This letter is from one of you, a campaign supporter. Today we hear from Lu Cooley of Dyke, Virginia.

Dear John,

As the 2016 election approached, I became increasingly estranged from my sister. We had always been close though we lived in different states—for her, Pennsylvania, for me, Virginia. But during the Obama years, she started watching Fox News, and slowly, she morphed into this person I didn’t recognize. I was completely unaware of what was taking place when it first started, how insidious it would be, or how much it would change her. 

After the 2016 election, it only got worse. 

We went months without even texting. 

After months of silence, I decided that maybe we could talk about the weather—as long as I didn’t bring up climate change. And until just recently, that’s been the extent of our interactions—texting back and forth, precious few phone calls, and we’ve met face-to-face just once, for a total of 30 minutes. 

It has been decidedly lonely without her. 

But this election feels different. Marianne talks openly about a different path than is usually encouraged, one where we don’t abandon our friends and family who voted for Trump. We embrace them. The American mind is both liberal and conservative Marianne says, and there is room in our hearts for viewpoints that differ from our own.  

Inspired by Marianne’s words, I decided to try to apply her advice to my own life. 

Last week, my sister texted that they had snow in Pennsylvania. Instead of texting back with a weather update of my own, I called her. 

Within a few minutes she was talking about how Virginia, where I live, had gone all Blue. I explained that Virginia isn’t nearly as liberal as she feared. And on we went. When she brought up the Democratic candidates, I saw my chance. 

I gathered my courage and said, “Well, I am supporting Marianne Williamson and am volunteering with her campaign.” 

She gasped. “You are?!!!!” 

And then she said something that truly surprised me: “She’s the only candidate I would actually support.” 

My sister wasn’t just talking about who she preferred amongst the Democratic candidates vying for the Presidency. When given the choice, my Fox News-watching, conservative minded sister would vote for Marianne over ANYONE running, including President Trump.

Like many Marianne supporters, my sister watched Marianne in the first DNC Debate, and found her to be the only candidate who made sense, the only one she could understand, the only one she could relate to. My sister has since visited the Marianne2020 website, read Marianne’s platform, watched videos of Marianne’s speeches. And Marianne is the candidate that most aligns with her values. 

Our mutual support for Marianne for President is literally the first thing my sister and I have agreed on with no equivocation since she started watching Fox News 15 years ago. And Marianne’s campaign provides my sister and me with a means to restore our relationship, repair our communication, and strengthen our sisterly bond in ways I thought just wouldn’t be possible. 

While talking about why we both are supporting Marianne for president, I felt a connection with my sister that has been missing for over a decade. During our call, I was able to share my personal history with Marianne’s work. My sister said how proud she was that I was volunteering with Marianne. She shared that if she could find a way in her little town, she would support Marianne’s candidacy, though she’s never volunteered for any political campaign ever in her life—She’s 65. 

There are no words to describe how miraculous our first conversation was. I honestly thought I was going to grow older—I’m 63 now—without ever being able to have an honest and meaningful conversation with my sister again. And our first conversation has only led to more as we both carve out a common ground and attempt to repair what had been broken. We're even planning to spend a day together in a couple of weeks.

As we enter the Holiday Season, it feels as if Marianne’s season of repair has already started working in my family. It's been a true miracle. 

Thank you all, blessings and light and so much love to you,

Lu Cooley
Dyke, Virgina

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p.s. Note from campaign team: What's your story about why you support Marianne? Please reply to this email or send to [email protected].

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