Archive for January, 2009
January 27th, 2009 | Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
When Audrey James approached me about going to the Inauguration of our 44th President, I was thrilled! I would go as a team member of Paradigm Nouveau Enterprises, her transformational organization meeting the challenges of climate change, and also a sponsor of the Presidential Inauguration Conference. There was a reception at the Willard Hotel, right next to the White House, to watch the swearing-in ceremony. Parades, balls, galas-oh my! On to Washington!
After all the fuss of getting ready for the big city, I set my inner compass on travel mode, a curiosity about new people and places, a relaxed openness that allows adventure to happen.
This particular adventure is about the people … we the people .. headed to Washington in droves to celebrate a government of, by, and for the people.
Let’s meet some of them:
Ginger opens the gate to this particular adventure. With a confident gesture, she motions me to sit next to her in the departure lounge in Denver. “Are you going to the Inauguration?” I ask the obvious, and a huge smile spreads across her polished face, making it glow even brighter.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world- I’ve been working and saving for this for two years!” She speaks a bit about the extra jobs she has taken on: helping people organize, pack, move, and helping the Obama campaign as much as she could manage as a single Mom. Later, in the jetway, she and another inaugural pilgrim are talking exuberantly about how much they love Obama. “I HAD to come to see this so I could tell my five-year-old son about this moment. And I’m so happy he will grow up knowing it’s cool to be smart!” Everyone in earshot chimes in: “It’s cool to speak in complete sentences.” “It’s cool to be ethical.” “It’s cool to take care of yourself” “It’s cool to take care of other people.”
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January 26th, 2009 | Uncategorized | 11 Comments »
Sunday, January 18, Washington, DC.
The biggest free concert ever held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial was taking place that afternoon, a historic nod to Martin Luther King, Jr. as we embraced Barack Obama as our next president, in the marble presence of Abraham Lincoln looking at all of us from above.
And I mean the hundreds of thousands of us. From my standpoint, only a couple hundred feet from the makeshift stage on the very steps where Dr. King gave his famous speech, I could turn around and see the multitudes lining both sides of the rectangular reflecting pond that spans the distance between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, along the National Mall where 2 days later nearly 2 million would gather.
Today’s event was a tribute to Lincoln, King and Obama, by some of music’s biggest names and celebrities of all stripes. Scheduled to start at 2:30 PM, and broadcast free to televisions all over the world, many people braved the cold from as early as 7 AM to get a good glimpse of Bruce Springsteen or Beyonce or James Taylor or Queen Latifah, or any number of advertised famous people paying tribute that afternoon.
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January 20th, 2009 | Uncategorized | 13 Comments »
I was wrong about big cities …
Today my past orientation of myself in relationship to big cities, governments, etc., disappeared.
As I walked back from the Willard Hotel after witnessing the swearing-in and speech by our 44th President, my “I” was gone.” We” were all celebrating and walking together as one crowd, one sea of humanity along 14th Street. It was as if there were an understood ground from which we were all now standing. There wasn’t one pair of eyes that was unwilling to meet mine. A knowing smile seemed to beam out of every face. I saw the ONE coming through the many. For a moment my eyes captured the statue of John Barry in Franklin Park, a Revolutionary Patriot. The statue seemed to exude living qualities even though he’s been dead for over 200 years, a shining glow was on it from the sunny sky. The historic buildings shone with the same happy vibration. Something was moving through animate and inanimate objects. Even though it was about 28 degrees, there was a warmth emanating … the power of love has great warmth.
I loved everybody. I asked a man next to me outside Starbucks if he wanted a picture together in the spirit of Obama’s vision, and with a knowing smile and nod we stood together, staring into the beautiful sun at the end of the inauguration day.
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January 20th, 2009 | Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
“What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice. Justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love.” — Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King
I hate big cities. I’m a mountain girl from Boulder, Colorado. With that said, I’ve been to many cities and I’ve had transformative experiences. That’s the beauty of transformation – it has nothing to do with what you like or don’t like, and has everything to do with commitment. I’m here solely from my commitment to make a difference and see a transformed planet.
Here I am in Washington, DC, open … to a transformative experience. 
In the last 2 days this big city is steeped like a tea bag in Martin Luther King’s energy. Sunday, during the Inauguration Opening Cermonies entitled, “We Are One,” thousands upon thousands gathered at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial all the way past the Washington Monument. On these very steps, King gave his I Have a Dream speech more than 40 years ago. Denzel Washington spoke first (after Bruce Springsteen opened with The Rising), commenting that Martin Luther King’s dream has finally been fulfilled. Whether that’s true or not, something extraordinary is abuzz all around this city. I was too young to join the civil rights movement, but civil rights vibes are dripping off all the buildings, all the parks and all the people. The mood is one of excitement, anticipation, intensity and a groundswell of power … power wanting to make change real.
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