Capturing a good photo of a black cat is notoriously difficult.
Dainty features disappear into shadows.
Delicate whiskers fade against fur coats.
And all sense of dimensionality collapses into a weird, flat, furry, black blob.
But since today is National Black Cat Day, I owe it to my delightful Luna to try my best.
Even if he is napping on the forbidden kitchen counter.
Oh, the joys of Halloweens past, when the entire month of October was devoted to resolving the age-old dilemma: What are you going to be for Halloween?
With my four girls, ideas percolated on the back burner all year long, but the costume-rencana season began in earnest around Labor Day, and outfit options cycled in and out of consideration at break-neck pace.
There were tried-and-true favorites:
Hula dancers.
Dogs and cats.
Soccer players.
50's bobby soxers.
Ballerinas.
And a handful of one-time wonders including a tie-died hippie, Alice in Wonderland, and a big purple baby.
Inspiration came from books, friends, and honestly, what was tucked into our dress-up bin or could be easily made.
As for me, I understood my role in this annual pageantry.
Let them figure it out for themselves.
Help make things only when asked.
Keep my opinions and standards to myself.
In the end, we did not win any costume contests. Our outfits were simple, handmade and low budget.
But every single year, my daughters delighted in the costumes they had put together, and ran out into the dark mystery of Halloween night feeling magically transformed.
And that, my friends, is what Halloween is truly all about.
When the weight of the world drags me down, I look up.
When I feel lost, lonely or longing for hope, I look up.
When I don't know what else to do, I look up.
I look up to the eternal blue sky because that is where I find the light. And in that light, I can usually see how to take just one more step.
And that is enough.
Whenever I think about our American presidents, as I do on this Election Day, I think of Thomas Jefferson.
I am obsessed with Thomas Jefferson.
Third president of the United States
Author of the Declaration of Independence
Surveyor
Architect
Mathematician
Horticulturalist
Mechanic
Philosopher
Founder of the University of Virginia and sender of Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition.
A devoted Christian though he avoided organized religion
And a prolific letter writer.
I can find endless reasons to be fascinated with Mr. Jefferson and admire him greatly.
When my fourth-born was in high school, she gave me this handmade blank book for Christmas. In an effort to make me happy, she decorated the front cover with a photo of Thomas Jefferson's face at Mount Rushmore, and Ranger's furry legs hanging off the couch. Smart girl.
But this incredible list of accomplishments must be balanced against one somber truth:
Jefferson owned more than one hundred slaves.
In this regard, he was a man of his times. Around the turn of the nineteenth century, slaves worked the fields of most Virginia plantations, and Jefferson's land was no different. Historians have yet to lock down Jefferson's deepest values on the subject - some say he was opposed to slavery all his life; others say he gradually came to that position. But undeniably, Thomas Jeffersn owned many slaves.
And what of his late-in-life relationship with Sally Heming? It's widely debated that after his dear wife died, Jefferson loved and lived with one of his slaves, fathering her children and enjoying her company until his passing. Does that fondness for a multiracial woman make his reputation better or worse?
I filled the empty pages of the book with my favorite bits about each of our nation's presidents.
And now it is a treasure.
As my mind runs in circles on these issues, one ideal rings clear and true:
Presidents should be held to the highest standards.
We must insist upon ideals and behaviors worthy of the office.
We must demand their honor and integrity.
But at the same time, we must never lose sight of the fact that our presidents are human beings.
And in that spirit of expectation and grace, I eagerly await the results of our vote.
* * * * *
As I prepare to vote in the hotly contested 2016 presidential election, I find myself reflecting on the moments and milestones of my life that have shaped me as an American citizen and contributed to my worldview today.
For more stories on this topic, read:
Cold War Kid
Speak Out
Clara's Golden Door
Tiny Habits Of Patriotism
The Watergate Years
My Political Posse
"Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future."
-John F. Kennedy
Never in my life have I been so outspoken about politics.
But this election cycle has really set me off.
If you are friends with me on Facebook, this comes as no surprise. Ever since Mr. Trump started talking about building his wall against Mexico, I have been equal parts fascinated, horrified and determined to make a difference in this election. Every day, I post a slew of articles that reflect what I consider to be thoughtful points of view, and I speak my mind as directly and respectfully as I can.
Many of my friends have done the same.
Smart
Insightful
Caring
Wise
Their words have carried me deeper into the issues and awakened me to other points of view. And while there are many, many people who have influenced me these past few months, three special friends stand out in my mind.
* * * * *
Check out Travis' youtube channel here. You won't be disappointed.
Travis went to high school with my long-time friend, Chris, and was busy playing Simon to Chris's Garfunkel in a band called New Heights when we first crossed paths. In the last five years, Travis moved to LA, finessed his music production skills, developed a solo presence, and fell in love with an actress. Our acquaintanceship has lingered but never evolved until this election.
What Travis brings to the political conversation is not just an interest in facts or political opinions - though he has plenty of both at his fingertips. What impresses me is his emotion and sensitivity to the heart issues of politics. Travis cares about people and how politics affect their real lives, and when I get caught up in over-intellectualizing and hanging on to my precious principles, he reminds me of what matters most: people.
* * * * *
Cheryl is with Hillary, and I'm with both of them.
My husband's cousin grew up on an Ohio dairy farm, devoted a lifetime to teaching home economics, and is now happily quilting away her retirement years in the countryside outside Columbus. Before this election cycle, I'm sorry to say I would have pegged Cheryl as a unquestioning conservative, as red as the cherry pies she judges each summer at the county fair.
Over the past few months, I'm been happy to learn that I was outrageously wrong. Cheryl is as open-minded and free-thinking as they come, and while liberals on both coasts sniffily assume that the entire Midwest is a political wasteland devoid of informed opinion, my intellectual cousin-in-law is busy proving them all wrong. She inspires me to keep an open mind.
* * * * *
Paul's the kind of guy who uses a satellite photo of his home state as a profile pic.
But I prefer this shot with his daughter.
As fellow Mob Wars enthusiasts, accountants, and Michiganders, Paul and I also share a long history of playing Words With Friends and chit-chatting about snowstorms. Once I sent him marshmallow treats for his birthday, and he sent me a handwritten thank-you card. Though we've never met in person, we have an enduring online friendship, and I have always respected his direct and simple manner.
What Paul has brought to the election season table is a sense of humor. Oh, no doubt, he takes the issues seriously. But with a regular dose of SNL skits and Seth Myers bits, he reminds me that it's okay to laugh. As my anxieties have grown, I find myself searching my news feed for a post from Paul, knowing that more often than not, the comedic relief he provides will help me keep the world's troubles in perspective and save what's left of my sanity.
* * * * *
So cheers to you, Travis, Cheryl and Paul, for walking with me through this insane election season. I'm grateful to know that whatever challenges our country will face in the future, you will be there to share it with me.
* * * * *
As I prepare to vote in the hotly contested 2016 presidential election, I find myself reflecting on the moments and milestones of my life that have shaped me as an American citizen and contributed to my worldview today.
For more stories on this topic, read:
Cold War Kid
Speak Out
Clara's Golden Door
Tiny Habits Of Patriotism
The Watergate Years
My Thoughts On Election Day
I'm ridiculously excited.
Today is the day.
I've been dreaming of using these Chicago Cubs cups for exactly thirty-two years.
And today is the day I will finally drink from them.
This story begins in the fall of 1984, when my then-hometown Cubs had earned themselves a spot in the playoffs for the first time in decades. On a run through the grocery store, a package of Cubs-logo drink cups caught my eye, and I snatched them up, thinking they would be perfect for celebrating this milestone playoff run.
Once I got them home, I had second thoughts.
These cups were special.
More than playoff special.
These gems were World Series special.
And I made a promise to myself that I would use the cups when - and only when - the Chicago Cubs made it to the World Series.
Alas, the Cubs did not make it to the Series in 1984.
I pushed the cups to the back of the cupboard and told myself, "Just wait till next year."
The team didn't even make the playoffs in 1985 and my cups gathered dust.
In 1986, I moved across the country to Seattle, where my Cubs cups have been living in the bottom of my pantry for the past thirty years.
My children grew up with the story of the cups. Every now and then, the girls and I would dig the cups out of their hiding place, smooth down the aged plastic bag, admire the cute little bear cubs, and dream of the day - surely the day was coming, right? - when we would drink from them and celebrate our Cubs in the World Series.
Two decades slid by.
Now older and wiser, my teenage daughters devised a specific plan for using them. If - no, when! - the Cubs made it to the Series, we would wait till the conclusion of the seven-game match and then use our cups to toast their result: champagne for winning and beer even if they lose.
My ever-practical youngest daughter asked to inherit the cups, if they were still unused at the time of my death. I gave her my blessing.
Another decade passed.
But this year - I still can barely believe it's real - this year, the Chicago Cubs are playing in the World Series.
And tonight is the seventh and final game of that contest.
Tonight, we will drink from the cups.
Ample supplies of both champagne and good cheap bleacher-caliber beer are cooling in my fridge,
The cups are out of the pantry, and stand ready and waiting.
All that's left to do is play ball.
Dumbfounded
Distraught
And a little bit pissed off.
Since the election, I've definitely been reeling with emotion and trying to make sense of our national nightmare.
I've read countless articles that rehash the outcome and attempt to determine what this result means:
Americans want a change.
The working class has been ignored too long.
Rural Americans have been ignored too long.
Racism/sexism/misogynism is far more common that anyone knew.
Pollsters suck.
Any or all of those explanations may be true and while the introspection is interesting, these facts don't really concern me.
And when I'm not wrapped up in U.S. Elections, I've tried my hand at Malaysian politics. Here I am at an Election Day rally in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. Probably the wildest night of my life.
Because I know that many Americans are as shocked and sickened as I am, and together, we are taking a stand.
We stand for hope.
We stand for decency, and we will show kindness to everyone we meet.
We stand for the vulnerable, and we will protect people at risk.
We stand for the hurting, and we will reach out to their broken hearts with compassion.We stand for diversity, and we will embrace people who are different from us.
Some of us stand for Jesus, and we strive to live as he did, with mercy and compassion, honesty and grace.
The election did not turn out as the Kelantanese hoped, but they too stand together.
We stand for American ideals, and we will always believe in our nation's capacity for greatness.
We stand for truth and justice.
And most of all, we stand together for love.
