A letter to the Editor written 11/27

DEAR EDITOR,

THE SIGN IN FRONT OF CITY HALL SAID 'COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS." THE MESSAGE MUST NOT HAVE BEEN FOR THE HUNGRY AND HOMELESS IN OUR MIDST...THOSE WHO VOLUNTEER AT 'DAILY BREAD" THE DAY BEFORE HEADLLINED ON THE FRONT PAGE OF FLORIDA TODAY THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAD VOTED AGAINST DAILY BREAD...

ALL THIS, WHILE THEY WERE MEETING IN THE SHADOWS OF THE NEW CITY HALL, WHICH SYMBOLIZES HOW POLITICAL LEADERS TREAT "WE THE PEOPLE" WE WANT THE 'RIGHT KIND OF PEOPLE' NOT THE PEOPLE...MIGHT I SUGGEST THAT THE CITY COUNCIL VOTE TO GIVE THE OLD CITY HALL TO DAILY BREAD RATHER THAN MAKE IT INTO A PARKING LOT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER.

AS A CHRISTIAN I REMEMBER THE PRAYER THAT JESUS GAVE TO US 'GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD'1 I AM ASHAMED OF A CITY COUNCIL WHICH SEES THEIR OWN COMFORT IN THE 'NEW CITY HALL' AS BEING MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE HUNGRY IN OUR MIDST....\

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS YOU HAVE LEFT BEHIND THE PEOPLE, LIKE THE HUNGRY, THE HOMELESS, THE ELDERLY, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES...I FEEL ASHAMED EVERY TIME I LOOK AT THE 'NEW CITY HALL' AND WEEP.

November 22

45 years ago

Half of the people who are alive today, weren't on that day...Those who were, remember where they were, and with whom they were talking, and it was the day which changed the world in which we were living...

He was young, energetic, and brought hope to a nation which had lost those things, which made America great...we who were alive, measure life by that day...before Nov 22, and after...He was the young man who said 'EITHER WE LIVE TOGETHER LIKE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, OR WE PERISH TOGETHER AS FOOLS...'

A WORLD became mesmerized, and came to a standshill, and who can ever forget the sight of Charles DeGaulle and Haile Selassie walking on their way that day...and the eternal light which still burns...after 45 years.

November 18, 2008

He died a year ago tomorrow, this best friend of mine...I sat with him on the porch of their upper room apartment, and though he could not open his eyes or speak, he held my hand on this heart.
Both of us wept, as I read the Eulogy to him that he and I had worked on for two decades. I prayed with him his tears mingled with mine and I said good-bye to my dearest friend.

It is a year tomorrow that he died, and I miss him, but I'm happy that Mother has joined him in Heaven, and together with David...I miss his emails, his phone calls, his celebration of my birthday and of life itself... My birthday will not be the same this year...with both of them gone...but a piece of him, and of my mother remains with me...and I speak to him often, and listen to his words...which still speak to me...There is a "STAR WITHIN THEIR HEARTS' both of them, and they continue to light the way for me...as does Heather, Jennifer, Matt, Kyra and Lucas...but I miss him, my friend, my father..

ELECTION NIGHT 2008

OBAMA will become our next President...at some point later tonight, he will stand amidst half a million people in Chicago and become President-elect...Yet it happened as I sat at the computer looking out at the lights below me that I felt tears well up in my eyes...

I remembered being in atlantic city, nj with dad, at the slot machines on Election Night...and Jennifer would page me with Mr. Clinton's electoral votes...but I was there with Dad...and we shared conversation and time together...

I miss them tonight, but Especially Dad...but also my mother who died recently... I missed hearing the phone ring, or dialing up his number and would discuss the results, or I could picture him at his computer rattling off emails to me, and I would write back...at least eight or more times we would talk...

Yes I talked with Heather and Jennifer, and my brother Philip...and I was glad that they called...but I must be honest as I sat here alone in my apt. watching the returns, that my best friend, dad, and my mother weren't going to email or call...and I wept because it was on such a night as this one, a historic night that I always shall remember...and I know how grateful I am that both mother and dad, raised us to see people as people...and not as colors, or sizes...Maybe I was just feeling sorry for myself...but my tears were of the emptiness that I feel every once in a while that I can't talk to them one more time...

GAINING TIME

i didn't go to the Chapel today because the Chaplain was going to speak about the election. I wanted to think of all the Saints in my life...I was awake most of the night, as i contemplated receiving an extra hour in my life...

I can remember All Saints Day when the Organist at Church would say "are we going to sing all the verses? I said of course because there are many who have become Saints...this weekend I have thought of Phyllis, of David, of my father and mother...and I don't wish that I could go back in time, but I think of all that we shared together...and I am grateful...

I miss them but not in a morbid way...but rather with gratitude on this All Saints day...I would much rather celebrate THEM than the election...and I am grateful...

ALL SAINTS DAY

IN MEMORY OF NANA AND FATHER, WHO FROM THEIR LABORS REST