This is a reflection of the life, times and creativity of a self described creative soul... A sponge, a mirror, a cloth... I absorb all surroundings and let my thoughts redirect it's energy toward my fingers and sometimes my eyes because the pictures you see, I create them too! Captured moments of life...
Reaching for dreams away from the scene of the crime; obscene. The time I put into wasting away, sad, misery, fading in the game playing of another's existence. Walking around like hot sand stuck to my face; eyes hidden. I tasted something I never imagined but always knew could be reality. Like a magnet I flew head first; smack! It took a dream to pry myself away from the misery. A reminder like a brick thrown in my direction. The mirror shattered. I didn't need the view anyway. I wore my reflection on my sleeve. All I had to do was lift my arm and sniff. The dirt at the end of my sleeve represented my future in two ways. Either I was gonna jump or fly, make it or die, live, hurt, fight, climb, reach, use my mind again and remember those dreams that I put aside. Bring them back to the forefront. I'm making effort more than a try...
Time never waits, never stalls, never blinks; it just keeps on going but it always leaves something behind in ways that everyone can relate. Everybody gotta story, a journey; a life… our footprints are etched in everything we do or have done during this time. Those footprints aren’t necessarily in the sand but in the hearts, minds, thoughts of others; be it good, bad or indifferent. Every once in a while time strikes me like lightning. I look around not so much literally but in searching through the pages of memories that flash throughout my mind. My mental file cabinet runs deep like the thousands of pages you’d find in some old county courthouse of small town America. It’s amazing to sift through pages like that. I used to go to the courthouse in Daingerfield, Texas where I’d discover family members I never knew about and some that I’ve heard about in stories handed down from family to family. Part of my main reason for the writing I’ve done in the past via this blog or in the stories that I’ve written is my desire for wanting to pass down not only something handed down to me but also stories, emotions, and situations that I’ve lived and/or have affected me in some kind of way. Right now my time is in an undefineable state or category. It’s like being in limbo wondering what’s next though at the same time being so thankful for the blessings that come during the trying times as well as the good times. A lot of that thankfulness comes from feeling like I’ve done all I can do and now must leave it up to whatever will be. I’ve made mistakes but the lessons resemble the hope filled bridge that I stand on now as I make my way forward. The thankfulness is also attributed to a special someone that keeps me so motivated, I’m always saying “wow!” That part of this time is defineable. Words come to mind like forever, incredible, special, grateful surrender… But time keeps marching on oblivious to what may come. If time were a person, he or she would probably be friendless because it never sticks around to see if you’re okay when you’ve fallen or congratulate when you’ve achieved. Sounds silly but I think about time like that, especially when those pages upon pages of memories flash various faces and/or experiences that have left me feeling some sort of emotion or even confusion because then I begin to think, why are some; actually, why are all people the way they are? Is it set in stone somewhere or is it just the result of decisions made throughout our personal journeys? Most times I believe, you know when you’re headed in the wrong direction. Something doesn’t feel right, similar to if you’re in your car looking for a destination that you found so easily on a map or googled and saw it so clearly on the satelite webcam thingy. You see stuff that doesn’t look right. Street names that make no sense. Nothing appears right and you get the feeling that every pedestrian that’s walking on the sidewalk is looking at you like you shouldn’t be where you’re currently at. The same is true when you’re at a point in life where you don’t belong except the only pedestrian is you standing in the mirror noticing a change… Hopefully that change is positive. A lot of times we keep going in the same direction and ignore all the warnings or oneway signs. I’ve been guilty many times of ignoring signs and even my own feelings. I’ve turned my head at suggestions coming from others who say “ask yourself is this right for you.” No need in asking myself if I’m already not listening. But then, time keeps marching on and that’s when, if you wake up, you can turn direction into wisdom rather than consequence because the latter is not a gratifying experience. But, depending upon your decision from this point on, consequence can do a complete turnaround. Thing is, it takes everything you got from rolling up your sleeves and getting back on track to every genuine ounce of humility that bleeds from your heart and soul... It’s not always certain if time will allow you that opportunity. He or she stays busy and makes no guarantees about who’s gonna be left around… Anyway.. (picture me sighing after this somewhat long ramble) I’m a thinking man, most times… :-)
I'm proud to create this video for one of my favorite authors and also very special sister-friend, Shelia M. Goss. This is for her new book due out very soon. I'm very happy to see her still doing her thang as an author. Still putting out great stories and accomplishing so much from one of the great states in this country, Louisiana! Enjoy and definitely support when the book comes out.. Available in bookstores and especially via Amazon.com. Pre-order that baby! :-)
If you watch someone over time and notice that their main mission in life is to get over on others ie. take advantage of situations in order to reap some sort of self-perceived benefit, you will discover cracks in the roads they’ve traveled. Eventually something happens. Perhaps it’s karma. There’s those who will never learn. They’ve managed to embed their lies so deeply within that from their vantage point, all is true. They’ll proclaim themselves with passion and vigor about being a "good person." You’ll wonder who are they tying to convince; you or themselves. I’ve had to deal with this sort of individual(s). I file every moment under the category of “silly but unfortunately necessary.” A product of one aspect of life... It’s been eye opening. The human nature part of it intrigues me. I pay close attention to those that I know and those that I observe from a far. I’ve always done this to a certain extent but now I feel it’s on a deeper level probably because of two reasons. I’m older now and I’ve been through a wide range of life experiences in the last ten to fifteen years that should give me some kind of credential for making slight on point observations.
Another case in point: The last few months at the hospital I work at, I’ve observed a young surgeon as he moves closer to becoming a full fledge doctor. He’s in his first year of residency and seemingly unaware of the blessing he holds in his hands. His work ethic is non-existent unless you count the consistent effort in which he puts forth to try to get around his responsibilities. It appears he’s brought with him a playground sensibility or mentality. He does whatever he can and says whatever he needs to say in order to NOT do what he’s supposed to do. He’ll lie with ease. The sad part is I predicted his behavior after speaking with him during his first week at the hospital some months ago. He attempted to use his techniques on me and went into that give-a-brotha-a-break, feel-sorry-for-me mode. For what he was trying to avoid doing which took very ilttle effort and time, I knew then and there, this young man would be trouble. If it’s any indication on how he’ll be as a doctor and especially a surgeon, I fear for anyone having to be under his care. Hopefully he’ll wake up and realize the seriousness of his chosen career. I’ve seen other young doctors verbally whipped into shape by their more senior counterparts but this fella reminds me of a high school student holding his head up high because of the perception or belief of superior status rather than recognizing the incredible value of an academic foundation followed by career achievement. He may suffer from the "invincible syndrome" that many fall victim to these days including the first example. In the end, like most people who choose to deceive, the achievement resembles more so an image of pathetic behavior and conniving pursuit than anything else. Perhaps it elevates them in one respect but the eventual payoff could be a much longer and more painful drop when things go wrong… (?) Humility is the only pill that must be swallowed... IMHO *smile*
Days and nights on the front porch with my man Jessie, I began to learn what made him tick though I'm sure he figured me out long before I reached any conclusions about him. We both shared life experiences thru conversation that was not only a trip for me to even divulge such personal stuff but also mind blowing to hear what another man been through from a different era. His situations sounded a whole lot like mine with the exception of his successful relationship with his lady. Thing is, I caught Jessie at a time in his life when he was battling a much different kind of opponent and there were times when he wasn't taking it on the chin and getting back up again like he would preach to me so many times. Frustration set in. He would be talking crazy like he looked forward to joining his wife where she was much more than enjoying what time he had left in this world. Sometimes I had to throw verbal bricks in his pathway. Meaning, I had to say things that might cause him to step back and think; sort of like what he would do to me whenever wisdom filled responses would enter his mind after I said something stupid. I get angry when out of frustration he'll warn me about the ways of the world and keeping myself together so I won't make the same mistakes I've made in the past; stuff that I would sometimes regret ever sharing with him. I lashed out a few times. The last time I caught him off guard.
I said, "I'm supposed to be afraid to live just because you afraid to die? If you frustrated and getting scared because your days are numbered then you need to just admit to what you feeling and deal with it!"
Jessie just looked at me and then a smirk came upon his face. He nodded his head a few times and then said in a husky voice, "okay, okay..." He cleared his throat and said the same thing one more time. After that moment, a few weeks went by and everything seemed cool but there were hints of the same frustrations coming out; little sly comments and remarks but I figured that's just the way it is when a man's been told that life could be ending soon. Until he comes to grip with his journey and the realization that there's always an end, he's just gonna keep planting seeds of self-pity. It's kind of like his garden will grow so fast that he'll lose himself deep inside all that selfish pride to where no one can find the true blessing of what he'd eventually leave behind. They always say with respect to money that you can't take it with you. Well, in the case of what's truly the most important; it does go with you. I'm talking about the wisdom carried through life experiences, the stories from what your eyes have seen during your lifetime, and every emotional step along the way. To me there's a lot more nuances to living than that final submission to death.
2008 I can honestly say was a lot better than 2007 though life remained a struggle in so many ways. I lost and had to let go… The down times moving in and out on a weekly basis; still having to deal with the same frustrations created by bad decision making on my part but at the same time witnessing the beautiful growth of something that kept me sane, hopeful and escaping the reality that always set me in a mental backwards spiral… sometimes… The hopeful was and is love. I couldn’t ask for more than what I’ve been blessed with thus far; the kind of love that makes the world a little easier to deal with. It’s an escape from the present into the future; feeling like past dreams and beliefs of how good it can be, colliding with sincere efforts to make it is just that…. Really good… The beautiful full circle also included CREATIVITY… whew… It’s the fuel that drives my engine in ways that keeps me passionate about life because without it, I wouldn’t have come up from the negative depths of 2007 or risen above the frustrations which I was forced to bring with me in 2008 and still must continue to deal with in 2009. Sometimes individuals see not the reward in being true to their word, thus causing them to latch onto ways to get over, get around, and avoid simply doing what they promised. And dealing with that sort of thing as I’ve had to do can drive a person nuts when all you want to do is learn, move on and move forward in life. No one wants to keep reaching back to deal with that which should’ve been over, but in 2008 I had to; over and over again… still… the beautiful full circle does it’s thing represented by what you see above and what has been represented in past months with the photography shown in this blog. I’ve got a triple threat of creativity flowing thru me right now.. the writing… the photography… and the music, which is an incredible re-discovery and yet a reflection of what can come to the forefront after dealing with adversity and trying one’s best to simply pull yourself up and move on…
2008 was exciting in that I watched and really kept up with the whole campaign and rise of the days away, soon to be Preseident of the United States, Barack Obama. What a trip it is to listen to all the opinions, the talk, the hopes, the dreams, the expectations, the detractors, the supporters, the accountable holders, the history lovers, and the list goes on and on… Soon to be President Obama will earn any vacations he takes during his time because so many place so much on this man’s shoulders to solve and so many will unfortunately not make it an easy task for him to accomplish anything… The cameras will be and are focused on his every move. He may need to invest in the “Just For Men” product ‘cause his hair might go completely gray in less than two years. But on a personal as well as historical note, it’s a beautiful proud image to see him where he is; an image etched in forever… I’m glad I could see it and wish that many of my family were around to witness this as well. I look so forward to his inauguration… What a proud moment in time it will forever be…
My 2008 ended very quietly…. A glass raised, a kiss; time shared with new friends/family and quiet thoughts; the kind that keep you humble because eventhough I carry a great deal of hope and even excitement for the days ahead, time moving forward always has the potential of taking away… I feel it every time someone says “the years are going by so fast.” When I nod in agreement, a lot of times my whole life flashes before me in my mind. I always see and imagine family members faces; their spirits... I see moments in time, emotions that lifted me up and took me down, good times and bad; the whole gamut of my life in ways that make me stop and marvel at how much I’ve seen. I thank God for the vision because mentally speaking, I can travel to a lot of places and pull out of it some sort of emotional attachment similar to what most may experience when hearing an old jam from the past… So many times I wish I could reverse time or undo certain steps that I took but every moment is important, depending upon how one recovers or in essence, learns from it. Still, reversing time would be really nice right now, not only for reliving the past but more importantly, going back to a day in time when the most important person in my life was super healthy and had no limitations upon doing what brings her happiness. Nevertheless, time changes everything like a rollercoaster ride surrounded by a neverending change of backdrop and scenery all around you… Time doesn’t just heal wounds, it bounds each moment like chapters in a book; titles written boldly and just like Obama’s moment, etched in forever… This was my 2008 and every moment before that… Greetings to 2009. I welcome it in a somewhat bittersweet fashion but still hopeful and prayerful…
Christmas was surprisingly good.. Here’s my tree.. A lot of love went into it combined with a special desire to fill the house with sincere Christmas spirit. It worked. It was a great escape from the usual and a nice spring board to hopefully a very positive, dream fulfilled, get over the bump in the road of life direction…
I see this unimaginable image floating around, waiting to be recognized. It’s like a yellow, greenish, orangish, silver and pink existence that comes near each of us; longing to be embraced. Some recognize it’s purity right away, realizing that if you grasp and hold onto it, the feeling it returns to you is euphoria mixed with fearlessness. It speaks not too often because once embraced, it fits you like a glove yet never is it an uncomfortable squeeze because it’s a no brainer dimension of life. It’s just there; apart of you... You know it but you need not call it’s name because the euphoria keeps you so much at peace… You walk taller. You’re at ease; suspended in the day to day reality of taking one moment at a time and doing the best you can with it. You greet the world with a peaceful spirit that only goes away momentarily when the twists and turns, bumps and bruises of life present themselves. But in the end, it’s all okay because you’re surrounded by the aura of that unimaginable existence. Sort of like being in a room filled with reassuring concerned, giving individuals that love you for you without a care for what you can do. The sad thing is that many choose to embrace it’s counterpart; holding it up like a badge of invincibility. It’s that heavy set, always needy, always wanting attention; forever needing to be remembered sort of existence that basically keeps them in a state of anxiety because it’s so easy to slip when standing upon the pile that’s created with each calculated self-absorbed step. When it piles up too much, it’s so hard to remember direction. It’s difficult for them to remember what they were supposed to say and do. Things get repeated. To the wiser, they appear incompetent but the badge worn is misleading, blinding; like the sun reflecting against the dirty windshield of an automobile. Sunvisors don’t remove dirt. They just soften the glare of neglect allowed as a representation of self, combined with the weakness which prevents the unimaginable… basic honesty…
I'm shocking myself in that I actually liked this movie a lot... Maybe it's because I love the music so much and a lot of the scenes, the style, the southern influence, the whole vibe of the film took me back...way back to a place and time that I'd much rather be, strangely enough... I dont know. I've just always loved those times, perhaps romanticized in my mind but to me, it just seems like folks valued things, each other a little more... Of course times was rough, prejudice was serious and this movie more than depicted it on several occasions. The movie wasn't really historically correct from a musical standpoint; a lot was left out and a few important people completely left out of the story like Philip Chess(brother of Leonard Chess depicted in movie), Bo Diddley, and countless other musicians that would make the story very long and maybe less entertaining to a general audience. Each musician pretty much deserves a movie all to themselves, telling their story. The best way to describe this particular film, is a fictional account of the Chess Records story. And one thing its not, is an Etta James story... The previews kind of have you thinking that way.. It's not that at all... The characters of Leonard Chess and Muddy Waters dominated the story and also Little Walter was a big part of it as well... They went over the top with his way of hard living but I've read about him definitely having a penchant for getting into fights and basically dying young because of injuries sustained but musically speaking, he was the best harmonica player ever and in real life back in those days, Muddy Waters had the tightest band in all the land... Me being a music fan, a musician and a lover of the blues, I'd more like to hear stories about what was passed over briefly in this film... Stories about this man named Alan Lomax and why, how and what he discovered by traveling to the south to record these various musicians on behalf of the Library Of Congress... Must be some truly fascinating stories and images that he took with him from his travels... And then also why musicians from Mississippi and other areas of the south tended to travel to Chicago to eventually create the incredible music that they did... In the movie, they also touched upon a rivalry between Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf and they had these two men not liking each other at all. I wonder if that was true. No doubt as musicians there was probably rivalry amongst everyone because of all the great players from Howlin Wolf to Muddy to Little Walter, Jimmy Rodgers, Hubert Sumland, Sonny Boy Williamson, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Bo Diddley, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Chuck Berry, and later on the incredible and often overlooked and appreciated, Buddy Guy who is a living legend right now..... Anyway, it was great to see this movie and I hope that it generates interest in these incredible stories, musicians, artists, people from the past... so many stories left behind and so many forgotten that should be told as often possible.... As a side note, I loved the strength and honest conviction portrayed in "Cadillac Records" by the character of Howlin Wolf. A strong man who took control.. Nice to see on the screen... I'm looking forward to the upcoming film, "Who Do You Love," which is also about Chess Records; sure to be entertaining as well and based upon the title, they haven't forgotten Bo Diddley in that one.
Thanksgiving represents a reflection of what time has brought within my family. Gone are the days when gathering together to share laughter, love, great food and conversation existed. The glue that brought us together was always my grandmother. With her around, everyone made the effort, though love and family or love of family should inspire everything to be effortless, especially during this time when not many of us are still among the living and one; my grandmother's eldest daughter(my mother) fights to remain... Instead, there are promises to spend time but no follows up on that promise... In a family where everyone lives less than an hour away from each other, no one can find the direction that leads us in similar paths. No one truly reaches out. No one remembers that life ain't guaranteed and a phone call does nothing to cover the tracks of a real true showing of love and appreciation for family... Nah.. Instead, we go elsewhere in opposite directions, doing things we've done in previous years that takes us away from what we once promised. My mother is blessed with three brothers and one sister; most of which have kids and families of their own. So, the potential of possibly nine to ten folks or maybe more around the dinner table is like a daydream or silly wishful thinking... The dinner table this year had four and that's only because someone special to me joined in along with my mother and her sister. There's an old song that says "the best is yet to come" but in this case, the best has come and gone. The best days, the best years, the times when family remembered family, first... But alas, without the glue around, we float in distant opposite directions, believing that coming together during times like funerals changes everything but it doesn't... the glue is gone and tape can't last forever... Promises hold the same weight as smoke blowing in the wind...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
"Sometimes, not having the very best makes you push the limits of what little you have..."
If I didn't love life or possess a curiosity for the future, I would request a checkout pass right now. I look at the world and the way some folks represent themselves as humans and question simply, why? People go out of their way to lie, to distort, to find fault, to tear down, to blurt out nonsense, to hate for no reason and to embrace amnesia when it comes to their own mistakes or lack of commitment to promises they've made... Seems like there could be a much easier route toward living lives of dreams fulfilled than to have to step over so much bullshit, walk around so many lies, or tip toe and try to avoid so much negativity only to find yourself being greeted by either incompetence or deceit around the corner and sometimes just a phone call away... It's no wonder why you find so many tired looking faces in the world because so many are trying to sift through the nonsense just to take a vacation but alas, funds are low so can't do that either... Thank God for the ability to dream, for the blessing of finding a quiet place to regroup, take a deep breath and rekindle good thoughts with the hopes that this too shall pass once you get over the final hump of someone else's stupidity; one of life's frustrating speed bumps...
LA in the fall is beautiful yet I wish for a real true fall season leading into the winter... I miss the fall colors of the south but today was a soothing day. Temperatures warm yet the visuals were something else... The sky was yellow at the beach. Drum beats could be heard in one direction and in the other, skateboards mixed with dancing skaters spinning and twisting to an semi-old E-40 song. Graffiti artists were out and about, photographers, models, restaurants filled with folks eating and drinking and in one club on the beach, a rock band was playing Darling Nikki; the Prince jam and had everyone dancing on the sidewalk.. Just a nice day in LA on a Saturday... It didn't feel like fall but nevertheless it was cool...
LA was wild this weekend. In the midst of so many fires burning all around, there was a huge protest rally downtown going on.. I love capturing moments at protests. This one was interesting.. Definitely filled with colorful folks, marching, displaying creative signs, and shouting with passion. I saw a few signs that attempted to connect the cause with past civil rights movements and the struggles of African Americans. I can't say I agree with that argument. I mean, one sign said "someone forgot about Jim Crow" while another said "gay is the new black." The battle over prop 8 seems to me more about a disagreement of beliefs held by two different sides.. What african americans went through from slavery to civil rights to being hosed down, denied, killed, dying for the right to vote, the right to go to any school, to drink water out of the same fountain, use the same restroom, eat in the same diner/restaurant, sit anywhere on a bus, live in any neighborhood, etc. is hard for me to swallow with respect to comparing all of that to this battle to have the right to marry. I give much respect to the protesters and wish them the best in their fight but in my opinion, the cause, the struggle, the fight is not the same... Toward the end of this rally, the protesters wanted to begin another march from the same starting point. Their time was up so the police informed them that the city streets needed to be opened up to traffic. They were given a certain time to protest and march and that time was up. A show of force from the police came out with rifles at the ready but everything was cool. The protest organizers talked things over with the police and they made an agreement to march a short distance under police supervision. That sort of working together meets compromise didn't exist back in the day... Another huge difference in years gone by...
With time comes destinies defined by what used to be and what we’ve become as a result of our choices made during the journey of living. The life we’ve lived presented to us sometimes as flashbacks because the end could possibly be near. Flashbacks for not only us but those that share the same memories; family, friends, etc. Right now, someone that means everything to me, speaks about the inevitable. She speaks words I don’t wish to hear and express thoughts that I counter with positive outlook. I tell her, why not simply live and not worry so much about how long. I believe she’ll out live expectation but she counters with medical reasoning and responses to treatment given; all of which are probably true but I still look toward the positive; erecting a sense of positive stubborness that’s anchored where it should be; Love... I believe you can remain positive without tossing away reality. I’m not living in denial about the inevitable, I just believe you can squeeze out more minutes, more seconds, more hours, more time, more life… Anything is possible isn’t it? So, the greatest person in the world to me might one day no longer be around and as always she worries about me more than about herself. It’s not the pain from her condition that causes her to toss and turn at night. It’s her concern for what my life will be or become. She’s seen me encounter and endure ups and downs, lows and highs, sometimes successfully and sometimes not. The most recent crossroad had been a tough one to bear but the lessons have been enormous. Through it all, she’s always been here and if it wasn’t for her, I would not be around to express my gratitude. I would not have survived those crossroads and I imagine that’s what concerns her most; future crossroads. Thing is, I know without a doubt that I am better prepared. My strength is a lot less wavering for reasons I hold close to my heart and for reasons that spark memories similar to warning signs resembling journals filled with wise words and revelations from past mistakes; some of those words passed on to me by my mother… I get the feeling that a mother’s life is like one long beautiful sacrifice, flowing not only thru life but carrying on perhaps into the hereafter but I don’t want to consider the hereafter just yet. That’s a hard one to swallow without feeling anxious or wanting to retreat into disbelief while preventing the eyes to well up in tears. Life came too soon. I wish it were still 1974 when I returned home from a couple months of a summer visit spent with my grandparents in Texas. I came back home to Cali with so much weight on my young body that my mother instantly put me on a diet. I remember dinner with less calories and some kind of bread that was almost as thin as paper and tasted nothing like the baked from scratch, toasted with churned butter, straight from the farm biscuits and breads that grandma was cooking me everyday and early evening in Texas. Yeah, if I could put the brakes on time and move it back to then, I would but it can’t be done so now it’s all about squeezing in every second… Squeezing is hard sometimes but I remain prayerful and grateful even when strength becomes that which I attempt to squeeze out the most…
Ain't nothing like being on the road.. My favorite place to be... Out on the highway; one adventure after another... This time of the year is synonymous with cruising down the highway for me. I'm reminded of a special memory, driving down interstate 20 about an hour away from Dallas, Texas. It's about 3:00 in the morning and I'm blasting some Parliament while looking forward to making it so close to my second home in east Texas. I didn't expect to make it this far and should've gotten a hotel earlier that night but I was pumped up and my adrenaline just wouldn't allow me to stop until the subwoofer in my car blew out. Awwww man! I was left with music that sounded as if I were listening to a small hand held radio... That deflated all my energy and cruising into Dallas ended up being a big letdown for a moment. I found a place to rest soul but I wasn't down for too long. Once I saw the beautiful country side and fall color drenched trees in east Texas, I was way past excited all over again because that's what its all about to me... being on the road; one unexpected adventure after another... the greatest place 2 B..
For no other reason except to reflect how incredible I felt this weekend, I just have to say that I had a blast! It was one of those weekend escapes that you never want to end.. A beautiful moment that you'd wish could last forever... Smiles and laughter... closeness that makes you feel like it should be a crime to have to return to reality but as they say, time waits for no one. It keeps on going, ticking, moving forward so it's left up to us to appreciate, be thankful, enjoy, endure, work for and live for more chances at whatever bridges the gap between reality and dreamed about moments as this... It was beautiful, special and more to come on the way, I pray...
I took this picture on election day of a man playing his trumpet in downtown LA. The sound echoed down the street. It traveled with the cool winds that were blowing at the time; whipping in, out and in between buildings. He stood down the street from a park called Pershing Square. I could hear him from there at first. The songs he played were a great tribute to what would become a very special and historical day. One melody sounded like that Sam Cooke song, A Change Is Gonna Come; a beautiful song which could surely serve as the theme for the now President Elect, Barack Obama.
Today as I watched more interviews, opinions, and thoughts shared about Obama's victory, I questioned though not too vigorously, the ways in which such a huge moment tends to be defined by the media, per se. I mean, the effort is geared more so toward what our celebrities think and feel rather than the people in say the most remote parts of this country. I'm slightly guilty of wondering about the thoughts of those famous ones that I admire too; I can't lie; Denzel, Michael Jordan, Spike Lee, etc but a nice little quote floated across my mind as I was thinking about this stuff today... I said something to myself and wrote it down...
"It's important not only to know how the famous feel but also or perhaps more so, how history resonates within our own hearts. It is also important how we respond to what we've seen as a new measuring stick for just how far we can dream, thus turning that dream into achievement at the cost of hard work. Dare to dream and follow it up with effort."
As cool as it is to see and hear from Oprah, Jessie, Brad Pitt, and others, I would love to hear the personal stories of the regular folk on the street, in the country, in the hood, in the senior citizen homes and in the schools that have been motivated and inspired by this very human beacon of hope... I would love to hear more from the elders who can compare and contrast how things were and how this became... An elders journey from what was to how it is now are stories we should never take for granted. This moment in time is huge and humbling, especially if you're aware from whence it all came to be... Awareness is important and respect always due...
