I wanted to remind our friend Mika that we miss him and are thinking of him

[EFerrari]

and that we need him back.



:hug:
:grouphug:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. Hey, Mika

Take good care of yourself. I hope you're getting some emotional support somewhere. :hug:

[Judi Lynn]

2. Thanks for starting this thread. I was thinking about Mika earlier today, wondering if he'd be back

and thinking we really, REALLY miss his knowledgeable, patient, intelligent input.

Mika was here when I joined, and his presence at D.U. has undoubtedly been responsible for the wonderful growth of DU numbers reading, researching, watching Cuba matters, and Latin American unity, solidarity, identity coming to life.

Cuba was the only country which didn't sell out, or get so intimidated it caved in and accepted U.S. right-wing installed dictators or military juntas to subjugate their countries in the interest of US commercial, power interests. Cuba was the only shining star in a sea of fascist puppets who ran their death squads right over their own populations, as the leftists in Latin America all but disappeared almost soundlessly, after witnessing the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of INNOCENT Latin Americans over the last decades.

Cuba shined on, and is admired all over the world for being the tiny David standing up to the Goliath from the North, just as Mika originally was in a similar position at the beginning, being the one who actually KNEW about Cuba, under attack from wave after wave of trolls who eventually slid out of sight, back under their rocks, while Mika dealt with them all courteously, patiently, and with real information to counter their hysterical, attempted red-baiting smear attacks.

Mika most certainly is going to be the one who has the last laugh when it comes to Cuba, and don't we know it!

[Billy Burnett]

3. Didn't notice this thread until just now.

Thanks for expressing the sentiments, sfexpat, Lydia, and Judi. I agree 100%. Of course, I've been blessed to be spending a bit of time with him. He slept on my convertable couch last night - we stayed up late drinking wine and talking about all things after our amazing experience earlier. I woke up late and he'd gone home already. He's seriously emotionally bruised - except for his unbound empathy and compassion for the less well off. Seeing him lovingly stroking the hands of the hospice patients and wiping the dribbles of gravy from many a chin while feeding some of them was moving indeed. Big brown eyes that just pour empathy and understanding, as well as tears. He rallied us all with some funny jokes and heartwarming stories of his journeys and the unique people he's met along the way. A loving and caring man. In his element. His medicine is love, and I am deeply touched by his profound loss and his ability to regain composure in the face of it. He wrote a list of notes on some of the patients who need last measures of dentistry. He promised to return to help.

We spoke of the friends here, and he sends his love and thanks to all herein who've reached out to him with kind messages. Needs some time to heal before tackling fearmongers and haters again. He'll be back.

It was a meaningful thanksgiving for me. I learned a lot. We should all be so lucky.

Happy Thanksgiving.

:toast: