http://www.statesman.com/news/mediahub/media/slideshow/index.jsp?tId=131795
These are beautiful photographs from this morning’s House The Homeless Sunrise Service.
Tears were flowing…and after every song, some kind soul would be standing next to me,
notice I had no gloves, and offer me theirs to wear. I wore five different pairs this morning.
It made me think of the arc of life…we are strangers, others are strangers to us, but in
the crowd along life’s path, people offer their kindness when they see we are seeking
something or someone. It made me wish the whole world remembered the homeless
this way…Finding an end to the suffering of those we do not know when they are cold,
confused, lost or hungry. I so wish this with all my heart.
Please view the photos…they speak volumes more than I could ever say…Please come
next year…I challenged those there this morning to bring 10 friends each next year.
And then Richard Troxell was speaking of how he hopes there won’t be a need for
a memorial service next year, and I had to bow my head and pray his words
become true….Dear God, let there be an end to suffering…It seems like
such a gigantic prayer, but I will not retract my hope…
EQUALITY NOW was a wonderful afternoon and a lovely close to a weekend of
music…The two women bartenders danced and danced with one another
as I sang with all my heart to families gathered to talk about equality for
all….gay, straight, bisexaul, transgendered (although no one mentioned
the last two groups today..)…I sang Paul Hudson’s “Always a Saint” in honor
of parents involved in PFLAG and all the parents who love their children…period.
They just love their children…no ifs, ands or buts….
I brought along one of the two most exquisite handbeaded and handmade
broochs that my dear mentor, Margery Clive, gave me earlier this year when
I ran into her on a flight…which was fantastic, flying thousands of feet above
the air catching up with someone who helped transform, and save, my life…
And, there, out of her handbag, she pulled these lovely gifts she had
been carrying around to give me for who knows how long and I was
deeply touched….In honor of Margery and all the love she has
shared with me, I told the audience at Equality Now that I was donating
one of my precious gifts to the highest bidder…and it went to
a happy couple…the husband donated $500 to Equality Now!!!
Astounding!
Came home to a delicious dinner Lance created—rice, broiled salmon
and green and yellow squash. I was ravenous! Lily, io, Lance and I
ate and laughed and talked about the weekend…I was starting some
gingerbread cookie dough, wrapped it in a plastic bag and placed it in
the fridge to harden…then Lily and I rolled it out and iolana cut the
gingerbread people and we put them on the cookie trays and into the
oven….while they were baking, I whipped up the homemade butter icing
recipe and got down some red hots, jimmies, sprinkles and miniature
chocolate chips to decorate the cookies with once they were baked
and cooled… and then the girls
and I watched THE HARDY BOYS/NANCY DREW ADVENTURES on
tv…we have this hilarious retro channel on tv…we don’t have cable, just
regular old tv….so we watched an episode and what a blast…I STILL love
Parker Stevenson….he played Frank, which iolana thought was the
best name ever and she said, “Frank! Frank! Frank!” all the way
into her pajamas and while she threw on a mask with feathers, wanting
to go outside and kiss Lily, who was, by then, laying under a mass of
blankets on our hammock, so out we went into the chill of the star filled
night, io and Lily giggling and then back in the house to tuck io into
bed and then back outside with a robe for Lily and a robe on me…
I warmed this lavender neck warmer and placed it around Lily’s neck,
put some socks on her feet, and crawled in under the blankets with her and
we rocked and stared at the stars….I told her I wished I could see a shooting
star….and, about 10 minutes later, there one went…streaming across the sky…
I was excited and animated and Lily immediately said, “I wish that Mommy
would get her song “Edward” in the next “Twilight” movie!”
She was starting to fall asleep after about twenty minutes…it did feel
so soothing out in the cool, crisp air, snuggled together under the blankets,
but I helped her up and out and into the house, and re-tucked her into
her bed, kissing her forehead….
More than anything, I love being here….I love being a mom.