I am somewhat reluctant to send this. This newsletter is about health and wellness, it is about optimism and potential, it is about what you can do everyday to live a full and productive life, mind and body.

But just as we cannot separate mind and body, and our professional lives from our personal lives, we cannot separate world events from the health and wellbeing that I so deeply care about.

I cannot help but address what is going on in the world right now. Like many of you. I have been devastated by the events in Israel this week. As a Persian Jew, I cannot separate myself from the persecution that my family faced in Iran on account of their religion and the fact that I have had the privilege of being born in, and have thrived as, an American on account of them seeking refuge from that discrimination.

But I have to say that I am at a new level of distress as compared to when these events first unfolded this weekend. Not only because I am beginning to process the shear scale of this calamity. But because it never occurred to me that there could be another side. Another side to humanity, to decency, to compassion and to the sanctity of human life.

It never occurred to me that editorialists for magazines I have written for could use this opportunity to opine over geopolitics, much less professors at our once prestigious universities like Yale and Harvard. And yet, I refuse to believe that we don’t have a unified stance against terrorism, savagery, and the senseless brutality against precious life.

I would think that it goes without saying, but perhaps it must be said, that this is not about Jews or Muslims, the right vs the left, Trump vs Biden or any other manufactured construct that splits us as human beings. If there is any question to what side we are on as people, let us close our eyes and remember that we are all children, we are mothers and fathers, we are grandparents, best friends, spouses and significant others.

Stay there. Just there.

Ultimately, I must believe in what is good and just and believe that goodness will prevail. Out of respect for those who are suffering, HealthBite is on pause this week. Sending love to all whom are affected, mind and body. Stay well my friends.