for your honesty and willingness to recognize that.
    The sincerity of your apology and your generosity mean more to me than you will ever know and it made my younger sister Gabriella giddy with excitement!!! I hope you’re enjoying a sunny Sunday and thanks again from the bottom of my heart!!
    Warmly,
    Anastasia
    Look at this woman. This beauty. What an act of grace. What a gift she gave me.
    Shame makes people abandon their children and drink themselves to death. It also keeps us from true happiness. An apology is a glorious release. Anastasia gave me a huge gift. That e-mail changed me. It rearranged my molecules. She has lived a life of struggle and decided not to pick up the armor. She teaches me about compassion. She makes her journey about open hearts. She is not ashamed.
    Thankyouthankyouthankyou.

apology letter from the brain

apology letter from the heart



my books on divorce
    I UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE READ SO MANY BOOKS ON DIVORCE . When you are a person going through a divorce you feel incredibly alone, yet you are constantly reminded by society of how frequently