TheresaCaldwell.com

I Am Number Three

No, this is not about the sci-fi movie I Am Number Four. This is about a really cool personal project of a woman I met last week.

Jane Lovas was one of the people, mostly women, who attended a book launch party a week ago today. It was "Heroes and Fireflies: Supporting Local Charities." The authors whose books were being launched were Mali Phonpadith (A Million Fireflies) and Misti Burmeister (Hidden Heroes). One of the event's sponsors was my dear friend Terry Nicholetti (in the green jacket), seen here with her dear friend Mali Phonpadith.

 

Terry also knows Jane, which is how I met her. Hang around long enough with Terry and you'll meet lots of great people.

Jane recently decided that she was going to meet 1,000 new women this year. I am Number Three. Encouraged by Terry (below), they figured out a way to incorporate the women Jane already knows into her "thousand."

 

One-thousand new women is a lot! I can't commit to that right now, but I can commit to genuinely meeting more people. By "genuinely" I mean being completely present in the time we spend together, more consciously reaching out to extend that time, and spending more time in the presence of others without what Chris Rock calls our "representative" inhabiting our clothes.

And I'll try not to wait a week before I mention my progress here. :)

 

The Simple Things

I got a great lesson in appreciating the simple things this weekend.

I attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for a "sprayground" in the Fairfax County section of Alexandria, VA. It's called Our Special Harbor Sprayground, and it's designed to be a place where children with disabilities can enjoy the summer "pool" experience right beside their siblings and friends who do not have disabilities.

Generally speaking, kids love playing in water. This sprayground makes it possible for all kids to do it, and do it together. It's a very simple thing - hit the water when the temperature is around 80 degrees, which it was for the May 21st ceremony - but everyone doesn' t have access to this experience.

I've followed the final weeks of development of the sprayground. Its progress reminded me that it is possible to turn tragedy into triumph, to transform the impossible into the possible, and to count my blessings for the simple pleasure of walking in water on a hot day.

A Thousand Words

That's what a picture is said to be worth. It seems like a picture of a dead Osama bin Laden is worth a thousand questions, especially since one is not going to be released.

The only word I am left with, though, is maybe. When I see poll questions about whether a photo should be released the options are usually "yes" and "no." Unfortunately, my answer is "I don't know."

I admit to being one of the people who felt squishy about cheering the death of a human being, despite this particular human being's history of inhumane behavior. I don't need to see the picture to prove he's finished. No thanks to that type of reality TV. I'll stick with believing President Obama, as well as our military and intelligence officials. Of course, I also believed the president was an American without seeing his birth certificate.

I also admit that there are several reasons to release the photo, not the least of which is so that it will be definitive evidence of bin Laden's demise for those who need that. Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson makes a good case for releasing photos, as have many other thoughtful people.

One final admission: I hope, more than anything, bin Laden's end means we are closer to a season of relative peace on Earth. I'd love to see pictures of that.