Memorial Day is a day for picnics, colorful displays of crepe paper and balloons adorning children's wagons and home-made floats. Across the country, fire engines come down neighborhood streets, blowing their get out of my way horns, and firemen wave to the small crowds as they pass. I am reminded of all this by a small picture of my grandchildren taken seven years ago as they were decorating their float.
It is a day when middle-aged men and women can be seen on the streets, in cars and buses wearing military caps representing the military unit of the war(s) in which they served. Memorial Day is a celebration of our courage and our willingness to overcome the good war, bad war rhetoric and pay homage to the men and women who gave and give their lives in battle.
At the same time, it is a day when children will call us from a picnic blanket to play ball, or fly a kit, or read a story, or seek our praise for something they have discovered in the ground, on a stone, or in the water. Memorial Day, regardless of the weather or national crisis, is a day when we can enjoy that which we have and be grateful for the wonder of where we are.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
THE HORROR UNFOLDS AND CONTINUES
Forty years ago the first Earth Day was held. At the time, I became interested in the wetlands. I was and still am fascinated by the productivity of these lands. They play a crucial role as nesting areas for fish, foul, and birds. They protect our coasts against violent storms. They share their bounty of seafood with people, markets and wildlife.
For more than a month I have watched and read with horror the cold blooded reports of lives lost, the wetlands and businesses decimated as oil comes belching out of a ruptured pipeline a mile deep into the Gulf of Mexico.
Rube Goldberg type of remedies have been suggested and tried to stop the flow, but did not. Representatives of governmental agencies and the oil drilling industry have been appointed by Congress and the White House to learn what went wrong. Yet, in the middle of all this, there are few voices suggesting that land and sea will no longer tolerate our arrogant abuses, or that we will have to alter the way we live.
I hope a way is found to stop the flow. But as I write this, the newspapers report that another oil rig is drilling off Alaska in the Arctic Ocean. A sign on the rig says, "Drill, Baby, Drill!"
For more than a month I have watched and read with horror the cold blooded reports of lives lost, the wetlands and businesses decimated as oil comes belching out of a ruptured pipeline a mile deep into the Gulf of Mexico.
Rube Goldberg type of remedies have been suggested and tried to stop the flow, but did not. Representatives of governmental agencies and the oil drilling industry have been appointed by Congress and the White House to learn what went wrong. Yet, in the middle of all this, there are few voices suggesting that land and sea will no longer tolerate our arrogant abuses, or that we will have to alter the way we live.
I hope a way is found to stop the flow. But as I write this, the newspapers report that another oil rig is drilling off Alaska in the Arctic Ocean. A sign on the rig says, "Drill, Baby, Drill!"
Monday, May 10, 2010
IS CREATIVITY SHUNNED FOR THE FAMILIAR?
I belong to "Booksters." As the name implies, we are a group of women who get together every five weeks to discuss and select a book we read. The books we read are not necessarily current titles. As an example, recently we read "Haroun and the Sea of Stories," a novel by Salman Rushdie, first published in America in 1990.
When I started this book, the names of people and places seemed to be testing my imaginative agility. Many of them were derived from Hindustani words which were foreign and confusing. As I read on, I realized many of the verses were quite musical and begged to be sung. Strange names or not,I would have enjoyed reading the fast paced adventures out loud to a young child.
It was an enriching experience to read this small book with the strange title. It encouraged me to leave the mundane and go to places I may not have known. Yet, this author, musicians and artists are shunned because of artistic creativity. Is it because they urge us to go beyond the familiar and explore places which are different?
When I started this book, the names of people and places seemed to be testing my imaginative agility. Many of them were derived from Hindustani words which were foreign and confusing. As I read on, I realized many of the verses were quite musical and begged to be sung. Strange names or not,I would have enjoyed reading the fast paced adventures out loud to a young child.
It was an enriching experience to read this small book with the strange title. It encouraged me to leave the mundane and go to places I may not have known. Yet, this author, musicians and artists are shunned because of artistic creativity. Is it because they urge us to go beyond the familiar and explore places which are different?
Saturday, May 8, 2010
HARRY S. TRUMAN'S BIRTHDAY: MAY 8, 1884
Today is the birthday of Harry S. Truman who served as our 33rd President after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. Truman was a controversial president. When he took office, he was derided because he was "nothing more" than a failed men's store owner who spent years paying off his debts. In the 21st Century, he might have been called an entrepreneur, though a failed one.
During Truman's Presidency, he gave the order to drop two atomic bombs on Japan which ended World War II. He strengthened our country's policy of civilian control over the military when he fired a military General for failing to adhere to that policy. He held himself accountable to his fellow citizens and announced it with a sign on his desk that read "The buck stops here." His actions proved his word. He spoke truth to power and often seemed in constant battle with Congress. He carried himself as a plain speaking, thoughtful man who delighted in his family, his morning walks and his Missouri heritage. He wasn't known for patience with others or himself when he may have miss spoken or made a poor judgement call.
Yet, I scoured my morning paper for some acknowledgement of Truman and his birth date. There was none. I do know that a few weeks ago, in the midst of a busy, legialative season, the Missouri legislature was trying to overturn a Bill that provides a day of Commemoration for their native son. I know that a few years back a 9 billion Congressional Bill for restoration work by the US National Park Service was stalled because Congress objected to the 1.4 million that would apply to restoring Truman's birthplace, farm and museum.
Reflecting on all this, I wondered if it was anger over the outcome of the loss of Dewey to Truman of so many years ago that kept Missouri from recognizing its native son?
During Truman's Presidency, he gave the order to drop two atomic bombs on Japan which ended World War II. He strengthened our country's policy of civilian control over the military when he fired a military General for failing to adhere to that policy. He held himself accountable to his fellow citizens and announced it with a sign on his desk that read "The buck stops here." His actions proved his word. He spoke truth to power and often seemed in constant battle with Congress. He carried himself as a plain speaking, thoughtful man who delighted in his family, his morning walks and his Missouri heritage. He wasn't known for patience with others or himself when he may have miss spoken or made a poor judgement call.
Yet, I scoured my morning paper for some acknowledgement of Truman and his birth date. There was none. I do know that a few weeks ago, in the midst of a busy, legialative season, the Missouri legislature was trying to overturn a Bill that provides a day of Commemoration for their native son. I know that a few years back a 9 billion Congressional Bill for restoration work by the US National Park Service was stalled because Congress objected to the 1.4 million that would apply to restoring Truman's birthplace, farm and museum.
Reflecting on all this, I wondered if it was anger over the outcome of the loss of Dewey to Truman of so many years ago that kept Missouri from recognizing its native son?
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
LIFE LONG LEARNING EXPERIENCE?
When I arrived in St. Louis, I took a weekly course on the Bible which I still attend. Shortly thereafter I added a six-week course on the Greek Philosophers given by Washington University's Life Long Learning Institute, and this season, I enrolled in a course on Politics at the Institute.
Fellow students range in age from 50 to a gentleman in his 90s. All represent an impressive range of experience, professions and life styles. Some still pursue careers. Some work part time. Others are retired. Some have children and grandchildren. Our dress is eclectic. Suits and ties, dresses and heels, Jeans and sneakers, canes and walkers, wheel chairs, hearing aids are worn and used.
In all my classes I am struck by the similarity of the people here in the mid West to those in the East. I've learned that the Mississippi may divide us geographically but we share the same emotional and laissez-faire opinions about religion and politics as are heard and seen in the East. All of us are as susceptible to reaching conclusions without reason as are the most brilliant among us.
I wonder, doesn't our life long learning experience tell us better?
Fellow students range in age from 50 to a gentleman in his 90s. All represent an impressive range of experience, professions and life styles. Some still pursue careers. Some work part time. Others are retired. Some have children and grandchildren. Our dress is eclectic. Suits and ties, dresses and heels, Jeans and sneakers, canes and walkers, wheel chairs, hearing aids are worn and used.
In all my classes I am struck by the similarity of the people here in the mid West to those in the East. I've learned that the Mississippi may divide us geographically but we share the same emotional and laissez-faire opinions about religion and politics as are heard and seen in the East. All of us are as susceptible to reaching conclusions without reason as are the most brilliant among us.
I wonder, doesn't our life long learning experience tell us better?
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