Sang at the Tarrytown parade this morning…what utter joy! Saw Ed Clements
from KLBJ (love him!) and my dentist, Dr. Kavin Kelp! We sang “This Land Is Your Land” and a bunch of kids songs and everything was red, white and blue.
Of course, I was getting choked up, remembering my family gatherings of years gone by, celebrating the freedoms our country allows (and, hopefully, always will!), eating hot dogs and enjoying fresh squeezed lemonade with cousins I only got to see once a year…sparklers lighting up our faces, the bursting of fireworks my grandpa would buy by the truckload…the night sky awash with hope and glory and history.
Back to today…towards the middle of my show, a tiny girl named Amanda tapped me on my leg and said, “Look! Balloons!” I turned my face up to the sky, and sure enough, about twenty balloons had escaped, and I asked the audience to help the balloons spread peace throughout the world. We watched them float higher and higher, miniature dots decorating a bright, blue day.
Now, I’m home, writing letters with my girls to people we love. Decorating envelopes with glitter markers. Sitting around the family table that has created so many joy filled memories.
Last night, Lily and I played “Slamwich!”…cracking each other up with hilarious voices, staring each other down as one of us would forget whether to holler “DOUBLE DECKER!” or “MUNCHER!” Just a super game.
I wish you all a happy fourth of July. I wish the world independence from fear, terror, oppression, scandal, lies, greed, dictatorships and war. I envision a world enjoying the beauty of a creek, clear and cold, gurgling away…I envision plenty of food for all…I envision doctors/hospitals/clinics available to children/families/individuals/communities…I envision farmers with healthy crops…I envision employers realizing the common sense of excellent pay/vacation time/childcare…I envision healthy partnerships for people who are lonely and long for love…I envision governments that are run by people of humility, grace and
wisdom…
I envision my hot dog at the table, waiting for me to come consume it with relish, catsup and chips on the side!