TAKE A STAND

I watched two different shows last night that both got me very emotional, at various points crying and laughing and in general feeling like my faith in humanity had been restored. One was the One World: Together at Home special, the other was an online Zoom auction/fund raiser for one of the schools I work at. One World got to me by simply having people speak plainly about what is going on in the world: the sacrifices, the sorrow, the courage. I think I cried more at the footage of everyday people doing extraordinary things. Doctors and nurses and medical staff working day after night after day after night, looking as exhausted as the Battered Bastards of Bastogne. A woman in LA delivering food and surgical masks to the homeless. Teacher doing drive by dance parties for their students. The music was amazing, and I cried a lot during that as well. In particular, Camilo Cabello & Shawn Mendes sining What a Wonderful World got me. But I think that was more because for the past week, my wife has been doing online classes with little kids, hungry for hope and joy and attention. In her classes, she plays with them, gets them energized, and teaches them about music, including Louis Armstrong, and then she plays them the song. It's such an outpouring a love. And she does it not out of some sense of duty, or need for adulation, or wanting to come off as a hero. She just does it because that's who she is: a giver. And as I watched that beautiful rendition of that song, I was filled with pride over her. The other show I watched, the auction, was for the school that Lisa and I both work for. She does work with primary students, and I do the theatre program. Our production of Annie had to be cancelled, or at least indefinitely postponed, during all this. So, for the auction, a bunch of the kids sang Hard Knock Life, and Tomorrow. And we got this parent who works in video production to edit them together. And it was amazing. There is beauty and hope in this world, even now. Maybe now more than ever.

There were no discussions of politics, or blame. Not to say those things aren't of importance. They are. We need to look long and hard at what was done, is being done, and will be done in regards to this. We have to focus on our priorities as a nation and a world, and decide what is important- money of humanity. And we will do that. I am certain. But I was reminded of what it is we are all fighting for, in one way or another. Love. 

I know that a lot of folks, myself included, have thought of, posted about, and quoted Stephen King' HERE for more)  I like to think they are misguided, afraid, and driven by fear. Even so, they are taking a stand. And so are all of us. I hope you all opt for life over money; for love or fear; for "us" over "me".

The Stand. No surprise there. The inciting incident of the story is: Huge virus gets unleashed, takes out a gigantic portion of the population. So of course people are talking about it. But the part of the book I find most relevant isn't so much Captain Trips, the nick-name of the disease, but rather the second half of the book, when all of humanity has to decide whether to follow the spiritual path or the material. The spiritual path gives you friendship and joy and love. But at a price. It involves sacrifice and hardship. You have to value humanity over self.  The material gives you all the creature comforts you might desire. A nice place to live, a fancy car, good food. But at a price. You have to be willing to sacrifice others. To value self over humanity. And you have to give up your soul. If such a thing exists. When reading the book, it's pretty clear which choice people should make, which stand they should take. In our current reality, it seems a little fuzzier. Some folks are openly saying that they think saving the economy is more important than saving lives. (Click

One thing is certain. We are going to need a lot of love and forgiveness when this is over. Because there will be blood and sacrifice no matter what we do.

Here's a song. It's The Stand by The Alarm.