I have not been jumping up and down with excitement about the inauguration. Don't get me wrong it is exciting, wonderful in fact. A day of celebration. A day of change. But for me the great day was the election. There was work to do, and people coming out of every nook and cranny to do it. There was a cause, a reason, a call, and miraculously Americans came out to answer it. So Inauguration Day? Eh. The real work starts tomorrow.
And then this morning, instead of waking up to news reports of people dead in Gaza, bombs in Israel, and corruption on this side of the pond, I woke up to a very different tone. Story after story came from reporters, on the street corners and metro stations of Washington, reporting on the build-up of today. The world was moving,not flooding, but moving, toward the mall, towards the capitol, towards... something new, and exciting.
As each reporter wrapped up their story, the commentator from back home in the warm radio station would ask them, "Are there any problems? What's the mood there?"
And there were no problems.
Almost unbelievingly, each reporter on the street would reaffirm it. No, it's true, everyone's happy. Everyone's excited. Everyone's working together.
And then came the story of Ella Mae Johnson. Ms. Johnson is 105 years old. She has seen a swath of the Civil Rights Movement that the world can only read about to understand. She was there. She experienced it, the good and the bad. And when November 4th called Obama to office, she made a decision. She was going to Washington.
It didn't matter what her nurses said to convince her, what steps needed to be taken to get her there, Ella Mae Johnson was going. She wanted to see this part of history with her own eyes.
So as I lay in bed, burrowed in the warm weight of down and flannel, I picture Ms. Johnson, and her nurse, putting on pearls and a warm coat, hat, gloves, and probably a blanket, and pushing her wheelchair up the street to be in a sea of millions. And this centennial social worker (that's right, she's a social worker) has once again answered the call of her profession, and mobilized me.
And reminded me that happiness, celebration, and success, can be the best ways to motivate people to change.
Thanks Ella Mae.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Do
I was presented with two videos today.
This is a lesser-known speech from MLK, known as his "Beyond Vietnam" speech. I realize it was 40 years earlier, but it fits so well with imagery from our present wars, and is profoundly saddening to me because of this. Have we learned nothing in 40 years? What will it take, to have these relatively simple, and I would argue universal concepts understood by those with the power to make change?
We all have the power, somehow, some way.
Being presented with these challenges, I question my desire to do other work. How dare I spend my time organizing artistry in the midwest when there is so much pain, suffering, inequality and wrong in the world? It is too overwhelming, and I feel like I cowardly retreat to my glue bucket and spreadsheets. I should be out there, stopping the soldiers from shooting, the tanks from rolling, the pangs of hunger and the oppression spirits.
But then I see magic. A spark in a studio conversation. An exchange amongst crew. A moment caught on film. And I think, there is a possibility to make change, to create happiness and raise hopes, through a method that makes me happy too. They've got to have a reason to live if you're going to enable them to eat.
And then I see stories like this, and I see everyone who watches this smile.
And I realize what is possible.
This is a lesser-known speech from MLK, known as his "Beyond Vietnam" speech. I realize it was 40 years earlier, but it fits so well with imagery from our present wars, and is profoundly saddening to me because of this. Have we learned nothing in 40 years? What will it take, to have these relatively simple, and I would argue universal concepts understood by those with the power to make change?
We all have the power, somehow, some way.
Being presented with these challenges, I question my desire to do other work. How dare I spend my time organizing artistry in the midwest when there is so much pain, suffering, inequality and wrong in the world? It is too overwhelming, and I feel like I cowardly retreat to my glue bucket and spreadsheets. I should be out there, stopping the soldiers from shooting, the tanks from rolling, the pangs of hunger and the oppression spirits.
But then I see magic. A spark in a studio conversation. An exchange amongst crew. A moment caught on film. And I think, there is a possibility to make change, to create happiness and raise hopes, through a method that makes me happy too. They've got to have a reason to live if you're going to enable them to eat.
And then I see stories like this, and I see everyone who watches this smile.
And I realize what is possible.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Notice beauty in all contexts
Below is the short version of a true story. For the longer article, with video footage, go here: ttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html
"Violinist in the Metro --- Wash, DC
A man sat at a metro station in Washington, DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. Only 27 of 1097 passengers stopped. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?"
"Violinist in the Metro --- Wash, DC
A man sat at a metro station in Washington, DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that thousand of people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried up to meet his schedule. A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping continued to walk. A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. Only 27 of 1097 passengers stopped. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the best musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written with a violin worth 3.5million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston and the seats average $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of an social experiment about perception, taste and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?"
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
To the ones fighting over there
It takes the braver, stronger, wiser person
to say enough is enough
and put the guns away.
Do you
yes you
the one person
in the line of many
do you know the power you have?
You can take a life with one finger
but you can give life
to many
by putting the rocket down
standing up to those who think they know
but have never been questioned
and tell them that this is wrong.
You have the power
to change things.
Please try.
to say enough is enough
and put the guns away.
Do you
yes you
the one person
in the line of many
do you know the power you have?
You can take a life with one finger
but you can give life
to many
by putting the rocket down
standing up to those who think they know
but have never been questioned
and tell them that this is wrong.
You have the power
to change things.
Please try.
