MUSIC: CALMING PEOPLE THROUGH DURESS?

One evening, late in April a friend and I went out to listen to three unusual musicians. The weather that night was a part of the storm system that had created havoc around the world. The rain never seemed to end creating flooding in rivers and streams.

Even so, the small out of the way place we were in was crowded with people.

The three musicians and their instruments  were an unusual combination. There was an Irish piper
playing unilleann pipes, a guitarist and one playing bass.  All three were well known and played jazz country-western and blue grass favorites.

Before the evening was over, four other musicians who had been in the audience were acknowledged and joined in for a real jam session.

As I sat there that night, and the rain and flooding continued I remembered that so much of history records that music has often been a way of providing hope even in the most turbulent time as it did that night.

WHAT IS JOY?

In April I described a small book which was written and  self published by me  called JOY.

At the time I explained that I had published only 20 copies which I sent to friends, family and former colleagues.

The book was a compilation of stories I sent my grandchildren more than 20 years ago when they were very young.

There was considerable interest by readers who asked for copies.
I believe they too understand that we adults and society have much to learn from children.

I promised to send an outline of the book along with a listing of the stories I developed.

My grandchildren are now adults taking on their own  responsibilities as contributing members to our society and this world.

The book came about because of the interest and support given me by  Felice Barsky Silverman of Ardmore, Pennsylvania who read every story I wrote and encouraged me to publish them.

A friend here in St. Louis, Missouri helped me gather together old, yellowed copies and created the book's design and title.

The final product was and is a simple story of values and imagination.

                                        STORIES ONCE ENJOYED

TREES: EMMA AND HOBEN BECOME ENVIRONMENTALLY AWARE.

THE SLIDING BOARD; EMMA BECOMES ATHLETIC.

HOBEN'S GAME: HOBEN INVENTS HIS VANISHING GAME.

I'M PROUD OF ME! EMMA DISCOVERS HER OWN SELF ESTEEM.

WHAT DO GROWNUPS DO?  EMMA AND HOBEN AND COUSINS RACHEL AND JASON
DISCUSS GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES.

BUGGY MORNING: HOBEN LEARNS ABOUT OVERCOMING FEAR ON A MORNING
WALK WITH HIS PARENTS ,

TAY-O THE KITTY:  EMMA TELLS HER CAT WHAT TO DO TO OVERCOME WHINING.

THE RED WAGON: EMMA TAKES A TRIP.

THE TURTLE: EMMA AND HOBEN LEARN ABOUT PRIVACY ON A WALK WITH THEIR PARENTS.

IT'S ME! EMMA INTRODUCES HERSELF TO THE WORLD.

RED HAT, BLUE HAT, NO HAT AT ALL EMMA AND HOBEN WANT TO  MAKE SOME
PERSONAL COSMETIC CHANGES.

                                                      * * * * * *

"JOY" THROUGH GRANDCHILDREN'S EYES*

Late in the dreary month of March, I came across a very old file.  It held 12 stories I had written to my two small grandchildren when they and  I lived far from each other.  

The stories reminded me how much children, grandchildren and family can teach everyone even when we live in tumultuous times with noise levels blurring thinking and common sense.

Yet, we need to move forward finding ways  toward improvement and leaving self recrimination behind us.

But how to do this when often as a writer I have sounded more political than poetic, or when a good rant often stirs the hearts of my readers?

So was born the idea for my self-published book called "Joy."

With the help of a close friend, I took the stories I had written more than twenty years ago gathered them together and self published "Joy." The small book deals with things my grandchildren, Emma and Hoben experienced and did when they were very young children.

The stories have now provided me and them with the opportunity to share memories and laughter as we look to the future and our growth as people.

Perhaps, the next time when we speak of what we want for our children and grandchildren we need to first understand what the world means to them in terms of language and values they can understand.

                         ________________________________________


*Even though only twenty copies of "Joy" was published, I am in the process of writing a summary for readers who heard about it and requested  a copy.

EULOGY TO ARNOLD*

Within the past year, I received news of the deaths of three of my first cousins.  One was a man named Arnold Rosenberg.  His Life and his legacy is recounted by his younger brother in the following Eulogy to Arnold*.

I believe it is a vivid and timely account of how much family and our country meant and means to all of us as well as those who are no longer here.

*With permission of Stanley Rosenberg
Eulogy to Arnold at Stanley Rosenberg <philly-fatz@hotmail.com

PERRYVILLE MISSOURI RESPONDS TO TORNADO*

We heard the news first thing in the morning. A tornado had touched down in Perryville, Missouri, a quaint, town about 90 miles South of St. Louis.

The tornado tore through a path 15-miles long and one-half to three-quarters of a mile wide as it roared toward the Mississippi River. In its wake 115 mph winds destroyed a small subdivision of homes, leveling some, creating major damage to others and injuring people who did not take shelter.

A friend called a colleague in Perryville to ask if we could help. We were asked  to bring some supplies even though we had been advised to stay away from the area.

We were detoured around the exact area of touch down and directed to go to a staging area where we found the temporary office for volunteers and first-responders.  As we drove in, I noticed a number of women and children from neighboring communities carrying food dishes and other items.

The experience allowed us the privilege of supporting people from regions other than our own.

Most impressive was the well organized effort by volunteers as they recovered from what surely must have been a night of horror as they worked and walked into the following day's sunshine.


*The St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Report and overview of the destruction
can be found at: Ken Bell, kbelle@postdispatch.com
March 2, 2017 edition.

FEBRUARY SKYWATCH*

VENUS DARLING OF THE SKY

ENTERTAINED US JUST A FEW DAYS AGO

DANCING CLOSE TO THE MOON IN CLEAR SKIES

HIDES NOW, AS DO WE BEFORE THE WINDS OF MARCH

RETREATING UNTIL SPRING COMES TO STAY.





*Every once in  while we sum up the month's weather
and planetary movement. We do so believing weather
could be the unifying force for all regions of our country
if not the world.

A BOY NAMED JACK

As the month of March got underway the cold winds were blowing when an elderly lady walked into the coffee shop were I sat.  She was pushing a stroller with a small child in it.  The child's eyes caught my attention.

I later learned the child's name was Jack.  He was wearing a colorful turban-like head cover. The woman pushing him was his grandmother, she told me the child's name was Jack and he was two years old.

Jack  had just had surgery to have a small plate implanted in his skull to help him regain his ability to hear.  Jack was born without the ability to hear.

There are medical terms about the surgery Jack had as there are scientific ones about
the technology which is now a part of Jack.  The small colorful head piece he wore covered a tiny switch which controlled volume on two hearing aids which he wears, not always with enthusiasm.

Later, a friend knowledgeable about the medical procedure told me it may have been the cochlear implant,

What intrigued  me most about Jack was his eagerness to take in all about him and his grandmother's attention to him.  His smile was infectious.

There was little time for all of us to talk but I did learn that Jack and his family were part of a  government medical health research program that now incorporates technology.

With all the misinformation, with all the flaws we may or may not have about existing government health programs, for me Jack represented a good reason to look to dedicated public servants and research to help show us the way to the future.