Ever since being reunited with my old boxes of files, I’ve felt excited but conflicted about digging into them. For the several years they were apart from me, I wrote only from memory, never having source materials like clippings journals, letters, photos, and notes to fact-check myself.
Now those things are back, I’m finding I have to limit the amount of time I sort through them, because revisiting the past extracts an emotional toll — one which I am not always ready to pay.
On one level, the past is seductive. My most intriguing file folders stare at me like snapshots from a lost world. They are covered in doodles, calculations, and stains from coffee mugs or glasses of other drinks.
The inevitable spills back then blurred some of the drawings and also some of the contents, smearing and obscuring their intent, if any.
The whole lot somewhat resembles a wall of graffiti.
Dig into them I must and what I’ve found both confirms and alters my memory of events. For various reasons, several periods are of special interest right now, due to events driven by others, not me. There are questions I’m supposed to answer.
Ultimately, I’m not sure who, if anyone, will want to gain custody of this material, but for now it’s only me.
Let’s hope I can be a good custodian of the truth.
LATEST LINKS:
Ukraine keeps up pressure on retreating Russian forces — and its Western allies (NBC)
Ukraine extends battlefield gains as Kremlin reels from setback (WP)
Ukraine said it aimed to liberate all of its territory after driving back Russian forces in the northeast of the country in a rapid offensive, but called on the West to speed up deliveries of weapons systems to back the advance. (Reuters)
'Situation more difficult by the hour': Ukrainian forces break through to Russian border (USA Today)
‘The Russians are in trouble,’ U.S. official says of latest war analysis (WP)
Ukraine’s Sudden Gains Prompt New Questions for Commanders (NYT)
VIDEO: Russian Strike on Kharkiv Power Plant Causes Widespread Blackouts
(Associated Press and Reuters)
Democrats condemn Lindsey Graham’s nationwide abortion ban proposal (Guardian)
Graham's abortion ban stuns Senate GOP (Politico)
Young Americans aren’t yet rewarding Biden for student debt relief (WP)
Justice Dept. Issues 40 Subpoenas in a Week, Expanding Its Jan. 6 Inquiry (NYT)
Justice Dept. says it will accept Trump nominee for special master (WP)
The Justice Department said it was willing to accept one of Donald Trump’s picks for a special master to review documents seized during an FBI search of the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate last month. This could help avoid delays in the selection process and speed the resumption of the criminal investigation into Trump's document hoarding. [AP]
Inflation is up 8.3% since last year—and more Fed rate hikes are likely looming (CNBC)
U.S. inflation falls for 2nd straight month on lower gas costs (Politico)
Twitter shareholders vote in favor of Elon Musk’s $44 billion takeover deal (CNN)
U.N. says three Afghan female staff temporarily detained by Taliban (Reuters)
Is Afghanistan’s Long Civil War Really Over? (FA)
Mass firing at UAE newspaper raises question of censorship (AP)
Switching to renewable energy could save trillions - study (BBC)
The Ghosts of Antarctica Will Haunt the End of the World (CNET)
Rains, mudslides prompt Southern California evacuations (AP)
The "essential" Bob Dylan album Tom Waits loves most of all (Far Out)
'Dinosaur mummy': Researchers believe they found one of the best preserved dinosaurs ever (USA Today)
Abortion is strictly banned in Mississippi, and somehow, the state’s new abortion laws have brought back segregated schools. (The Onion)
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