Today was a really odd day. I mean--spent the day watching high school basketball which is pretty much what I do every weekend.

But coming home, traffic was a hot mess. And, the whole FIFA thing was letting out in south Philly....and we got caught in this mele and traffic stop on 95 right by the airport. As we're sitting there stopped (yes, stopped on I-95 so the Juventus busses could have the right of way with a police escort), the guy behind me threw a can at the car next to him! (which was filled with young men hanging out the window celebrating)

I got really nervous because it went downhill fast. Before we knew it, both cars had pulled up around mine (and all the others) and were chasing each other down 95! I saw a few near-miss accidents, then said to my son, "I'm going to slow down a bit and let them get way out ahead of us so I have plenty of stopping time if they kill each other."

Anyway, the whole incident made me pensive driving home. People are passionate--whether it's sports or politics, people love their "thing." They literally were risking their lives over a soccer game.

Passion is awesome. It keeps us fired up and in the game. But passion without perspective? That’s when we start missing the signs. There’s a fine line between dedication and delusion. Passion is great—but if you’re not careful, it’ll make you ignore the facts right in front of you, or defend things that probably don't deserve defending.

And with everything heating up, this kind of self-check is going to be more important than ever. Passion’s great—until it starts to cloud your judgment, or worse, makes you defend the indefensible just because it’s “your side.†That philosophy applies to both sides. 

We've all done it--seen something we really wish is true, so we believe it's true. Then we share it. Then we find out it's not true. Let's all take a deep breath before we react, and I'm pointing that first finger at myself. 

Normally at the start of each week, I send out an action item--a legislative item for us to act upon. 

Not this week. The USA bombing Iran will distract or derail any other conversations to be had. Of course, we can always call about the "big beautiful bill" that will remove health care for millions of Americans. I call or email about that weekly, and probably will again this week. But there's nothing new in the area of health care or education. Except maybe the US Department of Energy trying to abolish 504. 

Our lobbying is so needed--our kids cannot advocate (much) politically for themselves. They're going to rely on us, and there's a lot of this in our future.

Make it a part of your routine. I have a Thursday routine that I do for work, and now "calling Congress" is on that list. Every week.

Take time for yourself. Tune out. Turn off. Watch a movie or read a book. Walk the dog. Stay informed, but at a healthy level. 

This is a long game.

All the information here is still current:

• Stepping Up for Disabled Kids: Guide to Changing Special Education Advocacy and Laws in 2025
• Stepping Up for Disabled Kids: Legislative Information

Rest, but don't quit.

LL

*Please note: the posts here that are in the "Sunday Night Emails" category are just that--previous emails sent out on a Sunday night. The dates/times/content may not match up with present day events because it was sent out a while ago.