4 Things about July 14

4 Things about July 14

1. It is the anniversary of my dad's death. It was two days after my 30th birthday, and I was at DisneyLand in California, visiting a childhood friend. We took the cart around the "Small World After All" exhibit, and I remember thinking how much Dr. Clifford Reutter would've enjoyed the show. Then I found out he died suddenly of a heart attack earlier that day. Three college friends came to Detroit to visit me during this difficult time: Dave, Steven, and Leigh.

2. It is Bastille Day, which is France's Independence Day. Don't ask me about the history of the country that gave us the Statue of Liberty. But you can ask Doug because this date was a big deal to his family who lived in France for a decade during Doug's childhood, even after they moved back to the States. Along similar lines, I remember my hairdresser on Maui telling me about Statehood Day in 1959 in Hawaii. All the neighbors were out in the street dancing and celebrating while her father stayed inside and cried. He recognized the injustices of the past and foresaw the challenges ahead.

3. On this day in this year, 2019, my friend Dave is celebrating the life of his wife Valerie who passed away suddenly. I am sorry I cannot make it up to recall in person the beautiful contributions she made to this world. Fortunately, Dave sent me and others who couldn't make it his prepared remarks. It included Dave's own evocative and tender words as well as reflections from other friends like me--which made me feel oh-so-included. It also included a story Valerie herself had written called "Inviting the Unexpected." I know how painful this must be for Dave, piecing together Valerie's life story. But the end result is joyfully seamless--truly a tapestry "of rich and royal hue." 

4. A president who shall remain anonymous for one more nanosecond has threatened to "trump up" his efforts to terrorize immigrant communities and their allies, starting today. This is, unfortunately, nothing new from this man and his minions. But now he is overtly telling people to "beware." As if that excuses his unspeakably horrifying and terrifying actions, sending the message that they made a mistake to seek a life on our soil which was an attempt to save their own lives.