GOOD TIMES/BAD TIMES THIS IS MY FAMILY

For the 30 minute video film of my
family made on November 11, 2020
which could lighten the darkness
of quarentine.

Clic k Here

AN AFFIRMATION OF LIFE ON APRIL 11. 2020

In January my son Ed who lives and works in Wahington DC, and my other son Andrew and his family who live in New York City, began to make plans to visit my brother Ed and his family in Florida to cellebrate my brother's 80th Birthday.  We purchased our plane tickets and booked hotel accomodations.

In February I  went to visit my son in Washington, DC.  It was a lovely trip and we visited a number of places I had not visited before.  We spent  a morning at the United Botanical Garden which displays trees and shrubs from countries around the world.  We visited The National Musuem of the  American Indians.  Both are staffed by volunteers and funded by the United States Government. When we visited both places excited children sat on the floor writing notes from the information-packed exhibits.

On the way back to St. Louis the flight was uneventful, but I notice that a few people wore face masks.  The woman who took the window seat next to me brought a package of wipes with her and began to wipe down the window she was leaning against. Since that time and now my family has been under quarentin wherever they were and plans for old-fashioned-birthday bash for my brother Ed's 80th and his 2nd Reading of the Torah were halted .

In Paris, my brother's daughter, her husband and granddaughter are quarentined as are my brother, his wife and grandson who were with them preparing for The PGA Nationals for College Students.   My sister who had just moved to Florida found that when her daughter came from New York to visit no flights were available to take her back.  In short, the corono virus had upset human planning.

In between all this tumult my brother's youngest son Kenny was still in London on business.  In the meantime, he and his sister Robynne and cousin Connie went ahead with plans they had made for Ed's 80th birthday.  Through the power of technology Kenny was able to assign tasks for all members of the family to help produce a 30 minute video film with music that had us all crying and laughing at the same time.  I invite you to see it now as I believe it brings light to the darkness of qurentine.

https://vimeo.com/406591891?ref=em-v-share
Link here

WHERE DO WE LOOK FOR INSPIRATION?

On March 29,  the sky was crystal-clear except for a few feathery clouds.  Venus was shining brightly just below a sliver of the Moon. As I looked,  a helicopter flew between them and ducked into one of the clouds as if to pull a curtain between the Moon and Venus.  I sighed at the sight.

Even now, when everything, everywhere seems chaotic, we look to what we know or "own" to solve or mitigate a problem.  We need to take a moment to look at something beyond  ourselves, something
worthy of our awe.  We will need to be strong wthin ourselves for the changes ahead.  When we look to the sky, we realize we are but one of many humans,  creatures and lands that inhabit this planet.  We know too that we will overcome ignorance, pestilence and greed to enjoy the beauty of life.

I learned that as I watched the predetermined celestial rhythm take place on March 29.

                                        Keep well and keep in touch.

 Have a good Passover and Easter.

                                                 

"FEAR IN MARCH 2020"

FEAR WARPS US

EACH DAY BECOMES MORE BEWILDERING

AUTHORITY TOO IS WEAKENED

UNTIL WE REMEMBER FRIENDS, FAMILY

ALL THE STUFF  THAT UNITES US

LIKE OUR FOREBEARERS

TOGETHER WE WILL SURVIVE.

Keep well and keep in touch.

Beverly D. Rehfeld

***

LUKE SKYWALKER AND DARTH VADER

My apartment house in St. Louis has issued a number of guidelines to help residents outsmart the enamy who could be in our midst.  The enemy creeps close to us.  We are never quite sure when Darth Vader will attack or how. We have elected Luke Skywalker to help us overcome the enemy with facts and scientific information.
.
Skywalker tells us to select an apartment.  We do so.  He does not provide a time sensitive lease. He says our apartments are off limits to each other.  He tells us we need to wash our hands and to use disinfectants.  We ask why? His answers seem far fetched, unreasonable. Our leader tells us we must avoid public areas and assigns different  niches for different uses.  We are bewildered. We knew we were at the start of some huge change in our lives, but we were not sure about what it can mean to each of us.  Skywalker reminds us that we are all in this together

The sun hides behind the clouds.  Darth Vader's shadow falls upon our gardens, farms and rivers.  We listen for the crack of lightning.  We are assured by the presence of Skywalker 's Lieutenants Floyd and Scott who single-handly keep protective watch over the weekend.

And I wonder what will happen if we do not respect guidelines given to us by Luke Skywalker.

Keep well and keep in touch.

Beverly

PANDEMIC VIEW FROM ST. LOUIS

When I came to St. Louis in 2004, I volunteered to work for a national health insurance company.  At one informal session, I asked people what were the differences between the East Coast and  the midwest.  One woman said, "My daddy said no matter east, west, north or south, Missouri will always survive!" I kept remembering that as I looked out my window from my nine-story-high apartment into a dense fog and rain and listened to reports of the fast creeping Coronavirus. Fast forward to March 12, 2020 and Don's call to me to take our morning walk in the Mall.  I did not go. Instead, I went down stairs and walked in the long hallway in my apartment complex.

Posted at the front door was a large, authoritative sign with details about the disease. A list of dos and don'ts suggested how each person might avoid contamination.  Much of the information had been circulated already by newspapers and media.  I walked on and found our maintainance-crew busy setting up rooms for meetings.  I passed the small ground-floor cafe and saw staff and volunteers serving people and readying the place for weekly mahjong games.  As I made these observations, I thought of our planet and how vulnerable we are to each other.

So who are we here in Missouri?  Parks and lakes, educational and cultural institutions and the coming together of two of the country's greatest rivers have made all of Missouri a place to be visited and live. At the same time, we are not without our stubburn brand of citizens who have and do disparage "newcomers."  We have overcome disasters and floods on our own without major governmental help.  But now we share with the rest of the country a sense of unease about changes we need to make to confront the malicious enemy before us. We shall make whatever changes are necessary to ensure individual safety while maintaining fair and equitable communities.  And we shall do so on behalf of our neighbors, our families, our children and of generations to come.

Keep well and keep in touch.

Beverly

On the Sun

'Twas the Sun that woke me this morn

He smiled brightly as if to say

Awake, awake start the day

Life is all about us

Not locked up in a clock or medicine chest.

ODE TO A ROBOT

Once, not too long ago
a small red robot lived in the bottom
of a tool maker's grey tool box.

Every once in a while
the tool maker would put the robot
in the window of his shop so the robot
could see the sun or moon or billowing
clouds in a blue sky.

One day a lady came into the shop and said
I want to buy the robot to give to my friend.
The tool maker asked the lady, "Why?"

She said I think the robot is magical.
It would do a good job of entertaining my friend
so my friend does not get lonely when I go away.

So the lady bought the shiny red robot
and gave it to her friend who never
was lonely again.

DEAL-MAKING IN AMERICA

President Donald Trump said, "I make great deals for our country"(*) when he was asked about his reaction to his impeachment trial. Perhaps our president is not aware that many voters came here  from other countries to escape tyrants who ruled without law.  Many people came to America for the opportunity to gain education, freedom of religion, and an economic class-less environment.  They came here and found that environment, not because of one individual or political party, but because people trusted each other and valued truth, honesty and respect for law and a free press.

This country has committed wrongs and injustices in the past.  Changes were made rapidly, and sometimes we lacked the fortitude, wisdom and patience necessary to move on to new responsibilities as citizens.  Today our legal recourse is in the power of the voters in local, state and congressional representation as well as national elections.  As citizens, we need to take on the  responsibility of learning why the outcome of the impeachment process of Donald Trump could imperil all we hold dear, here and around the world.

See you at the polls!

___________________

(*) New York Times
January 23, 2020
Gail Collins

WHY THE HOTEL WORKERS UNION WON

When I read "Hotel Workers' Union Morphed Into an Imposing Political Force."*  I thought of many friends who had worked so heard to make this happen but were not around to see it come to pass.

I lived in Atlantic City in 1960. The City was called the Playground of the World.  Located on Absecon lsland it had a boardwalk that ran from the inter coastal waters to where the Bay met the Atlantic Ocean. The inland waterway was a beehive of activity. Its docks provided a safe haven for small sailing boats to giant, luxurious yachts.  Streets held bars,  seafood restaurants and bait shops all privately owned,  hired seasonal workers for minimal salary and  tips.

On the Ocean side of the Island huge castle-like hotels fronted the Boardwalk and beaches.  Each hotel was staffed by people who provided everything a guest could desire.  Food, drinks, hair and maid services, valet and babysitters were provided with ease and often at all hours.  The Traymore, Chalfonte Haddon Hall, and the Claridge rented suites for the summer season or held them year around.  Part of employee training and rules was that guest needs were the priority for which the employee was responsible. Yet, no job security or health benefits were part of management's responsibility. In the 70's the City began to look seedy. Shops like Reese Palley's, Charles of Atlantic City and Needlecraft worked to allow Casino Gambling to turn the City around. Casino gambling was going to bring back prosperity.

I left Atlantic City to work in Washington DC.  I tried to keep up with friends who remained in Atlantic City, but I don't know really how much injustice and corruption still exists.  I do know that when I read the account of Peter Ward, president of the Hotel Trades Union and what he said to people to organize them I was thrilled.  Ward said, the definition of stupid is a person who doesn't exercise some kind of enlightened self-interest to gain the power to be heard and to do it through the
democratic process.

Now get out there and vote!

 _________________________

 *New York Times November 3
J. David Goodman