Love - the Balm to Salve Earth's Wounds

WE Can Pour It Out This Mother's Day

The sun rises implacably today as it rose on Caesar, on Jesus, on Hitler and Mussolini - ages past. What makes the difference is how we the people respond.

Happiest day, beloved Joy Train Rider! Bless you. I love you. I feel as if I could stop at this point, because after a spirited meditation and prayer session I feel like a sunbeam radiating love to the world. What can I say that could improve that? Even a warbler just came to visit that I’ve never seen before.

Still, the specific experiences that led me here this week are so mundane and powerful I feel impelled to share them in hopes something resonates with you. On today’s trip we’re going to take a bird’s eye view sharing the efforts of some of our friends and collaborators who are helping to create that “better world” we so desire.

Let’s start at our house where we’re celebrating Frank’s Happy 87th Birthday! The silver-tongued fox woke up, took his ablutions and came to kiss me first thing as he usually does, today whispering, “You’re my present.” Swoon.

He was born here in Abbeville, Alabama, 1937, (the nearest McDonalds was a 20-mile drive away when he brought me here in the 90s.)  His grandparents wouldn’t allow his parents to take him to Florida when his dad moved there for work until he was four years old, for fear he’d be eaten by alligators. So, he spent time here tromping down to the rivers and sloughs with his grandfather; learning to shoot with his .22 rifle on holidays in the summer. His uncle taught him to shoot only what they would eat.

Fourteen years behind him, here I am in Jamaica, my feet splashing in the cool clear water of my gully behind my Grandma Ida as she goes to pick food for dinner off the breadfruit and banana trees. She digs up yam and coco from the ground and picks ackee from the trees and callaloo for our meal.

These shared experiences of being cherished and supported on 0and by - the land, probably contribute to what makes us a good fit.

Pop in with us to the plaza where yesterday we’re coming from an appointment, and a group of four young people on the stairs are apparently promoting a product. We get to talking and I proudly share Frank’s age and the fact we’ve been married almost 32 years. Laugh out loud as one young man clutches his chest and groans, “I will never make it that long.” I assure them love can get even better over time, and a young woman named Dashiki says she has to take our picture. with this result.

Celebrating he last day of Frank’s 86th year.

Now let’s get onboard with our longtime friend and colleague Dr Carolyn Finney, on her way to Marrakech, Morocco where she will co- lead conversations about cultural connections and global history before visiting Casablanca to share her story with Dar America, part of the U.S. Consulate. Wow! Don’t you want to visit the iconic Rick’s Cafe from the movie?