It wasn’t that many mornings ago that I woke up in a fine mood. Sauntering out to the living area I started with my morning routine. Now in years gone by this was as simple as throwing water on the space between ear lobes, shaving and heading out the door. But that routine is a thing of the past now that I’ve decided to stick around a bit longer and so I’m getting healthy. The routine is a bit much but It’s not too bad with the health smoothie, a handful of 30 or so vitamins, meditation, tai chi, stretching, deep breathing, dally planning and so forth. Yet this was all to be thrown out of wack with the energizing of the tv tube and the morning morphed into something unknown. And yes I know I’m out of date I still have a tube tv! Let’s forget this “The Medium is the Massage” business since what we get today is a pounding. I mean a good ole Louisiana Ass Kicking! On that morning everybody had the most important opinion no matter what the topic. I heard shouts of Tiger Woods and sex rehab – great place to meet the girls, I hear – Ted Kennedy’s senate seat went to a Republican – Oh Shit what next!! – Children across the country were being left, kidnapped, abused etc – We are a civilized country aren’t we? – Football playoffs, steroids and college basketball at full volume – This is important stuff right?!? So having the early morning consciousness battered I turned off the tube – why did I turn it on in the first place? Please, don’t ask! But being a full blown, card carrying member of the digital age I headed over to the desktop computer – we have five don’t ya know! – and started checking the e-mail and fbook. And oh what a bad move that was!! My home page was filled with the Sand Lady and at least 20 new friends to add to her 2,000 other friends but no one had added me so I just have the same friends as the before! And then there were the multiple causes and my Catholic guilt coming into play and I know that I’m just not doing enough. I mean there is so much to be done and what am I doing! Not enough!!

So haltingly and blindly I headed out the door wondering about this day. I moved to the Rush Rush Café and found the sun shining. YaYa was at work and there were flowers everywhere seeking the sunshine of his attention. The place was abloom with yayas seeking his eye. They’re voices were lyrical and they and the sounds were blooming and singing and swaying while YaYa smiled. Needing some of this warmth I order my blonde and sweet and nestling it in my hands I wormed my way back to my table. The world was good.

As I radiated from the warmth I thought of what’s ahead and the world around me. At the café all was well while plane hours to the east Haiti lay in ruins. I listened to the voices of the reporters with their frustration and the need to report the news but crying out to get involved and to make something happen. Relief was on the way but where do you put it and who is in charge if anyone is in charge that is. I’m reminded of days years ago when my wife funded refugee camps in Somalia and planes flew with food to the desert and landed there. The integrity of morals was in constant struggle with the integrity of the mission. Help is needed but the man at the end is keeping or selling it. Do I support the corrupt? Is there no other way to help? But this might not be the case is Haiti as no one is there. Where is the government? Do the roads work? Are their lights on? And the struggles continue each day – the dream does not end upon wakening. It just goes on. Let us remember the value of a working government the next time the elections come around. When I see such a country and government crumble, I know that the Social Contract was weak and that the stronger the contract the stronger the government, the culture and the lives of each are.

And wow it wasn’t even 10 a.m. yet! But the warmth of YaYa and the beauty of his flowers carried me. Chores were done, bills paid and business conducted

And now the day is ending and I’m back at the Rush Rush listening to Cool speak with love of his newborn daughter of 3 days. His name must become Daddy Cool, I don’t think there is a choice. I’m feeling as a bit of a traitor this evening as I come here from the FEW Café, having watched the Movement Salon dance ensemble. It was a captivating two hours with their improvisational dance/movement pieces holding our attention. There was Gumbi Girl, Dance Michael, Green Girl, The Orange Architect, Purple Mood, Ms Word, Music Mia and Faulkner doing their thing on the spot. And who knows maybe the best thing is that, as in all performances like this, it will never be repeated. I almost would have liked to film or record it but such events are of the moment and cannot be properly captured for a later date. And to think they traveled up from Tucson during one of the worst storms of recent memory just for us. So next time I’ll travel to Tucson and return the worthwhile favor.

With this winter storm ending and Arizona begging to return to normal I’ll sign off and wish you all well.

Keep ‘em smiling.

Gump’s Brother

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 at 11:42 am and is filed under 2010, Information, Januarry. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.