I had sleepless nights the past few days as my mother started toregain some of her strength and we hope for a good recovery. But I alsodiscovered I myself have diabetes. But my relatives have harder lives andface more tragedies which sadden us. We lost many people to variousdiseases and conditions. These personal challenges are added to existingprofessional and political challenges. Politically, the injustices happendaily: occupation, oppression, colonization, apartheid is made more painfulby the corruption and nepotism of a self-imposed “leadership” (just as anexample nearly two months passed since th killing of our friend Nizar Banatand none of his known killers have been brought to trial). Professionally,Jessie and I continue to volunteer seven days a week at the PalestineInstitute for Biodiversity and Sustainability (see palestinenature.org). Wehave about 15 ongoing projects ranging from research to conservation toeducation (a children summer cap is ongoing).We are grateful for having good supportive people around me which makeslife so much better.We are grateful for that those helped by our work succeed and grow and stayin touchWe are grateful for the dedicated people who refuse the temptations ofillegitimate gains, stay true to their conscienceWe are grateful for plants that produce our oxygen and provide us nutritionfor body and soulWe are grateful for the animals that share our lives sometimes giving usfood (our chickens give us plenty of eggs)We are grateful that humans have the power to change themselves and toinspire othersWe are grateful for the availability of resources here at the instituteincluding a great library that allows us to grow and serveWe are grateful for the power of the internet and social media which (whenused properly), allows us to speak truth to power, to organize actions, tomotivate, to inspire and be inspiredAn article on optismism I wrote almost a decade ago is still relevant:https://www.countercurrents.org/qumsiyeh070612.htmAnd an interview I did that relates to subjects above (of hope and acions)https://www.jadaliyya.com/Details/41586And lessons I learned since returning to Palestine (best decision ever toleave an economically rich life in the USA for a psychologically rich lifehere) http://qumsiyeh.org/lessonslearned/We look for volunteers: palestinenature.org/volunteer_______________________________________________HumanRights newsletterhttp://lists.qumsiyeh.org/listinfo/humanrights