Friday Finds | 7.31.20

Friday Finds | 7.31.20

by | Jul 31, 2020 | General, In This Moment

What a week, eh? There is only so much avoidance one can do in any given week. I tried mightily to ignore, but sometimes that just does not work and that happened a lot this week. But despite the onslaught of bs, there were some pockets of goodness. And that goodness was enough to inspire me, lift me, fill me, and carry me through the chaos. So let’s get started!

First, are you missing intelligent conversation? Mm-hmm! Need a fix of a nostalgia for what was? Oh yes, I do! Well look no further… The Michelle Obama Podcast started this week! I mean really, stop everything and queue this up right now! You won’t be disappointed… at all! I promise!! Just do it!!

Then this piece just amazed me yesterday.  John Lewis wrote it two days before he died… words for us, instructions for us… marching orders, as it were.

While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me. You filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story when you used your power to make a difference in our society. Millions of people motivated simply by human compassion laid down the burdens of division. Around the country and the world you set aside race, class, age, language, and nationality to demand respect for human dignity. – John Lewis

Thank you for these final words, Mr. Lewis. May you rest in power.

Yesterday was all about John Lewis and Bonny reminded me how important singing is, and sing I did while I watched the funeral. It was all so good… so darned good! Hearing James Lawson, Jr speak… wow! He read “Meaning” a poem by Czesław Miłosz (and I have not stopped thinking about it since!)

But the best was Barack Obama’s eulogy for “St. John”! It was so  amazing. It is must watch…so settle in and be filled and inspired!

But it was not all inspiring finds this week because the Ravelry imbroglio continues, but there was this update from Jess which, frankly had me shaking my head. To say I am disappointed is an understatement. Honestly, all of this is so unacceptable. I don’t know what the fix is to all of this, but I do know this… I am not using Ravelry until it becomes accessible for everyone.

And if that was not all just enough, there was this update from Cat Bordhi… my heart is breaking for her and her dear family. If you’ve a mind to send her an email, you will find her address in her post.

That’s all from me this week… (have you requested your mail in ballot? The deadline is fast approaching!) See you all back here next week!

 

Sometimes Monday | 7.20.20

Sometimes Monday | 7.20.20

by | Jul 20, 2020 | General, In This Moment

Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind. – Neil Armstrong

The past couple of weeks I have been reminiscing in my mind about the summer of 1969. Eight-year-old me was fascinated with the Apollo 11 journey to the moon. I watched the landing on our black and white television in awe that Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin were soon going to be landing on the moon! I remember thinking that it took 4-days to get to something I could easily see. It’s funny how looking back at that time, I see the beginnings of a child that was fascinated with science. I loved that the moon could look so close to us, but it was so very far away! It was also the start of my love of Star Trek…and that love continued for years. Apollo 11 went “where no man had gone before” and my life was certainly richer because they did.

I found this Moonwalk Montage video on the NASA website and watching it brought the same thrill today as it did when I was eight! (if you want to watch the restored, full-length version you will find it here!)


Some years later, I was in Washington D.C. and I saw the Space Window at the National Cathedral, it filled me with awe and wonder that I was seeing a piece of the moon those brave men had brought back.

In these days when travel to the simplest of places seems impossible, it is a very good thing to remember and celebrate this incredible journey.

Finally, it would be remiss of me to not mention the passing of John Lewis. He might have been a man of small stature, but he possessed the drive of the mightiest of men! Though he is no longer here to inspire us, he has given us our marching orders: “I want to see young people in America feel the spirit of the 1960s and find a way to get in the way. To find a way to get in trouble. Good trouble, necessary trouble.”  We must not let him down and find some good trouble! May you rest in power, dear sir.

Photo by Bruno Scramgnon from Pexels

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