Perspective
Due to circumstances I wish had not come up, I spent a few days visiting with someone I love very much last week at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C.. Thank God, this dear person will be coming home from the hospital soon.
I’ve often taken pride in writing with utter specificity, but that option is off limits when it comes to protecting the privacy of the people in my life. Certain family members (especially Andy, sometimes my brother or parents) deal with more than their fair share of exposure here. But the young ones, their lives are not mine to speak about publicly. So while my recent and unexpected trip east was profound in many ways, I’m keeping my impressions to a minimum.
I want you to know about the little girl down the hall from the room I was visiting. I don’t know her name. But I remember how clearly she spoke, even while crying, as she commanded her attending nurse, “Leave me alone!” I hope never to forget the moments of her suffering that I happened upon briefly over the last couple days. I saw her face – she’s a beautiful, very young, articulate person just past her toddler years, and she’s going through such a hard time. I so very much wish there was something I could do to help. It’s difficult to go back to my day job as an entertainment accountant after watching this sweet preschooler deal with such pain and fear.
I don’t have the nursing gene; I’m bored by biology and chemistry, but over the last couple of days, I can’t stop coming back to the thought that I wish I was back at the hospital. In those three days while I was there, I didn’t have the courage to stop in to chat with the little boy at the end of the hall who seemed never to have any visitors. In fact, I didn’t speak to anyone at the hospital other than the people I came to see and the cafeteria cashiers. I felt shy and out of place. And yet, I want to go back.
So I’ll leave you with this. If you’ve got an amazon.com account, you are only a few clicks away from having toys sent to the hospital. I want to do more than sending gifts, but maybe it’s a good beginning.
Awkward much?
“Aw, Peru, you shouldn’t have . . . . It’s lovely really, but . . .”
Puppy!
Malia has great taste in dogs. Can I have a rescued goldendoodle, too?
I’m happy to report that my letter to the ASPCA has been answered already! I should have known people would be on this mission.
Hi Ruth,
We couldn’t agree more! Several animal welfare groups have been running campaigns over the last few months to drum up support/signatures to persuade Obama to make his new dog a rescue. The most notable of these is probably the campaign run by Best Friends Network. Check it out here:
http://www.obamafamilydog.com/The ASPCA issued a press release to the media this week urging the Obamas to make adoption their first option. You can view it on our website at this link:
http://www.aspca.org/press_110508Also, our President, Ed Sayres, was quoted in this piece in USA Today:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/lifestyle/2008-11-05-obama-dog_N.htmThanks for writing and for caring about animals.
And guess what?? Look! “The Obama Family will Adopt.” So energizing to see good work get done! I guess I should have been reading my LA Times more closely; they announced the news back on 10/10/08. Just yesterday, The Chicago Tribune ran a story with this,
” . . . Michelle Obama told reporters in October that the family would select a rescue dog from a shelter. . . . At the PAWS Chicago Adoption Center, officials said they would be able to find a designer puppy to meet both Malia’s needs and her mother’s prerequisites.”
What’s next? Let’s get on it! Can we do anything to help this situation?
UPDATE: The Humane Society invites us to sign their card to the Obamas here.
Puppy?
Tonight, I sent my first e-mail to our new leader. If you’d like to join me, click here.
Dear President Elect Obama,
Words cannot express my joy over your election. Thank you for your service to our country. I’m looking forward to your leadership.
Regarding the new puppy — I’m writing to ask you to please adopt a pet from an animal shelter. This would set an amazing example which could feasibly save the lives of hundreds of worthy pets waiting to be rescued.
Thank you for your time.
Ready to do my part in this great democracy,
Ruth [LastName]
Los Angeles, CA
UPDATE: This morning I wrote to The Humane Society, the ASPCA, The Animal Rescue Site and ARME (Animal Rescue Media Education) asking all of them to encourage their members to write to President-Elect Obama on this issue. I’m feeling a little bit like a grass root today. Go Democracy! What shall we nag the government about tomorrow?
Yes. New World.
We telephoned our parents as the results rolled in. “Wow.” Then CNN called it. We wept with the strangers who were now our table mates. Our parents called us 5 minutes later. “This is really happening.” Our best friends called us. “I love you.” And called again 5 minutes later. “I really love you.” And then, when Obama was the President Elect for 7 more minutes, “Have I told you that I love you?” The valet parkers lost our car; all smiles, all smiles. Yes! Yes! This is really happening. Allah Hu Akbar! Hallelujah!
But it became even more clear for me when Andy reached his pal on the line. No hello, just, “So hey, world changed.”
World. . . changed.
President Elect Obama’s speech tonight was one of the best I’ve ever heard. Three words stood out to me, “. . . spirit of service . . .” Yes.
It reminded me of hearing a McCain supporter on the radio last night talking about how he wanted to keep ALL of his money ALL for himself. Which prompted the interviewer to say something to the effect that: We’ve got two wars going on — whatever happened to the idea of civilians having to make sacrifices? If there’s an enemy to fight, shouldn’t we all be cutting corners, making sacrifices for the greater good? But I digress.
Tonight, the world is a better place. For all of us.
Except for the fact that Andy paid .99 for Kool & the Gang’s “Celebration” just for this moment. Well, the lyrics do feel appropriate.
I prefer this one (also brought to me by my darling A):
We can’t stop because we love this life.
Voting
Today I’m reading California State Measure Proposition 2 for the very first time. Of course I knew “Yes on 2″, but I hasn’t actually read it. The summary states, “Requires that certain farm animals be allowed, for the majority of every day, to fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up and turn around. Limited exceptions apply.”
This bears repeating:
”Requires that certain farm animals be allowed, for the majority of every day, to fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up and turn around.”
Imagine not being able to make any of those motions for even just a portion of your day, not to mention, your entire life.
I’m sad for all the years when I bought eggs without ever thinking about what the chickens were going through. If this measure doesn’t pass, I’m taking to the streets.
This day is here
I got out of bed at 3:07am wondering if the polls were open back east yet. It’s raining here. Still predawn. I watched a few Obama Peace Train videos on Youtube. Wept a little. Realized that I still haven’t filled out my absentee ballot. My tradition is to drop it off in person on election day. I cried harder at the idea of filling out my ballot. I considered lighting a candle and doing it now, but decided to wait a few hours for Andy’s company and coffee. I’d photograph it for the blog, but something about that feels like it would be illegal. Must not tamper. Will try to get some more sleep before my work day starts. I don’t know how.
ONE DAY TO THE U.S. ELECTION
Project Inspiration Honoree of the Day: Shannon Keith
Shannon Keith has spent her life advocating for animals, and she’s only getting started. As an attorney, documentary filmmaker, non-profit founder, and an activist, the focus of her energy goes towards helping non-human sentient beings.
I hold hope that during our lifetime, attitudes towards who we eat and how we treat those creatures are going to shift radically. Let’s google Shannon in the year 2030 and see what her role has been.
TWO DAYS TO THE U.S. ELECTION
Project Inspiration Honoree of the Day: Sy Safransky
After two writing teachers and a dear friend recommended that I start reading The Sun Magazine on a regular basis, I eventually checked the box that says “bill me later” and dropped the subscription card into the mail. The magazine started showing up and I delighted in its fulfilled promise: Personal. Political. Provacative. Ad-free. Page after page of great writing.
Then the bill arrived and was put to the bottom of the stack. It was just such a busy time that I neglected to pay immediately. Reminder bills came and I considered letting the subscription lapse all together. Not because it’s not, honestly, my ideal magazine. But because our apartment is packed — we don’t have room for new things that take up space, and I’m working on quieting down my brain, simplifying, right?
One night on the way home from work, I heard The Sun’s founding editor, Sy Safransky give a radio interview. He told this story. Go read it now. Do it. I can tell if my links aren’t clicked. Sure, I could recapitulate it here, but why, when a much better version of the tale as Sy tells it is available on line?
So I heard that amazing story, and I mailed my check the next day.
I carry an issue of The Sun in my courier bag nearly every day. As often as I read it, I feel good about the world. There is a magazine we can read without having to look at 98 pound women trying to sell us shit we don’t need. There is a magazine we can read that is written for the people, by the people, about the people without corporate intervention.
Sy’s on my list of inspiring people not only because he had the courage to leave his day-job so many years ago and follow his passion. Not only because he had the courage in 1990 to stop selling ads. He’s on my list because of the large compassion he showed on that day last summer – you know what I’m talking about because you read about it here.
I’d like to leave you with an uplifting sentiment Sy wrote for the current issue of The Sun, but I don’t want to break any copyright rules. So I’m going to ask you to click again . . . when you go to this page, please look halfway down to the paragraph that starts, “NO MATTER WHO’S ELECTED president . . . ” read until you get to the word needle.
Yes, a poet made my list.
Scorecard Ready
Look what I made! What you see below is the scorecard I will be clinging to on Tuesday night. It’s based on the most current state-by-state polling data that was available yesterday. This chart helps me resolve a couple scenarios:
1. Ohio, Penn and Florida are all polling blue. Even if ALL THREE of those states mysteriously go to McCain, we’re still left with 270. Obama wins.
2. If Obama doesn’t take Colorado, New Mexico, OR Nevada (all polling blue) AND the RNC steals two of the three states noted above in #1, Obama still wins.
What happened to “Visualization Ruth“? What happened to “Project Inspiration Ruth“? She’s coming back, she just had to make her scorecard.
[EDITED 11/3/08: I revised the scorecard today - Virginia is closer than I would like . . . need to keep our eyes on it.]
THREE DAYS TO THE U.S. ELECTION
“If you really want to support the troops, listen to what they have to say.”
Project Inspiration Honoree of the Day: Paul Rieckhoff
Paul Rieckhoff is a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Executive Director and Founder of IAVA (Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America), the country’s first and largest Iraq Veterans group. He is nationally-recognized authority on the Iraq war and is also the author of the critically acclaimed book, Chasing Ghosts.
Rieckhoff created IAVA in June 2004 along with a couple of other Veterans, a handful of volunteers, and massive amounts of credit-card debt. The group attracted thousands Iraq War Veterans and more than 60,000 grassroots supporters across America, including family members of the troops presently in combat.
IAVA not only shed light on the challenges facing our Troops, but in late 2004 directly contributed to solving some of the most urgent problems. From investigating HUMVEE armor shortages to lobbying for expanded access to health care for Reservists and Guardsmen, IAVA pushed for real solutions to real problems.
Before you vote on Tuesday, sure to check out IAVA’s 2008 Congressional Report Card. It’s an evaluation based on the key veterans’ legislation that came to a vote during the 110th Congress that grades every Senator and Representative on their level of support for our troops.
I’m not surprised that McCain got a D (only 4 Senators have that distinction). Barack scored a B. Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Henry Waxman and Diane Feinstein all scored an A’s. It bears pointing out that IAVA makes no political contributions or endorsements.
But this post is about Paul. The thing I find so inspiring about him is his articulate intelligence combined with his drive to serve others. Listen to him speak in the clip above. This man isn’t just smart, he’s a gift to the planet. Thanks, Paul.
