MLK

MLK's birthday has always been a big thing with my mother. There was always a cake. There was always a discussion at the dinner table that night. There was always a great deal of respect for a man I know only through what history has told me.

Mom's message to us last night was that Paul McCartney had written Blackbird to honor and commemorate the struggles of black American's in the sixties. I had no idea.

Over the years, I have learned more about the man himself. His horseplay, his friends, the men and women who stood by his side in the face of such incredible adversity. Each generation has their heroes; this year, I found myself wondering who would take MLK's lead and walk us forward into our next American chapter. Whether it is eradicating homophobia, xenophobia, poverty, religious intolerance or any of the other major social issues we face on a daily basis, who will follow MLK's lead?

Winslow was already asleep when I arrived home last night. Emiko and I sat at the dinner table at talked about MLK. About how it was an important man's birthday. About how he struggled to make things right in a world where there was injustice, where some people were being "mean" to others. I struggled to find the right words to frame for her 3 year old intellect how MLK helped correct the course of history.

After we spoke, Emi turned to Hope and said, "Mommy, it is Martin Luther King's birthday today. Can we have cake?" My mother will be so proud.

He would have been 83 this year.

I remembered that today is a special day!!!

Today is the birthday of a wonderful and dearly loved friend. Our friendship dates back to high school when we met in the trumpet section of band class. That was, wow, 17 years ago at Waterville Senior High. Funny how those days were so simple. We could spend hours sitting on top of my old truck, staring at the clouds. She was there the first time I had a silly, goofy little grin after my first date with my wife to be. I'd love to say she followed me to Middlebury but we all know she belonged at Midd far more than did I. Upon graduation, she was here in Colorado for several years, joining me on such late night excursions as a Rover trip into the snowy mountains to huddle in sleeping bags and watch the Leonids. She has since moved to San Fran where she introduced me to Gockey and then Boston where she has earned her Master's Degree.

The point is, she has been around to support me during all the momentous points of my life. She has been a sounding board for ideas, a critic and helper of the songs I have written, a crutch for when I've needed support, a Reverend for a wedding and a close friend of Hope for years.

I owe a great deal my friend and my little sister. Today I owe her a big hug for her 30th birthday. Sadly, I am too far away so this will have to do.

Happy Birthday, Reverend Phoebe!