1 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,759 Hi. It's Wendy Wallner here with one of 2 00:00:07,759 --> 00:00:10,160 the most exciting podcasts that I think I've 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:10,900 ever done. 4 00:00:11,599 --> 00:00:14,080 For those of you who have, followed me 5 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:16,905 or know anything about, you know, what I, 6 00:00:16,905 --> 00:00:19,785 in my core, believe, it's about stories and 7 00:00:19,785 --> 00:00:21,004 how stories inspire, 8 00:00:21,945 --> 00:00:24,445 action and behavior changes. And 9 00:00:24,824 --> 00:00:26,984 and sometimes I find a story that just 10 00:00:26,984 --> 00:00:29,260 to the core touches me. I mean, maybe 11 00:00:29,260 --> 00:00:31,339 you remember when Susan Boyle came on the 12 00:00:31,339 --> 00:00:33,600 interview. It it came on the show America's 13 00:00:33,659 --> 00:00:34,320 Got Talent, 14 00:00:34,620 --> 00:00:36,539 and she just blew everybody away. And I 15 00:00:36,539 --> 00:00:38,299 watched that video again and again and again 16 00:00:38,299 --> 00:00:39,899 because it just does it for me. It 17 00:00:39,899 --> 00:00:42,134 just does it. It just plugs me back 18 00:00:42,134 --> 00:00:44,295 in. I even shave some time off my 19 00:00:44,295 --> 00:00:46,875 mile. But this video is unlike anything else. 20 00:00:47,494 --> 00:00:50,534 And, I'm so excited to introduce these people 21 00:00:50,534 --> 00:00:51,975 to you. So first, let me just set 22 00:00:51,975 --> 00:00:52,715 some context. 23 00:00:53,700 --> 00:00:56,179 Through LinkedIn, shout out to LinkedIn. I met 24 00:00:56,179 --> 00:00:58,820 this amazing man who's this is his new 25 00:00:58,820 --> 00:01:01,780 book, Stay It Well, Terry Spot. I hope 26 00:01:01,780 --> 00:01:04,739 I'm pronouncing it correctly. I practiced it. He 27 00:01:04,739 --> 00:01:06,840 was, president Obama's speech writer. 28 00:01:07,305 --> 00:01:08,905 And he started his, 29 00:01:09,225 --> 00:01:11,145 training session with a video that I have 30 00:01:11,145 --> 00:01:11,645 watched, 31 00:01:12,185 --> 00:01:14,344 I don't wanna say maybe more than a 32 00:01:14,344 --> 00:01:17,084 1000 times about a young young kid 33 00:01:17,465 --> 00:01:20,689 who writes this beautiful impassioned letter. And lo 34 00:01:20,689 --> 00:01:22,689 lo and behold, they were on this training, 35 00:01:22,689 --> 00:01:24,609 and I got to meet Alex, and I 36 00:01:24,609 --> 00:01:26,310 got to meet Val, his mom. 37 00:01:26,930 --> 00:01:29,569 And, it just blew me away on every 38 00:01:29,569 --> 00:01:32,609 level. Right? As a parent, inspiring our children 39 00:01:32,609 --> 00:01:34,305 to believe the world can be better, 40 00:01:35,265 --> 00:01:37,745 as a child growing up knowing that you 41 00:01:37,745 --> 00:01:39,745 are part of the solution to make the 42 00:01:39,745 --> 00:01:40,564 world better. 43 00:01:41,105 --> 00:01:43,984 So how incredibly cool is it that I 44 00:01:43,984 --> 00:01:46,245 got to meet an interview and chitchat 45 00:01:46,704 --> 00:01:48,784 with 2 people that have just been my 46 00:01:48,784 --> 00:01:49,604 go to, 47 00:01:50,030 --> 00:01:51,489 my listen to. 48 00:01:52,349 --> 00:01:53,729 So shout out to everybody, 49 00:01:54,269 --> 00:01:56,609 and thank you for turning on and listening 50 00:01:57,150 --> 00:01:58,049 to a story 51 00:01:58,349 --> 00:02:00,849 that does inspire us to believe in 52 00:02:01,150 --> 00:02:02,450 so many different things. 53 00:02:03,069 --> 00:02:03,569 And, 54 00:02:04,645 --> 00:02:08,085 it's everything that I am so passionate about. 55 00:02:08,085 --> 00:02:08,585 Right? 56 00:02:09,044 --> 00:02:10,264 Never becoming cynical, 57 00:02:10,884 --> 00:02:14,405 never becoming jaded, and never stop believing. And 58 00:02:14,405 --> 00:02:15,145 this video, 59 00:02:15,604 --> 00:02:16,344 this interview, 60 00:02:17,020 --> 00:02:18,639 man, it's all that and more. 61 00:02:19,340 --> 00:02:19,840 So, 62 00:02:20,460 --> 00:02:23,360 here's a segue to what started it. 63 00:02:24,060 --> 00:02:25,439 It's on my playlist, 64 00:02:26,139 --> 00:02:27,900 and it's a dream come true that I 65 00:02:27,900 --> 00:02:29,580 got to chitchat with them so many years 66 00:02:29,580 --> 00:02:32,344 later. So not just enjoy the video, stay 67 00:02:32,344 --> 00:02:34,424 in the video. Use it when you need 68 00:02:34,424 --> 00:02:34,924 to. 69 00:02:35,784 --> 00:02:38,104 And here's a chance for you to revisit 70 00:02:38,104 --> 00:02:40,344 the video. Maybe you've seen it before. Or 71 00:02:40,344 --> 00:02:41,805 for those who've never have, 72 00:02:42,264 --> 00:02:43,164 here it is. 73 00:02:43,625 --> 00:02:44,844 Dear president Obama, 74 00:02:45,389 --> 00:02:47,389 remember the boy who was picked up by 75 00:02:47,389 --> 00:02:48,849 the ambulance in Syria? 76 00:02:49,549 --> 00:02:51,709 Can you please go get him and bring 77 00:02:51,709 --> 00:02:53,090 him to our home? 78 00:02:54,110 --> 00:02:55,169 Park in the driveway 79 00:02:55,469 --> 00:02:58,129 or on the street, and we'll be waiting 80 00:02:58,534 --> 00:03:00,875 for you guys with flax, flowers, and balloons. 81 00:03:01,094 --> 00:03:02,794 We will give him a family, 82 00:03:03,175 --> 00:03:05,574 and he will be our brother. Kevin, my 83 00:03:05,574 --> 00:03:07,354 little sister, will be collecting 84 00:03:07,974 --> 00:03:08,474 butterflies 85 00:03:08,854 --> 00:03:11,459 and butterflies for him. In my school, I 86 00:03:11,459 --> 00:03:12,439 have a friend 87 00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:13,719 from Syria, 88 00:03:14,099 --> 00:03:14,599 Omar, 89 00:03:14,900 --> 00:03:15,400 and 90 00:03:15,860 --> 00:03:18,759 I will introduce him to Omar, and 91 00:03:20,419 --> 00:03:21,879 we can all play together. 92 00:03:22,419 --> 00:03:25,344 We can invite him to birthday parties, and 93 00:03:25,344 --> 00:03:27,364 he will teach us another language. 94 00:03:27,745 --> 00:03:30,144 Since he won't bring toys and doesn't have 95 00:03:30,144 --> 00:03:30,644 toys, 96 00:03:30,944 --> 00:03:32,004 Katherine will 97 00:03:32,784 --> 00:03:35,250 share her big, blue, strawberry, white bunny, 98 00:03:36,050 --> 00:03:38,610 and I will share my bike, and I 99 00:03:38,610 --> 00:03:41,189 will teach him how to ride it. 100 00:03:41,650 --> 00:03:44,310 I will teach I will teach him condition 101 00:03:44,370 --> 00:03:45,110 and subtraction. 102 00:03:46,930 --> 00:03:48,210 Those are the words of a 6 year 103 00:03:48,210 --> 00:03:48,949 old boy. 104 00:03:50,965 --> 00:03:52,425 He teaches us a lot. 105 00:03:58,405 --> 00:04:00,485 The the humanity that a young child can 106 00:04:00,485 --> 00:04:00,985 display 107 00:04:02,245 --> 00:04:04,504 who hasn't learned to be cynical or suspicious 108 00:04:04,740 --> 00:04:06,280 or fearful of other people 109 00:04:06,980 --> 00:04:08,819 because of where they're from or how they 110 00:04:08,819 --> 00:04:10,040 look or how they pray. 111 00:04:10,580 --> 00:04:11,960 We can all learn from Alex. 112 00:04:12,900 --> 00:04:13,400 Alex, 113 00:04:14,020 --> 00:04:15,080 6 years old. 114 00:04:16,420 --> 00:04:18,360 I'm not sure if you remember me. 115 00:04:18,854 --> 00:04:20,935 We we remember you, Wendy. It's so nice 116 00:04:20,935 --> 00:04:22,454 to see you again. 1st, just let me 117 00:04:22,454 --> 00:04:24,394 tell you, incredibly grateful, 118 00:04:25,814 --> 00:04:28,294 really, really, really grateful to both of you 119 00:04:28,294 --> 00:04:30,535 for taking time and and talking to us, 120 00:04:30,535 --> 00:04:32,474 and and I can't thank you enough. 121 00:04:32,970 --> 00:04:35,370 Likewise. It's a it's a pleasure because all 122 00:04:35,370 --> 00:04:35,870 these 123 00:04:36,410 --> 00:04:39,290 moments help us reflect on, the lessons we 124 00:04:39,290 --> 00:04:41,449 continue to learn. So, you know, I'm sort 125 00:04:41,449 --> 00:04:43,370 of known, Val, and Alex. Like, I'd wake 126 00:04:43,370 --> 00:04:45,050 up in the morning and I plug in, 127 00:04:45,050 --> 00:04:46,970 and I'll I'll watch a a a video 128 00:04:46,970 --> 00:04:49,725 of something that really just speaks to me. 129 00:04:49,725 --> 00:04:51,345 But I'm not a crier. 130 00:04:52,285 --> 00:04:54,524 There's often a running joke about I'm not 131 00:04:54,524 --> 00:04:55,964 a I'm not a crier. If you see 132 00:04:55,964 --> 00:04:57,665 Wendy crying, you should come running. 133 00:04:58,205 --> 00:04:59,725 And I I'd like to just share with 134 00:04:59,725 --> 00:05:02,139 you, I can't even talk about your video 135 00:05:02,139 --> 00:05:04,159 without getting, like, very emotional. 136 00:05:04,939 --> 00:05:06,779 So why does it is? Why do you 137 00:05:06,779 --> 00:05:10,159 think that that letter and the entire experience 138 00:05:10,300 --> 00:05:11,839 just is so emotional? 139 00:05:12,220 --> 00:05:14,060 Not just for me, but for the millions 140 00:05:14,060 --> 00:05:15,439 of people that watched it. 141 00:05:16,014 --> 00:05:17,375 Alex, why don't you take a stab at 142 00:05:17,375 --> 00:05:19,295 that? Why why is it so emotional to 143 00:05:19,295 --> 00:05:21,955 to see to hear you reading that letter 144 00:05:22,215 --> 00:05:23,555 as I cry? 145 00:05:25,775 --> 00:05:28,675 I believe that it's because I was younger, 146 00:05:28,814 --> 00:05:30,735 I didn't understand as much of how the 147 00:05:30,735 --> 00:05:32,560 world worked, especially because I was only 6 148 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:33,220 or 7. 149 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:34,819 And, yeah, I had 150 00:05:35,199 --> 00:05:37,379 kind of the sympathy and, like, compassion 151 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:39,920 to go on and write that with no 152 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,720 better understanding or no kind of conception of 153 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,199 what the result would be or perhaps any 154 00:05:45,199 --> 00:05:46,334 controversy, but 155 00:05:46,654 --> 00:05:48,894 just purely just out of this kindness of 156 00:05:48,894 --> 00:05:50,194 my heart. And I think 157 00:05:50,654 --> 00:05:53,375 that just that hope or kind of belief 158 00:05:53,375 --> 00:05:54,754 that we can 159 00:05:55,134 --> 00:05:56,115 inspire this 160 00:05:56,974 --> 00:05:59,055 and put this into other kids to kind 161 00:05:59,055 --> 00:06:01,639 of or other aspiring people who want their 162 00:06:01,639 --> 00:06:03,180 voice to be heard but don't know how 163 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:05,639 and just kind of enable them to give 164 00:06:05,639 --> 00:06:07,240 them a voice. And I believe that's what 165 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:09,639 made my video so, kind of, heartfelt and 166 00:06:09,639 --> 00:06:10,139 touching. 167 00:06:10,759 --> 00:06:13,500 Yeah. Did you ever, ever, ever 168 00:06:13,879 --> 00:06:15,019 think what next? 169 00:06:16,495 --> 00:06:17,855 It was one step at a time for 170 00:06:17,855 --> 00:06:19,074 me. I mean, just 171 00:06:19,535 --> 00:06:21,774 I didn't I didn't actually understand what would 172 00:06:21,774 --> 00:06:23,535 even be the result of that. I thought 173 00:06:23,535 --> 00:06:25,555 I'd write the letter. You know? 174 00:06:26,175 --> 00:06:28,995 He would come. Things would be perfect, but, 175 00:06:29,319 --> 00:06:31,639 obviously, different things panned out. But everything happened 176 00:06:31,639 --> 00:06:32,839 for the best, but I never had an 177 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:35,160 I never was thinking, what's next? What's next? 178 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,240 I just kind of always kept my mind 179 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:39,639 of the what was happening in the current 180 00:06:39,639 --> 00:06:40,139 moment. 181 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:43,100 So you went to mom and said, mom, 182 00:06:43,664 --> 00:06:45,664 I'm gonna write a letter to president Obama. 183 00:06:45,664 --> 00:06:46,564 Is that what happened? 184 00:06:47,264 --> 00:06:49,024 I mean, to be honest, she might give 185 00:06:49,024 --> 00:06:51,044 you a better take of those earlier steps. 186 00:06:51,345 --> 00:06:53,104 So Okay. Well, you wanted to write to 187 00:06:53,104 --> 00:06:53,604 Omar. 188 00:06:53,985 --> 00:06:54,564 He was 189 00:06:55,024 --> 00:06:56,324 so he saw the video, 190 00:06:57,050 --> 00:06:58,889 was touched. We don't have t we didn't 191 00:06:58,889 --> 00:07:00,889 have TV at at the moment. We still 192 00:07:00,889 --> 00:07:03,930 don't, but, basically, never cable news. We really 193 00:07:03,930 --> 00:07:06,410 tried to teach the kids through books and 194 00:07:06,410 --> 00:07:06,910 other, 195 00:07:07,770 --> 00:07:09,129 school programs. But, 196 00:07:09,930 --> 00:07:12,254 in that week, we were changing au pairs 197 00:07:12,254 --> 00:07:14,574 from one to another, and my mother-in-law was 198 00:07:14,574 --> 00:07:17,455 watching the kids. And my mother-in-law has CNN 199 00:07:17,455 --> 00:07:18,675 on all the time. 200 00:07:19,375 --> 00:07:19,875 So, 201 00:07:20,334 --> 00:07:21,875 I had the night before, 202 00:07:22,254 --> 00:07:24,175 Alex came to my bed and he saw 203 00:07:24,175 --> 00:07:25,955 that I was reading something emotional, 204 00:07:26,339 --> 00:07:27,939 So he jumped in to ask, what is 205 00:07:27,939 --> 00:07:30,019 it? Who is that? But I skipped the 206 00:07:30,019 --> 00:07:32,259 the image of Omera because I didn't want 207 00:07:32,259 --> 00:07:34,100 him to be hurt. And I explained to 208 00:07:34,100 --> 00:07:36,660 him, you know, how mama talks about boys 209 00:07:36,660 --> 00:07:38,180 and girls who are in the war, and 210 00:07:38,180 --> 00:07:41,194 sometimes children, you know, are hurt. And you 211 00:07:41,194 --> 00:07:42,875 are very lucky. We have to be grateful. 212 00:07:42,875 --> 00:07:45,115 I always try to have teachable moments with 213 00:07:45,115 --> 00:07:45,774 my kids. 214 00:07:46,475 --> 00:07:49,355 And he remembered that, but the next morning 215 00:07:49,355 --> 00:07:51,454 being in front of CNN with my mother-in-law 216 00:07:51,595 --> 00:07:54,314 cooking, that's when he started to shake. And 217 00:07:54,314 --> 00:07:57,240 his chin was shaking, she said, and crying. 218 00:07:57,240 --> 00:07:59,160 Like, how is it possible that this child 219 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:02,120 in the ambulance can be bloody and dusty 220 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,459 and alone? And where is everybody? 221 00:08:05,079 --> 00:08:07,160 So from that day till the day he 222 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:08,519 wrote the letter, which was two and a 223 00:08:08,519 --> 00:08:09,419 half days later, 224 00:08:09,745 --> 00:08:12,004 that's all he wanted to talk about. Umran 225 00:08:12,704 --> 00:08:15,664 and where he is, show me Syria, show 226 00:08:15,664 --> 00:08:18,305 me the you know, where is in Syria 227 00:08:18,305 --> 00:08:20,544 he is. And Alex has been always very 228 00:08:20,544 --> 00:08:21,044 curious 229 00:08:21,345 --> 00:08:23,044 from the moment he was born. 230 00:08:23,529 --> 00:08:24,029 So, 231 00:08:24,649 --> 00:08:26,910 it was impossible to contain his 232 00:08:27,370 --> 00:08:29,689 like, to satisfy him with an answer because, 233 00:08:29,689 --> 00:08:31,129 of course, I don't know where he is, 234 00:08:31,129 --> 00:08:32,669 and, of course, I didn't know, 235 00:08:33,370 --> 00:08:35,049 you know, how long the war was gonna 236 00:08:35,049 --> 00:08:37,149 be or how can we send some toys. 237 00:08:37,235 --> 00:08:39,955 He had the genuine interest and questions that 238 00:08:39,955 --> 00:08:41,175 any child would have. 239 00:08:41,555 --> 00:08:43,475 Like, can we do something? And can I 240 00:08:43,675 --> 00:08:46,195 know what, though? I I would disagree. Not 241 00:08:46,195 --> 00:08:48,995 every child is as special as Alex, and 242 00:08:48,995 --> 00:08:51,075 not every parent is as a special you. 243 00:08:51,075 --> 00:08:52,779 And I just wanna stop for a minute 244 00:08:52,779 --> 00:08:54,860 and highlight something you said that I'm so 245 00:08:54,860 --> 00:08:57,839 passionate about. We have these teachable moments, 246 00:08:59,579 --> 00:09:00,720 and they come. 247 00:09:01,500 --> 00:09:03,740 And a lot of people fast forward to 248 00:09:03,740 --> 00:09:05,839 them. Parents fast forward. 249 00:09:06,595 --> 00:09:08,835 It's a great point, Wendy, because we miss 250 00:09:08,835 --> 00:09:11,554 those opportunities sometimes, you know, with 2, 12 251 00:09:11,554 --> 00:09:13,715 children and a working mom. I could have 252 00:09:13,715 --> 00:09:15,475 just said go to bed. Oh, yeah. We 253 00:09:15,475 --> 00:09:17,634 got a lot of excuses for letting them 254 00:09:17,634 --> 00:09:20,210 go, Val. I get it. Exactly. But I 255 00:09:20,210 --> 00:09:21,889 took my time to explain, and then my 256 00:09:21,889 --> 00:09:22,389 mother-in-law 257 00:09:23,089 --> 00:09:23,589 explained 258 00:09:23,889 --> 00:09:26,870 what happens, and we just kept answering him. 259 00:09:26,929 --> 00:09:28,690 Let's get a globe or let's get the 260 00:09:28,690 --> 00:09:30,789 Earth. We we I remember going to, 261 00:09:31,490 --> 00:09:33,409 satellite, the Earth, and zoom into, 262 00:09:34,524 --> 00:09:37,565 Syria and looking at the forested parts of 263 00:09:37,565 --> 00:09:39,404 Syria, the green parts, and hoping that he 264 00:09:39,404 --> 00:09:40,144 would understand, 265 00:09:40,684 --> 00:09:43,024 Umran is in that part, like, he's safe. 266 00:09:43,644 --> 00:09:45,325 Yeah. I had a map of, at the 267 00:09:45,325 --> 00:09:47,165 time, Europe and, like, the Middle East in 268 00:09:47,165 --> 00:09:49,509 my room. So I just I'll I'll never 269 00:09:49,509 --> 00:09:50,950 forget coming back to the house and just 270 00:09:50,950 --> 00:09:52,870 constantly because it's right next to my bed. 271 00:09:52,870 --> 00:09:55,110 Just sometimes I just lay there and stare 272 00:09:55,110 --> 00:09:57,110 at Syria or stare around the map, and 273 00:09:57,110 --> 00:09:59,509 it's just just something that kinda stays there 274 00:09:59,509 --> 00:10:01,269 because I don't know why. So now I 275 00:10:01,269 --> 00:10:03,529 do detect that your mom has an accent. 276 00:10:04,924 --> 00:10:07,725 Yes. Yes. And I'm an immigrant myself. I 277 00:10:07,725 --> 00:10:08,225 escaped, 278 00:10:08,684 --> 00:10:10,625 troubles in Albania in 1997. 279 00:10:11,165 --> 00:10:12,785 I saw war myself. 280 00:10:13,325 --> 00:10:15,245 I was lucky to escape, and I was, 281 00:10:15,485 --> 00:10:17,085 with a green card. I had won the 282 00:10:17,085 --> 00:10:19,504 green card lottery as a law student. 283 00:10:20,339 --> 00:10:22,419 So very lucky to have come to the 284 00:10:22,419 --> 00:10:25,139 United States with papers and to start my 285 00:10:25,139 --> 00:10:26,600 education and grow, 286 00:10:27,059 --> 00:10:29,139 but not many people are as lucky. So 287 00:10:29,139 --> 00:10:29,879 I've always 288 00:10:30,740 --> 00:10:33,779 taught my kids to understand the moments where 289 00:10:33,779 --> 00:10:34,919 we have to be grateful. 290 00:10:35,404 --> 00:10:37,965 It could be news that you watch or 291 00:10:37,965 --> 00:10:39,644 it could be a homeless that you pass 292 00:10:39,644 --> 00:10:40,705 by in the street. 293 00:10:41,165 --> 00:10:43,245 It could be somebody that needs help, in 294 00:10:43,245 --> 00:10:45,345 class. Maybe a kid is being bullied. 295 00:10:47,085 --> 00:10:49,565 If you don't reflect on your gratitude, you 296 00:10:49,565 --> 00:10:52,419 cannot help others, and that has to be 297 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:53,860 part of everyday life. 298 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:55,840 And and, you know, Alex, you and I 299 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:57,840 have something in common because you were born 300 00:10:57,840 --> 00:10:59,600 here. You were born in America. Is that 301 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:00,100 correct? 302 00:11:00,399 --> 00:11:03,039 Yeah. So I'm 1st generation American, and you're 303 00:11:03,039 --> 00:11:04,419 1st generation American. 304 00:11:04,894 --> 00:11:06,495 And I think it's interesting when you do 305 00:11:06,495 --> 00:11:08,815 have parents that maybe have an accent or 306 00:11:08,815 --> 00:11:10,514 speak different languages. Right? 307 00:11:10,894 --> 00:11:13,695 That plays into where why is the world 308 00:11:13,695 --> 00:11:16,014 so small and so so important, and maybe 309 00:11:16,014 --> 00:11:18,514 that motivated also to write the letter. 310 00:11:19,860 --> 00:11:21,879 I mean, growing up hearing 311 00:11:22,340 --> 00:11:23,860 these stories about my mom and my dad 312 00:11:23,860 --> 00:11:25,620 immigrating to US, my dad is a foreign 313 00:11:25,620 --> 00:11:27,460 exchange student, my mom winning the green card 314 00:11:27,460 --> 00:11:27,960 lottery. 315 00:11:28,420 --> 00:11:31,639 I almost kind of not related because, obviously, 316 00:11:31,860 --> 00:11:32,600 some stories 317 00:11:33,014 --> 00:11:35,434 are all stories are different than others, but 318 00:11:36,215 --> 00:11:37,815 I'm more since I've got an understanding of 319 00:11:37,815 --> 00:11:39,495 what what war can actually be like and 320 00:11:39,495 --> 00:11:41,514 how it can affect the people around it. 321 00:11:41,575 --> 00:11:42,235 I mean, 322 00:11:42,695 --> 00:11:45,254 innocent civilians who have done nothing wrong just 323 00:11:45,254 --> 00:11:45,750 get 324 00:11:46,230 --> 00:11:49,370 heard in the crossfire of political parties or, 325 00:11:49,590 --> 00:11:51,669 you know, different parts of a country or 326 00:11:51,669 --> 00:11:54,070 different political beliefs, and it's just So And 327 00:11:54,070 --> 00:11:56,870 that I'm gonna ask you an unscripted question 328 00:11:56,870 --> 00:11:58,629 that's gonna be pretty hard. Are you good 329 00:11:58,629 --> 00:12:01,225 with that? Yeah. Sure. I like the challenge. 330 00:12:01,924 --> 00:12:04,085 So a lot of times at at at 331 00:12:04,085 --> 00:12:06,264 Bountiful Life's Issues, we hear 332 00:12:06,725 --> 00:12:08,745 that we should shield our children. 333 00:12:09,365 --> 00:12:12,245 Don't tell them terrible things. It's too much 334 00:12:12,245 --> 00:12:14,585 for them. They can't handle it. 335 00:12:15,110 --> 00:12:16,970 And yet at 6 years old, 336 00:12:17,669 --> 00:12:20,169 you knew that something terrible had happened. 337 00:12:21,909 --> 00:12:23,750 How were you ready to hear that message 338 00:12:23,750 --> 00:12:24,889 at 6 years old? 339 00:12:26,470 --> 00:12:28,009 I think all of that 340 00:12:28,424 --> 00:12:31,225 bounding anticipation and kind of building up, I 341 00:12:31,225 --> 00:12:31,725 just 342 00:12:32,105 --> 00:12:34,365 no matter what the consequences would be on 343 00:12:34,585 --> 00:12:36,024 what I already knew and what I was 344 00:12:36,024 --> 00:12:37,625 yet to know, I was just ready to 345 00:12:37,625 --> 00:12:39,065 hear it. I think I was just I 346 00:12:39,065 --> 00:12:40,585 just really wanted to know what was up 347 00:12:40,585 --> 00:12:41,085 because 348 00:12:41,490 --> 00:12:43,570 I'd seen it first from my grandma and 349 00:12:43,570 --> 00:12:45,570 then my mom. So I was like, obviously, 350 00:12:45,570 --> 00:12:46,769 this has to be a big thing, you 351 00:12:46,769 --> 00:12:49,809 know, being 6 years old, not knowing all 352 00:12:49,809 --> 00:12:52,210 that much about war, and just kind of 353 00:12:52,210 --> 00:12:53,649 putting 2 and 2 together. And I was 354 00:12:53,649 --> 00:12:55,009 just like, I wanna know. I wanna know. 355 00:12:55,009 --> 00:12:57,365 I wanna know. And that's Ever get angry 356 00:12:57,365 --> 00:12:59,044 at mom for not telling you that everything 357 00:12:59,044 --> 00:13:00,424 was perfect in the world? 358 00:13:01,764 --> 00:13:03,684 No. I believe that that was kinda, like, 359 00:13:03,684 --> 00:13:05,845 the changing point where I understood that not 360 00:13:05,845 --> 00:13:06,904 everything was, like, 361 00:13:07,444 --> 00:13:09,544 rainbows and flowers and everything. So 362 00:13:10,300 --> 00:13:12,059 I believe I was never upset at her. 363 00:13:12,059 --> 00:13:14,540 I was just happy how she raised me, 364 00:13:14,540 --> 00:13:17,660 and I always will be. So Yeah. It's 365 00:13:17,660 --> 00:13:19,660 amazing. God. Wait a minute. Let me stop 366 00:13:19,660 --> 00:13:21,740 there, Herminet. Can we cut that out and 367 00:13:21,740 --> 00:13:23,660 send that to my 3 children? Because that's 368 00:13:23,660 --> 00:13:25,925 what I wanna hear. I was happy with 369 00:13:25,925 --> 00:13:28,004 the way she raised me. I mean, Val, 370 00:13:28,004 --> 00:13:29,465 does it get better than that? 371 00:13:30,004 --> 00:13:30,985 No. And 372 00:13:32,245 --> 00:13:35,365 Yeah. Gonna cry again. He's always been very, 373 00:13:35,365 --> 00:13:36,904 very special, and 374 00:13:38,539 --> 00:13:40,159 we learn from his empathy 375 00:13:40,699 --> 00:13:43,519 because it's truly genuine. Like, kids 376 00:13:43,980 --> 00:13:46,379 that are encouraged to know the truth about 377 00:13:46,379 --> 00:13:46,959 the world 378 00:13:47,339 --> 00:13:47,839 with, 379 00:13:48,299 --> 00:13:51,100 of course, with with some shielding. You cannot 380 00:13:51,100 --> 00:13:53,644 just expect them to Right. To have everything, 381 00:13:53,644 --> 00:13:56,285 and you shouldn't expose to everything. But at 382 00:13:56,285 --> 00:13:57,264 the same time, 383 00:13:57,644 --> 00:13:58,465 to understand 384 00:13:59,644 --> 00:14:02,524 gratitude, it starts in an early age. You 385 00:14:02,524 --> 00:14:03,504 cannot appreciate 386 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,080 those early years just for learning math or 387 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:09,500 languages or art. It also 388 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:11,800 has to expose them to the bag of 389 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:14,360 world in a way or another. Mhmm. Right? 390 00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:15,879 So because what do you do in New 391 00:14:15,879 --> 00:14:17,559 York City when he was 5 the year 392 00:14:17,559 --> 00:14:20,485 before? He passed by a homeless man, and 393 00:14:20,485 --> 00:14:22,485 he was marched, and he was cold. He 394 00:14:22,485 --> 00:14:24,404 had a box of chocolates, and he wouldn't 395 00:14:24,404 --> 00:14:26,404 leave until he convinced the man to get 396 00:14:26,404 --> 00:14:28,084 the chocolates. He's like, I don't want the 397 00:14:28,084 --> 00:14:30,164 chocolates, mom. I wanna give them to these 398 00:14:30,164 --> 00:14:31,764 gentlemen. But I said, you have to ask 399 00:14:31,764 --> 00:14:32,904 him. Maybe you know? 400 00:14:33,370 --> 00:14:36,409 So treat people with respect while being grateful 401 00:14:36,409 --> 00:14:38,589 and recognizing what's around you 402 00:14:38,970 --> 00:14:40,829 is something that starts early. 403 00:14:41,529 --> 00:14:42,029 And, 404 00:14:43,370 --> 00:14:45,689 yeah, and even though, for example, at first, 405 00:14:45,689 --> 00:14:47,769 he wanted to talk directly to Omar, and 406 00:14:47,769 --> 00:14:50,565 I said, well, Omar, we cannot reach. 407 00:14:51,264 --> 00:14:53,184 What else do you do to channel that 408 00:14:53,184 --> 00:14:54,325 energy? I love it. 409 00:14:54,705 --> 00:14:57,024 And when he said, I'd love I bet 410 00:14:57,024 --> 00:14:59,825 you president Obama can go get him. Because 411 00:14:59,825 --> 00:15:01,985 previously, we had talked about the power of 412 00:15:01,985 --> 00:15:02,644 a president 413 00:15:03,429 --> 00:15:05,590 and how a president has an airplane and 414 00:15:05,590 --> 00:15:08,470 a helicopter and, you know, they're powerful people 415 00:15:08,470 --> 00:15:10,870 that can change the world. And, of course, 416 00:15:10,870 --> 00:15:14,149 president Obama being someone we we admired in 417 00:15:14,149 --> 00:15:15,990 the family, even though we don't talk about 418 00:15:15,990 --> 00:15:16,490 politics, 419 00:15:16,934 --> 00:15:18,955 I mean, at the time, especially as children, 420 00:15:19,815 --> 00:15:21,815 he was like, I bet you president Obama 421 00:15:21,815 --> 00:15:23,674 can go get him. That conviction 422 00:15:24,054 --> 00:15:26,634 of him finding that solution I love it. 423 00:15:26,855 --> 00:15:28,774 Is really what it it's about. And then 424 00:15:28,774 --> 00:15:30,134 what do what did I do? I used 425 00:15:30,134 --> 00:15:31,835 the moment to to really 426 00:15:32,339 --> 00:15:34,819 channel the writing skills because it was August, 427 00:15:34,819 --> 00:15:36,199 and they didn't have kindergarten. 428 00:15:36,579 --> 00:15:38,500 They didn't have camp. It was August is 429 00:15:38,500 --> 00:15:41,539 the hardest months month for any mother. For 430 00:15:41,539 --> 00:15:42,039 sure. 431 00:15:42,500 --> 00:15:44,500 Why don't you I bet you, if if 432 00:15:44,500 --> 00:15:46,634 you write to him, he will he will 433 00:15:46,634 --> 00:15:47,695 listen. He 434 00:15:47,995 --> 00:15:49,514 will take note of it, of your passion. 435 00:15:49,514 --> 00:15:51,115 I love that. I think we gotta stop 436 00:15:51,115 --> 00:15:52,875 right there because one of the things we 437 00:15:52,875 --> 00:15:54,894 talk a lot about is this learned optimism, 438 00:15:55,355 --> 00:15:57,754 and we're fighting the cynical world. Right? Nothing 439 00:15:57,754 --> 00:15:58,735 I do matters. 440 00:15:59,210 --> 00:16:01,210 It doesn't matter. I can't do anything. And 441 00:16:01,210 --> 00:16:02,970 what you told him was, I bet he'll 442 00:16:02,970 --> 00:16:03,870 listen to you. 443 00:16:04,250 --> 00:16:06,570 Yeah. And, of course, to me, it was 444 00:16:06,570 --> 00:16:08,350 like, here goes letter to Santa. 445 00:16:08,730 --> 00:16:10,809 No one is going to open it. You 446 00:16:10,809 --> 00:16:12,649 know how many thousands of people So now 447 00:16:12,649 --> 00:16:14,750 we ought to know. You mail the letter, 448 00:16:15,184 --> 00:16:16,004 and what 449 00:16:17,824 --> 00:16:20,625 happens? She she's the one that comes Wait 450 00:16:20,625 --> 00:16:21,985 a minute. Did you wanna go to Maine? 451 00:16:21,985 --> 00:16:23,745 We were supposed to go on vacation 2 452 00:16:23,745 --> 00:16:27,105 days later. So we had this around that 453 00:16:27,105 --> 00:16:29,024 time in the family. We'd go to Maine 454 00:16:29,549 --> 00:16:31,230 Was it every summer, I believe? Every August. 455 00:16:31,230 --> 00:16:32,750 Yeah. Every August, we'd go to Maine for, 456 00:16:32,750 --> 00:16:34,350 like, a couple weeks, and it had been, 457 00:16:34,350 --> 00:16:36,190 like, something we've been doing for, like, 2 458 00:16:36,190 --> 00:16:37,649 years at the at the time. 459 00:16:38,190 --> 00:16:39,709 And this was just after I'd written the 460 00:16:39,709 --> 00:16:41,470 letter, and I just didn't wanna go. I 461 00:16:41,470 --> 00:16:43,470 was so convinced that he would I can't 462 00:16:43,470 --> 00:16:46,105 go. Run, like, genuinely just in my mind. 463 00:16:46,105 --> 00:16:47,465 I just picture it, and I just I 464 00:16:47,465 --> 00:16:48,125 can't go. 465 00:16:48,504 --> 00:16:50,985 President Obama is coming. Who's gonna wait for 466 00:16:50,985 --> 00:16:53,644 Omran? That was I mean Oh my goodness. 467 00:16:54,024 --> 00:16:55,785 Have you convinced me first? She said the 468 00:16:55,785 --> 00:16:58,309 neighbors will So I said I spoke to 469 00:16:58,450 --> 00:17:00,610 the neighbors, and they will make sure they'll 470 00:17:00,610 --> 00:17:02,470 call us and we'll be right away. We'll 471 00:17:02,529 --> 00:17:04,289 drive very fast, and they will wait for 472 00:17:04,289 --> 00:17:07,029 us. I mean, it's kinda cruel how 473 00:17:07,410 --> 00:17:09,329 he was so vested in this story and 474 00:17:09,329 --> 00:17:10,630 the fact that he's coming. 475 00:17:11,174 --> 00:17:13,495 And then a week passes by into any 476 00:17:13,495 --> 00:17:14,634 news, any news, 477 00:17:15,255 --> 00:17:17,755 and I would just literally look for, 478 00:17:18,455 --> 00:17:20,154 any delays, any justifications 479 00:17:20,535 --> 00:17:22,375 because now I'm thinking, oh my god. I'm 480 00:17:22,375 --> 00:17:24,295 I'm lying to my son. This is never 481 00:17:24,295 --> 00:17:25,115 gonna happen. 482 00:17:25,759 --> 00:17:28,319 How can I take his attention away? And 483 00:17:28,319 --> 00:17:30,259 I would search for president Obama's, 484 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:31,220 whereabouts, 485 00:17:31,679 --> 00:17:33,119 and I would say, oh, look. He's in 486 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:35,380 Laos or he's in Cambodia or whatever. 487 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:37,839 That's why he's a little bit delayed, but 488 00:17:37,839 --> 00:17:39,779 I'm sure something you know? 489 00:17:40,264 --> 00:17:40,764 And, 490 00:17:41,065 --> 00:17:41,724 of course, 491 00:17:42,424 --> 00:17:44,984 it was 20 days later or 26 days 492 00:17:44,984 --> 00:17:46,825 later. Except early. Yeah. My at that time, 493 00:17:46,825 --> 00:17:49,304 I had, like, no concept of fun. Yeah. 494 00:17:49,304 --> 00:17:50,984 Why was that? But not a year late 495 00:17:51,065 --> 00:17:52,284 not a year later. 496 00:17:52,720 --> 00:17:55,039 No. No. No. It was days later later. 497 00:17:55,039 --> 00:17:57,039 The school had begun. I remember being at 498 00:17:57,039 --> 00:17:58,899 Columbia University for a conference, 499 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:01,220 and I get a message from my boss, 500 00:18:01,759 --> 00:18:03,119 my dean at the law school where I 501 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:04,960 work, and she said, the White House is 502 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:05,859 looking for you. 503 00:18:06,494 --> 00:18:08,974 Because I am in the international program, sometimes 504 00:18:08,974 --> 00:18:11,234 I bring delegations to Washington DC. 505 00:18:12,174 --> 00:18:12,674 Okay. 506 00:18:13,055 --> 00:18:15,134 Did we plan something with the White House? 507 00:18:15,134 --> 00:18:17,134 I don't think so. And I I told 508 00:18:17,134 --> 00:18:18,894 her, no. I don't I don't have anything 509 00:18:18,894 --> 00:18:20,549 with the White House this month. We had 510 00:18:20,549 --> 00:18:22,710 a supreme court visit in July, but that's 511 00:18:22,710 --> 00:18:24,870 it. And she goes, no. No. They're looking 512 00:18:24,870 --> 00:18:27,430 for personally for you. They they're asking for 513 00:18:27,430 --> 00:18:27,830 your, 514 00:18:28,630 --> 00:18:29,610 cell phone number. 515 00:18:31,110 --> 00:18:32,730 And I was thinking, 516 00:18:33,644 --> 00:18:34,785 maybe it's a cousin 517 00:18:35,164 --> 00:18:37,244 that started an internship at the White House. 518 00:18:37,244 --> 00:18:39,184 I had no idea. Like, I would never 519 00:18:39,244 --> 00:18:41,565 put the letter together with the White House 520 00:18:41,565 --> 00:18:42,384 calling us. 521 00:18:42,845 --> 00:18:44,684 And so when I gave the message I 522 00:18:44,684 --> 00:18:47,009 mean, the the number, they called me. I 523 00:18:47,009 --> 00:18:48,789 remember he was a member of the speechwriting 524 00:18:49,009 --> 00:18:49,509 team, 525 00:18:50,769 --> 00:18:51,269 Susanna. 526 00:18:52,369 --> 00:18:55,509 Right? Mhmm. And she goes, are you Alex's 527 00:18:55,650 --> 00:18:56,150 mom? 528 00:18:57,970 --> 00:18:58,470 Yeah. 529 00:18:58,930 --> 00:19:01,424 And to this day, I can't even talk 530 00:19:01,424 --> 00:19:03,284 about that moment because it's so emotional. 531 00:19:03,825 --> 00:19:04,585 And I said, 532 00:19:05,025 --> 00:19:07,345 yes. I am. And the letter, oh my 533 00:19:07,345 --> 00:19:09,265 god, the letter, please tell me it didn't 534 00:19:09,265 --> 00:19:11,444 reach the president because it's crazy. 535 00:19:11,825 --> 00:19:13,984 And she said, yes. And you got all 536 00:19:13,984 --> 00:19:15,044 of us in tears. 537 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:16,220 So, 538 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:19,419 the rest is history. 539 00:19:20,119 --> 00:19:22,839 So wait. Wait. No. No. So you go 540 00:19:22,839 --> 00:19:24,919 to Alex. I wanna know what that moment 541 00:19:24,919 --> 00:19:26,759 was like. Oh. You go to Alex and 542 00:19:26,759 --> 00:19:28,679 you're because, of course, Alex believes this is 543 00:19:28,679 --> 00:19:30,914 gonna happen all along. Of course, president's gonna 544 00:19:30,914 --> 00:19:32,934 read his letter. Buh, mom. 545 00:19:33,394 --> 00:19:35,554 But what was that moment like when when 546 00:19:35,554 --> 00:19:38,274 you actually say the White House Alex, the 547 00:19:38,274 --> 00:19:39,174 White House called? 548 00:19:39,554 --> 00:19:42,755 The that's a great question because, I remember 549 00:19:42,755 --> 00:19:44,375 being picked up at the 550 00:19:45,210 --> 00:19:48,250 train station in Scarsdale with my mother-in-law and 551 00:19:48,250 --> 00:19:49,470 my kids in the car. 552 00:19:49,769 --> 00:19:51,690 The au pair was still learning to get, 553 00:19:52,009 --> 00:19:54,190 the routines that my mother-in-law was helping, 554 00:19:54,890 --> 00:19:57,130 and I was so excited. I believe it 555 00:19:57,130 --> 00:19:57,950 was a Friday. 556 00:19:58,674 --> 00:20:00,355 I believe it's it was a Friday because 557 00:20:00,355 --> 00:20:02,115 it was a shorter day for us because 558 00:20:02,115 --> 00:20:04,775 we are Shabbat observers in our university. 559 00:20:07,075 --> 00:20:09,015 And he's in the back, and I say, 560 00:20:09,315 --> 00:20:12,035 Alex, the president read your letter. And my 561 00:20:12,035 --> 00:20:15,200 mother-in-law turns around and she goes, what? And 562 00:20:15,259 --> 00:20:17,839 Alex from the back says, Oman is coming. 563 00:20:18,460 --> 00:20:19,119 That was 564 00:20:19,819 --> 00:20:22,220 so Oh my god. Like, Oman is coming, 565 00:20:22,220 --> 00:20:22,720 mom. 566 00:20:23,099 --> 00:20:24,319 And I said, well, 567 00:20:25,019 --> 00:20:27,524 no. Oman is safe. And then I explained 568 00:20:27,524 --> 00:20:29,605 to him that the president wishes to read 569 00:20:29,605 --> 00:20:32,804 your letter to the United Nations, and would 570 00:20:32,804 --> 00:20:34,024 you like to give permission? 571 00:20:34,484 --> 00:20:35,204 And also 572 00:20:35,605 --> 00:20:36,964 I had no clue what that was. I 573 00:20:36,964 --> 00:20:38,264 was like, yeah. Sure. 574 00:20:39,539 --> 00:20:40,740 And also that, 575 00:20:41,220 --> 00:20:43,299 you know, they were sending a team to 576 00:20:43,299 --> 00:20:43,799 video 577 00:20:44,500 --> 00:20:46,660 him reading the letter. At the time, I'm 578 00:20:46,660 --> 00:20:48,420 thinking they need to vet the story. I 579 00:20:48,420 --> 00:20:49,700 mean, they need to make sure this is 580 00:20:49,700 --> 00:20:50,680 a 6 year old, 581 00:20:51,619 --> 00:20:53,775 writing to the president because it's it's the 582 00:20:53,775 --> 00:20:56,275 president. You don't wanna say something false. 583 00:20:57,055 --> 00:20:58,355 And, yes, 584 00:20:58,654 --> 00:21:00,414 so 2 days later, we had the team 585 00:21:00,414 --> 00:21:00,914 coming, 586 00:21:01,615 --> 00:21:02,115 wonderful 587 00:21:02,414 --> 00:21:02,914 digital 588 00:21:03,295 --> 00:21:03,795 communication 589 00:21:04,095 --> 00:21:05,775 team from the White House. They did the 590 00:21:05,775 --> 00:21:07,795 video with Alex reading the letter. 591 00:21:08,619 --> 00:21:09,119 And, 592 00:21:09,740 --> 00:21:11,579 again, they don't tell you anything if it's 593 00:21:11,579 --> 00:21:12,240 gonna be, 594 00:21:13,019 --> 00:21:15,899 read by the president or when. They did 595 00:21:15,899 --> 00:21:17,740 to the speech at the United Nations, but 596 00:21:17,740 --> 00:21:19,579 they don't know for sure because speeches change 597 00:21:19,579 --> 00:21:21,474 all the the way to last minute. So 598 00:21:21,474 --> 00:21:23,794 I didn't Sure. I I was extremely grateful. 599 00:21:23,794 --> 00:21:25,654 I said, listen. I I cleaned homes 600 00:21:26,034 --> 00:21:28,355 and and washed dishes in restaurants to learn 601 00:21:28,355 --> 00:21:30,514 English, to put myself through school, so this 602 00:21:30,514 --> 00:21:31,894 should not happen to us. 603 00:21:32,595 --> 00:21:34,194 She did warn us that we're gonna get 604 00:21:34,194 --> 00:21:35,575 a lot of media attention. 605 00:21:36,289 --> 00:21:38,369 I said, well, we pay our taxes. We're 606 00:21:38,369 --> 00:21:40,929 good citizens. There is nothing to hide. But 607 00:21:40,929 --> 00:21:42,369 we as long as we don't have to 608 00:21:42,369 --> 00:21:43,349 talk to the media 609 00:21:43,890 --> 00:21:45,569 if we don't want to. And she said 610 00:21:45,569 --> 00:21:47,329 it's fully up to you because at this 611 00:21:47,329 --> 00:21:49,009 time, I'm thinking I have to protect the 612 00:21:49,009 --> 00:21:50,769 6 year old. How was your meeting with 613 00:21:50,769 --> 00:21:51,429 the president? 614 00:21:52,365 --> 00:21:54,125 Oh my god. I mean That's how we 615 00:21:54,125 --> 00:21:55,345 met Terry, actually. 616 00:21:55,724 --> 00:21:57,724 Oh, yes. That's right. That's right. Terry did 617 00:21:57,724 --> 00:21:59,884 tell me that. The kids the kids' forms 618 00:21:59,884 --> 00:22:01,565 don't work in the White House. Right? They 619 00:22:01,644 --> 00:22:02,384 they're blocked. 620 00:22:02,924 --> 00:22:04,684 So I couldn't give him a video to 621 00:22:04,684 --> 00:22:05,585 watch or something. 622 00:22:05,964 --> 00:22:07,744 Trump had just entered 623 00:22:08,419 --> 00:22:10,119 before we entered, and, 624 00:22:11,220 --> 00:22:13,299 he was visiting the White House for the 625 00:22:13,299 --> 00:22:14,519 first time as the president-elect. 626 00:22:15,940 --> 00:22:18,259 And we were next in the appointment. So 627 00:22:18,259 --> 00:22:20,679 the president was delayed with the president-elect, 628 00:22:21,575 --> 00:22:23,174 and we had to wait for 90 minutes 629 00:22:23,174 --> 00:22:24,795 with the 2 kids that are 46. 630 00:22:25,815 --> 00:22:27,974 So Terry and his team were amazing to 631 00:22:27,974 --> 00:22:29,734 giving them pen and paper and trying to 632 00:22:29,734 --> 00:22:31,494 keep them engaged. And But, of course, the 633 00:22:31,494 --> 00:22:33,095 only thing my sister and I wanted was 634 00:22:33,095 --> 00:22:36,154 this fountain soda. They wanted orange soda. 635 00:22:36,950 --> 00:22:39,609 Wearing white with orange soda, I was terrified. 636 00:22:40,150 --> 00:22:42,250 But, yeah, how was it meeting the president 637 00:22:42,309 --> 00:22:43,450 in the Oval Office? 638 00:22:43,910 --> 00:22:46,730 Like, as a kid, you don't really get 639 00:22:46,869 --> 00:22:49,049 stressed or nervous in front of adults. 640 00:22:49,694 --> 00:22:51,534 I have never and even to this day, 641 00:22:51,534 --> 00:22:53,294 I have never been more nervous in my 642 00:22:53,294 --> 00:22:53,794 life. 643 00:22:54,174 --> 00:22:54,575 Never. I 644 00:22:56,174 --> 00:22:58,034 so what happens? You walk in? 645 00:22:58,494 --> 00:23:00,335 I walk in kind of, like, head half 646 00:23:00,335 --> 00:23:01,694 down, head half up, and I'm just kind 647 00:23:01,694 --> 00:23:03,375 of staring there and I see he's like, 648 00:23:03,375 --> 00:23:05,589 hello. It's so nice to meet you. How've 649 00:23:05,589 --> 00:23:07,269 you been? And I'm just like, I'm good. 650 00:23:07,269 --> 00:23:09,269 And I'm just shaking his hand repeatedly. I 651 00:23:09,269 --> 00:23:10,809 have no clue what to do. 652 00:23:11,190 --> 00:23:13,109 And I'll and at the end of he 653 00:23:13,109 --> 00:23:15,109 was talking to us, he was sitting on 654 00:23:15,109 --> 00:23:17,252 the desk of the Oval Office, and I 655 00:23:17,252 --> 00:23:18,595 was looking up at him and he was 656 00:23:18,595 --> 00:23:20,115 telling me how proud he was of me. 657 00:23:20,115 --> 00:23:21,954 And that was really a moment, and that's 658 00:23:21,954 --> 00:23:23,554 where it kind of set in. It's like, 659 00:23:23,554 --> 00:23:25,095 you really did something good. 660 00:23:25,474 --> 00:23:25,794 And, 661 00:23:27,315 --> 00:23:28,934 he asked me if I had any questions 662 00:23:28,994 --> 00:23:31,394 after. And to this day, I'll regret that 663 00:23:31,394 --> 00:23:33,569 question so much. Why do you regret it? 664 00:23:33,569 --> 00:23:35,750 Because I was sick then. Obsessed with vehicles. 665 00:23:35,890 --> 00:23:37,410 I asked because I knew you had a 666 00:23:37,410 --> 00:23:39,250 helicopter. How much people does your helicopter fit? 667 00:23:39,250 --> 00:23:40,690 Out of all the things I could've asked, 668 00:23:40,690 --> 00:23:41,509 I asked that. 669 00:23:41,970 --> 00:23:42,789 How big are 670 00:23:43,490 --> 00:23:44,470 you? That's curiosity. 671 00:23:45,244 --> 00:23:47,565 So, listen, we're gonna be sending president Obama 672 00:23:47,565 --> 00:23:49,664 this podcast, so we're hoping you're listening 673 00:23:49,965 --> 00:23:52,045 to know what impact that he had on 674 00:23:52,045 --> 00:23:54,684 everyone on many other things as well. So 675 00:23:54,684 --> 00:23:56,205 how long would you say you you met 676 00:23:56,205 --> 00:23:56,865 with him? 677 00:23:58,370 --> 00:23:59,890 I mean I mean, it felt like it 678 00:23:59,890 --> 00:24:01,730 felt like minutes. Minutes, but, you know, I 679 00:24:01,730 --> 00:24:03,410 might have wished it lasted hours. I mean, 680 00:24:03,410 --> 00:24:06,309 he was gonna be around. He really was. 681 00:24:06,450 --> 00:24:08,370 He he may after, like, the first couple 682 00:24:08,370 --> 00:24:10,450 seconds, I just lost all my nervousness, and 683 00:24:10,450 --> 00:24:11,269 I was just 684 00:24:11,704 --> 00:24:13,065 really happy to be there. And he was 685 00:24:13,065 --> 00:24:14,585 just such an easy guy to be around. 686 00:24:14,585 --> 00:24:16,184 I mean, he never he was just such 687 00:24:16,184 --> 00:24:18,684 a, like Powerful and 688 00:24:19,144 --> 00:24:21,625 and yet kind. Like, his eyes were smiling. 689 00:24:21,625 --> 00:24:23,865 Everything was smiling. And remember, that was a 690 00:24:23,865 --> 00:24:25,164 hard day for him because 691 00:24:25,549 --> 00:24:27,490 he had to hand over the presidency 692 00:24:28,509 --> 00:24:31,089 to someone who questioned even his birth. 693 00:24:32,509 --> 00:24:35,809 Right? It's it's been crazy. So It has. 694 00:24:36,190 --> 00:24:38,269 And and, you know, with the like well, 695 00:24:38,269 --> 00:24:40,394 I mean, yeah, you you are that part, 696 00:24:40,634 --> 00:24:42,875 is well earned. I'm happy that you got 697 00:24:42,875 --> 00:24:44,335 something that you so deserved. 698 00:24:45,035 --> 00:24:47,275 So definitely shout out to president Obama. He 699 00:24:47,275 --> 00:24:48,414 didn't need to do that. 700 00:24:48,875 --> 00:24:50,715 Right. And, you know, I don't know because 701 00:24:50,715 --> 00:24:53,990 we're in this this place now where, Val, 702 00:24:53,990 --> 00:24:56,309 we watch Gus Wall stand up, you know, 703 00:24:56,309 --> 00:24:57,609 and cheer for his father. 704 00:24:57,990 --> 00:24:59,910 And there was this moment of what a 705 00:24:59,910 --> 00:25:02,230 great mom she was because she just allowed 706 00:25:02,230 --> 00:25:04,549 Gus to be Gus. How'd you feel about 707 00:25:04,549 --> 00:25:05,210 that moment? 708 00:25:06,115 --> 00:25:08,035 I don't think Alex watched it, but for 709 00:25:08,035 --> 00:25:09,174 me, it is 710 00:25:11,394 --> 00:25:13,394 so much freedom for those kids who are 711 00:25:13,394 --> 00:25:16,134 in this situation. Right? Who might feel emotional, 712 00:25:16,194 --> 00:25:18,294 who might feel proud, who might feel, 713 00:25:19,829 --> 00:25:22,169 they don't need to fit a certain box. 714 00:25:22,869 --> 00:25:25,029 And our job as parents is to allow 715 00:25:25,029 --> 00:25:27,109 them. And whether the world accepts it or 716 00:25:27,109 --> 00:25:28,970 not you you mentioned cynicism. 717 00:25:29,589 --> 00:25:31,509 I don't care if people are a cynist 718 00:25:31,509 --> 00:25:32,009 or 719 00:25:32,545 --> 00:25:33,605 haters or 720 00:25:33,984 --> 00:25:36,625 you just have to let love and kindness 721 00:25:36,625 --> 00:25:37,125 win. 722 00:25:37,744 --> 00:25:39,505 And if you don't stand for it in 723 00:25:39,505 --> 00:25:42,384 moments like that that are completely natural as 724 00:25:42,384 --> 00:25:44,244 a kid getting up and being proud, 725 00:25:44,625 --> 00:25:45,684 when will we? 726 00:25:46,140 --> 00:25:46,859 Right? So 727 00:25:47,259 --> 00:25:49,980 Yeah. Can't judge. You cannot judge. This is 728 00:25:49,980 --> 00:25:52,080 not your child. This is not your family. 729 00:25:52,460 --> 00:25:54,559 Just embrace the moment and 730 00:25:56,619 --> 00:25:58,720 find a way to spread love your way. 731 00:25:59,154 --> 00:26:00,835 But but now, come. What is the hardest? 732 00:26:00,835 --> 00:26:03,394 I mean, you got this brilliant, compassionate, kind 733 00:26:03,394 --> 00:26:05,154 kid. But what's the hardest thing about being 734 00:26:05,154 --> 00:26:05,894 his mom? 735 00:26:07,954 --> 00:26:08,934 Love for sports? 736 00:26:09,474 --> 00:26:11,714 Well, no. No. Love for sports is really 737 00:26:11,714 --> 00:26:13,710 good that you have it. When I'm older, 738 00:26:13,710 --> 00:26:15,789 I really wanna be a professional footballer. That's, 739 00:26:15,789 --> 00:26:17,789 like, my number one dream. Okay. Yeah. That's 740 00:26:17,789 --> 00:26:19,869 fine. That's why I'm paying so much to 741 00:26:19,869 --> 00:26:20,929 send him to England. 742 00:26:21,230 --> 00:26:23,089 Okay? So I Yeah. Okay. 743 00:26:23,390 --> 00:26:25,009 I do support his dream. 744 00:26:25,630 --> 00:26:26,849 The challenge is 745 00:26:28,184 --> 00:26:29,644 being so smart 746 00:26:30,024 --> 00:26:33,224 sometimes can set you in very limited ways, 747 00:26:33,224 --> 00:26:35,244 so I want him to open his mind 748 00:26:35,625 --> 00:26:38,204 a bit more. And it's interesting because, 749 00:26:38,664 --> 00:26:40,904 I didn't listen to my parents sometimes. Right? 750 00:26:40,904 --> 00:26:42,825 And it worked out fine. So there will 751 00:26:42,825 --> 00:26:43,410 be this 752 00:26:44,369 --> 00:26:46,849 path where he will challenge me and not 753 00:26:46,849 --> 00:26:49,490 listen. But my only hope is that because 754 00:26:49,490 --> 00:26:52,369 he's so brilliant to not be focused only 755 00:26:52,369 --> 00:26:54,930 on the things he's interested in, but to 756 00:26:54,930 --> 00:26:55,430 open, 757 00:26:55,795 --> 00:26:58,595 right, to open his mind, do something that 758 00:26:58,595 --> 00:27:00,755 he might not like at first, like run 759 00:27:00,755 --> 00:27:01,875 for president. No. I'm joking. 760 00:27:04,674 --> 00:27:05,815 It's it's really 761 00:27:06,195 --> 00:27:08,515 I'm blessed. He's really amazing. I just hope 762 00:27:08,515 --> 00:27:10,515 he keeps an open mind and explore things 763 00:27:10,515 --> 00:27:12,549 beyond his passion. Well, I know where I 764 00:27:12,549 --> 00:27:13,769 got it from. So 765 00:27:15,430 --> 00:27:17,509 Thank you. Do we know what happened to 766 00:27:17,509 --> 00:27:18,009 Omar? 767 00:27:18,630 --> 00:27:20,410 Do we know the end of that story? 768 00:27:20,710 --> 00:27:22,490 I believe he lives in So 769 00:27:23,430 --> 00:27:24,070 It was, 770 00:27:24,470 --> 00:27:24,970 interesting. 771 00:27:25,845 --> 00:27:27,065 Yeah. His 772 00:27:27,444 --> 00:27:30,085 mother left, we heard. His because I met 773 00:27:30,085 --> 00:27:32,005 with people at the United Nations to try 774 00:27:32,005 --> 00:27:33,065 to find out more. 775 00:27:33,525 --> 00:27:35,065 His mother left the family. 776 00:27:35,525 --> 00:27:36,585 One of his brothers 777 00:27:36,884 --> 00:27:37,384 died. 778 00:27:38,085 --> 00:27:40,424 He was older in that in that bombing. 779 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:43,859 His father and the 4 kids 780 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:45,539 left for Damascus, 781 00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:48,720 and there was some political point with the 782 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:50,240 government to try to de 783 00:27:52,400 --> 00:27:54,414 how do you call that word when you 784 00:27:54,414 --> 00:27:57,455 are discredit discredit the story that the white 785 00:27:57,455 --> 00:27:57,955 helmets, 786 00:27:58,815 --> 00:28:01,474 staged this event, that it wasn't real. 787 00:28:01,934 --> 00:28:03,795 There was so much of it later, 788 00:28:04,174 --> 00:28:05,934 and they were showing Omar. But and then 789 00:28:05,934 --> 00:28:07,839 Alex was like, no. But that's his scar. 790 00:28:07,839 --> 00:28:09,599 I see his scar. I still see his 791 00:28:09,599 --> 00:28:11,679 scar even though he's better, and he lives 792 00:28:11,679 --> 00:28:14,339 in a family with, you know, his siblings 793 00:28:14,799 --> 00:28:16,960 and a nice apartment, but I see his 794 00:28:16,960 --> 00:28:19,460 scar. So we did try to find information, 795 00:28:19,679 --> 00:28:20,179 and, 796 00:28:21,394 --> 00:28:22,134 of course, 797 00:28:22,835 --> 00:28:25,714 adapting was much harder than because we die 798 00:28:25,794 --> 00:28:27,414 we tried to explore adapting, 799 00:28:27,714 --> 00:28:29,714 from that war zone with the United Nations, 800 00:28:29,714 --> 00:28:31,734 but we all had to convert to Islam 801 00:28:31,954 --> 00:28:33,255 in order to be approved, 802 00:28:33,900 --> 00:28:36,059 which was something we're not willing I mean 803 00:28:36,299 --> 00:28:38,400 Of course not. Right. Change our religion. 804 00:28:39,180 --> 00:28:41,580 Well, Alex, thank you. Thank you for writing 805 00:28:41,580 --> 00:28:42,160 the letter, 806 00:28:42,700 --> 00:28:44,619 and thank you to your mom for allowing 807 00:28:44,619 --> 00:28:46,460 you to dream to write the letter. And 808 00:28:46,460 --> 00:28:48,220 we're we're waiting to hear the next great 809 00:28:48,220 --> 00:28:50,434 things from you. So you call me up 810 00:28:50,434 --> 00:28:52,275 when you want that first donation or be 811 00:28:52,275 --> 00:28:54,855 your campaign manager. I'm right here for you. 812 00:28:55,315 --> 00:28:56,994 Thank you very much. Thank you so much. 813 00:28:56,994 --> 00:28:57,974 Thank you, guys. 814 00:28:58,595 --> 00:29:01,095 The humanity that a young child can display 815 00:29:02,320 --> 00:29:04,660 who hasn't learned to be cynical or suspicious 816 00:29:04,799 --> 00:29:06,340 or fearful of other people 817 00:29:07,039 --> 00:29:08,880 because of where they're from or how they 818 00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,099 look or how they pray, 819 00:29:10,559 --> 00:29:12,019 we can all learn from Alex. 820 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:13,460 Alex, 821 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:15,059 6 years old. 822 00:29:18,674 --> 00:29:20,755 This has been a production of Balancing Life's 823 00:29:20,755 --> 00:29:23,315 Issues with your hosts, Kai Sorenson and Wendy 824 00:29:23,315 --> 00:29:25,494 Welner. Produced by me, Kai. 825 00:29:25,795 --> 00:29:27,875 Rate, leave a review, and subscribe to the 826 00:29:27,875 --> 00:29:29,950 podcast wherever you listen so you can get 827 00:29:29,950 --> 00:29:32,269 brand new episodes as they drop. Got an 828 00:29:32,269 --> 00:29:34,769 idea for the show? Email me, kai@balancinglife'sissues.com. 829 00:29:37,309 --> 00:29:38,450 Anything to add, Miles?