Passing from here to there

I didn't know passing is like this. We are just watching his breathe get weaker and weaker. At times he cough ... and you are scared.

If you believe in God ... watching this would challenge your faith.

My Dad.

He is dying. I am sitting next him. He is lying here dying in front of me.   I'm with my sister and we are telling our stories of our father.

I want to run out and not face this .... but I am glued to my seat. I need to be here with him. He maybe leaving us, but I can't leave him.

Anniversary

One year ago today, I when on a second date. The first date didn't stick because the second date was six months later. But that is nor here or there. 

But I'm left with, what does this mean? I'm no longer a spring chicken. (Why do people use that phrase?) Questions of our future pop to mind, but no answers or clear picture of what I want it to be follow. 

It has been a good year, good with her. I'm focusing on that. 

President Obama and Trayvon Martin

First off, this Trayvon Martin verdict, trial and killing is not sitting with me very well. I know that I'm not alone with this. All the news, TV, and radio that I have been hearing supports that.  To generalize,it has mostly be minorities that have responded to verdict. Most of my whites friends it seems to be a non event. There are exceptions, I had a friend on the day after comment, "how can we be having such a wonderful Sunday the day after a terrible verdict".

But this brings to me out President. He has voiced that he has similar feelings about this case as do many black American. He has explained what and how he(we) feel the way we do. "If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon", "I was Trayvon 35 years ago". Being that he understands, I don't envy his dance. Zimmerman was found not guilty by a jury of his peers. Implying that any of the jurors would have done the same if in the shoes of Zimmerman.  The president the most powerful man on the planet, is powerless in the matter. I can only imagine how he feels about that. At the same time, he can't voice the flaws in the system that he is the head of. He can't voice that those jurors were wrong. He can't voice that he is impotent in the face of racism.

What is any black man to do... If the most powerful black man on the planet, can't do a thing about it. 

Me and the Man of Steel

On Sunday morning,  en route to see some friend that has come from out of town. A woman stops me frantic.  She tells me that she is locked out of her client's house. She explains that he is a nurse's aid. Her client, my neighbor does not have use of her legs and she is sitting in the bath. She did not have a her phone with her. She only been working on this job for 2 days so not understanding that the door to the apartment automatically lock behind you.  So we walk around to see if we can climb to window so she can get back in. We didn't see a way. I called to the police because I don't know this woman. But the first 911 operator suggested that we look for someone that might have a key to the apartment. Because all they could do is break the door down.Called the grounds keeper. His phone was off got his machine and tried to get the emergency number for the apartment building. The nursing aid and when to check the door, we could hear her screaming for help. Dialed 911, they sent the firemen. They crow barred the door. Find the woman inside fine but just scared.

I saw the new movie "Man of Steel" later that day.  It made me reflect on my experience earlier in the day. Reflect of the Superman tales that I was raised with. Happy that I stopped to help that woman in need. Maybe helping that woman was a brief moment in the sun for me, just like the man of steel.

Let's be ...

"Racial hostility, homophobia and misogyny are braided together like strands of the same rope. When we fight one, we fight them all." -- Charles M. Blow

I love sediment here. But couldn't we simplify it by saying,  if you fight against any injustice, you fight against them all?

I guess I know why it is not phrased like that. Most likely I'm in the minority that believe.  Maybe it is to naive to believe that all injustice share the same root. Maybe only racism, homophobia and sexism have a common root. 

Isn't injustice, simply ... the lack of fairness based on traits and/or facts that should not lead any responsible person to believe someone is less human, less deserving or less equal.

Let's be for fairness ... Let's be for justice ... Let's be for each other.

To be of Comfort

This is week my friend's brother died. He died of a heart attack at the age of 27. They don't know the root cause of the attack.  The medical staff had to induce a comma. One week later the family decided that he would not wish to live this way. They unplugged him and he passed three days later.

I have called my friend. I have visited my friend. I have given wine.I have tried to be there for my friend. I have played with her 3 year old nephew. But I'm not sure I'm any comfort to her. 

I can't imagine what the last couple of weeks has been like for her, for family. Something that we can't make sense of.  I know that we all grieve in our own way. I don't know when I have seen her, she still in shock. Or if she has broken down in private. But her has seemed strong. 

In the days, weeks and months to come, I hope to be a comfort.