Leaving the world a little better than I found it by sharing my passions and dreams, what inspires me,
and maybe you too, and furthering the discussion about how we can listen to our better angels.
I keep getting tagged on Facebook with the “25 Random Things About Me” meme, even though I did it the other day. So in honor of my friends who missed my answers the first time, here are 25 more completely random things about me.
1. My favorite decadent treat is these amazing little individual caramels from Lake Forest Food and Wine. Whenever I’m in Lake Forest, I stop by and buy them 10 or more at a time. They’re huge, so I cut them in ½ when I get home, re-wrap them individually and then allow myself no more than 1 a day.
2. My house burned down when I was 10 and while it was horrible, I kinda enjoyed being a gypsy for 6 months. We mostly lived at the Hilton by Arlington Park (Sheraton now) though. Yep, I was Eloise.
3. I’m the one who discovered the fire in the back corner of the garage. No, I didn’t set it, although a fireman accused me and my brother of that.
4. And in a moment of absolute stupidity, I ran into house to get my favorite green stuffed rabbit that I couldn’t live without.
5. I’ll never forget watching the firemen on the roof with chainsaws and seeing the enormous ball of fire fly out of the garage causing all the firemen in the driveway to hit the ground. Luckily, no one was injured.
6. I’ve never had a speeding ticket (but fully realize that I will now, now that I’ve bragged about it).
7. Despite the fact that he’s not exactly my “type,” I have had a completely unhealthy crush on the character Josh Lyman (played brilliantly by Bradley Whitford) from The West Wing since it first aired in 1999. I just figured out why.
8. I’ve only been outside of the US once. I was 10 and we went to the Bahamas. I really want to go to Paris.
9. My friend Brad Meltzer interviewed me for his latest book, The Book of Lies, and used at least 1 story from my life in the book. He also mentioned me in the Acknowledgements, which was a huge and wonderful surprise.
10. I drank the Obama Kool-aid in 2002 when I met him.
11. If I don’t get to Watervale each summer, I feel incomplete.
12. I could eat Thai food every day.
13. I’ve kept all the love letters I ever received and enjoy sitting down and reading them every so often.
14. My brother Dave is one of my best friends.
15. My favorite time of day is sunrise. Despite this, I’m not a morning person at all.
16. I gave the graduation speech at my junior high graduation. My mom and Nana were also their high school valedictorians. It runs in the family.
17. I can’t stand horror films. I have horrible dreams after I watch them.
18. I also believe in ghosts and if you tell me a house or building is haunted, I won’t sleep all night because I’m scared.
19. I had my appendix out when I was 11. Luckily, my mom didn’t listen to my doctor who thought I just had cramps.
20. I am deathly afraid of needles.
21. I’m certain this irrational fear stems from the last time I gave blood in college and the person doing it couldn’t find a vein. I had bruises all over both arms and then bled really slowly so it took forever. I started to hyperventilate, but thanks to a very cute boy who came over and distracted me, I was fine.
22. My mother, however, would tell you I’ve been afraid of needles since I was a kid.
23. The last time I wrote a letter to Santa was in 2007. Yes, I was 36. And, yes, I know there’s no Santa, but I figured it couldn’t hurt. It didn’t work. The letter is on my blog.
24. I used to be a Republican and was the Secretary of College Republicans in college. I saw the error of my ways shortly after that.
25. I spent the last day I lived in DC touring the West Wing of the White House, thanks to my friend Karen. It’s not part of the regular tour. The only disappointment I had was that we weren’t allowed to take any pics except for in the press room or outside, but I love the picture of me standing behind the podium with the seal of the White House over my shoulder.
We all know where this came from: $4.50 per gallon gas.
$4.50 was the necessary price, my ass. If it $4.50 per gallon was required because the cost of oil demanded it, then Exxon Mobil shouldn't be showing $45.2 BILLION in profits.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Big 3 Automakers are struggling to make it from day to day. And the Federal Government helped them out to the tune of $14 BILLION in a bridge loan last month.
It seems to me that the Exxon Mobil can thank automakers for these windfall profits. I mean, without cars, who would Exxon Mobil sell the majority of its gas to? And if the Big 3 fail, I don't really see Exxon Mobil having another banner year.
What if, instead of the Federal Government handing the Big 3 $14 Billion with all kinds of strings attached, the Feds turned to Exxon and said, "You've got the biggest stake in a healthy auto industry of anyone in the country. In 2008, you screwed all Americans with your price gouging and as your punishment, we're going to require you to turn over your entire $45.2 BILLION to the Big 3 in order to help them get back on their feet."
That's a win-win. Good jobs would stay in America. The Big 3 would have plenty of money to bring new, more fuel efficient cars onto the market. Taxpayers wouldn't be shelling out additional money to help Detroit. And Exxon Mobil would learn that there's a new sheriff in town and grown-ups are now in charge. There's no more free rides like under W.
This idea is free, Mr. President. Consider it an inauguration gift.
Are you like me and you like to dine out, but that your eyes are way bigger than your wallet?
Fret no more. The Chicago Tribune has come to our rescue with news we can actually use today, rather than simply running more stories about Drew Peterson's new fiance and Jessica Simpson's weight gain. Side note: Chicago Tribune, please let People magazine do what it does best and you stick to the news.
As part of their on-going series, Recession Survival Guide, the Tribune has provided us with "Deals to suit your taste and budget" by restaurant critic Phil Vettel. Bon appetite!
One other great way to save money while dining out is to visit Restaurant.com and purchase their gift certificates. You can purchase a $25 gift certificate for just $10 and once you sign up with them (for free), you'll get emails offering awesome discounts. Not a week goes by that I don't receive some special from Restaurant.com where I can purchase $25 gift certificates for $6 or less. Check it out. There are tons of restaurants in all price ranges. Deals to suit your taste and budget By Phil Vettel, Tribune critic January 29, 2009
What's your deal? Using this list, you can find restaurant discounts for every day of the week. But that's not how we organized them. We divided them by type, separating the beverage-based deals (half-price wines, no-corkage nights) from the burger discounts (on the cover), the multicourse fixed-price deals (you spend more, but you get more) from the limited-hours deals (happy hour, early bird, lunch). Will these deals help restaurants weather the financial storm? Only if enough people take advantage of them.
MULTICOURSE DEALS
Adobo Grill (356 Yorktown Center, Lombard; 630-627-9990). "Economy Buster" menu (any three tacos, margarita, churros dessert) for $20 Sundays-Thursdays.
Angelina Ristorante (3561 N. Broadway; 773-935-5933). Three-course dinner (any appetizer, any entree, any dessert) for $27 on Tuesdays.
Bistro 110 (110 E. Pearson St.; 312-266-3110). "Family & Friends" dinner features chicken blanquette (chicken pot pie) and gateau Breton (traditional French cake) for $15 (large carafe of wine, $10); available Sundays-Mondays.
Chaise Lounge (1840 W. North Ave.; 773-342-1840). Two small plates plus entree for $25 on Tuesdays.
Chez Colette (Sofitel Chicago O'Hare, 5550 N. River Rd., Rosemont; 847-678-4488). Three-course dinner (soup/salad, entree, dessert) for $26; available Mondays-Sundays.
Duchamp (2118 N. Damen Ave.; 773-235-6434). Three-course dinner (any appetizer, any entree, dessert trio) for $25 on Tuesdays.
Feast (1616 N. Damen Ave.; 773-772-7100). Any two courses and glass of wine for $25 on Wednesdays.
Nacional 27 (325 W. Huron St.; 312-664-2727). Five-course tasting menu paired with wines for $45 on Wednesdays.
Park 52 (5201 S. Harper Ave.; 773-241-5200). The restaurant that displays a portrait of Michelle Obama (in the front bar area) offers an " Obama Prix-Fixe" menu, a four-course menu with wines, for $44. Available seven days.
Sola (3868 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-327-3868). Three-course menu for $30 (add wine pairings, $15); available Mondays-Wednesdays.
Zealous (419 W. Superior St.; 312-475-9112). Five-course tasting menu for $49; through Feb. 13.
Zocalo (358 W. Ontario St.; 312-302-9977). Three-course dinner for $25, Corona Light beer $3, on Tuesdays and Sundays.
HAPPY-HOUR DEALS
C-House (Affinia Hotel, 166 E. Superior St.; 312-523-0923). From 4:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays in lobby bar, two pick-your-toppings seafood tacos and a beer are priced at $9.
Carlucci (1801 Butterfield Rd., Downers Grove; 630-512-0990). $2 appetizers in the bar, 4-7 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
Pops For Champagne (601 N. State St.; 312-266-7677). Featuring 37 percent discount on all food items (except for caviar), 3-7 p.m. Mondays-Fridays.
PRE-THEATER DEALS
312 Chicago (136 N. LaSalle St.; 312-696-2420). Three-course dinner $40, available Tuesdays-Sundays.
Boka (1729 N. Halsted St.; 312-337-6070). Three-course dinner $35, available 5-6:30 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays. Through February.
Cuatro (2030 S. Wabash Ave.; 312-842-8856). Three-course dinner $30; available 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays.
Lockwood ( Palmer House Hilton, 17 E. Monroe St.; 312-917-3404). Three-course menu (choice in all courses) $38; available 5-7 p.m. daily.
DRINK DEALS
Adelle's (1060 College Ave., Wheaton; 630-784-8015). No corkage fee Tuesdays, half-price wine bottles Wednesdays.
Birch River Grill (75 W. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights; 847-427-4242). Half-price bottles of wine, with purchase of entree, Saturdays.
D.O.C. Wine Bar (2602 N. Clark St.; 773-883-5101). Wine flights $10 Sundays; 20 wine bottles for $20 each on Mondays.
Duchamp (2118 N. Damen Ave.; 773-235-6434). Half-price off every bottle of wine Sundays.
Dunlay's on Clark (2600 N. Clark St.; 773-883-6000) and Dunlay's on the Square (3137 W. Logan Blvd.; 773-227-2400). Wine glasses half-price Mondays; 20 wine bottles $20 each Tuesdays; Stoli martinis $6 Thursdays.
Feast (1616 N. Damen Ave.; 773-772-7100). No corkage Sundays-Thursdays in February.
Mexique (1529 W. Chicago Ave.; 312-850-0288). Half-price off every bottle of wine Tuesdays.
Shanghai Terrace (Peninsula Hotel, 108 E. Superior St.; 312-573-6744). No-corkage BYO on Tuesdays.
Tizi Melloul (531 N. Wells St.; 312-670-4338). Any wine bottle half-price with purchase of two entrees on Wednesdays.
LUNCH DEALS
Blackbird (619 W. Randolph St.; 312-715-0708). Three-course lunch includes salad, any sandwich and doughnuts to go, $15; available Mondays-Fridays.
Dine (733 W. Madison St.; 312-602-2100). Express lunch (in and out in 30 minutes) soup and half-sandwich, $7; soup, half-sandwich and salad, $9. Available Mondays-Fridays.
Le Colonial (937 N. Rush St.; 312-255-0088). Two-course lunch menu (appetizer, main course, rice, coffee), $22.50; Mondays-Sundays.
Prairie Grass Cafe (601 N. Skokie Blvd., Northbrook; 847-205-4433). February lunch specials include Tallgrass beef sloppy joes, $12, Tuesdays; chili made with Tallgrass beef, $13.50, Wednesdays; meatloaf and mashed potatoes, $14.50, Fridays.
Zest (Inter-Continental Chicago, 505 N. Michigan Ave.; 312-321-8766). Soup and sandwich (choice of six sandwiches, four soups), $12; Mondays-Fridays.
. . . AND A FEW MORE
Everest (440 S. LaSalle St.; 312-663-8920). Luxury Town-car transportation to and from the restaurant, $15 per route (available within 15-mile radius of restaurant).
Pizzeria Via Stato (620 N. State St.; 312-337-6634). If snow is two inches or more downtown, all carryout orders receive a free pizza. Carryout only; lunch or dinner, Sundays-Thursdays.
Zapatista (1307 S. Wabash Ave.; 312-435-1307). "Muchos Tacos" (all you can eat), $13.99, and margaritas $5; Mondays.
Over on Facebook there's a meme going around that I swore I wouldn't do, but I guess the joke's on me. My dear friend Colleen tagged me this morning, so I bowed to the peer pressure and did it.
To be nice, I'm not going to tag anyone here. You can thank me anytime.
Rules: Once you have been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you!
1. I procrastinate by writing on Little Merry Sunshine.
2. I don't believe in randomness, but that everything happens for a very logical reason. I can't always explain the reasons, but everything happens for a reason.
3. I tend to get stuck in my head where the world is logical and in order.
4. Math was my favorite subject in high school. In fact, I loved it so much, I graduated with 6 or 7 years worth of math credits. Yes, I graduated in 4 years.
5. Ironically, it was my love of math that made me continue to take math courses in college until I took that one high level course with all the math majors and I failed it. Yep, I got an F.
6. Failing Multivariable Calculus was the best thing that ever happened to me. Ever. I learned that I didn't always have to be the best at everything, that risk taking was okay, and how to get up and dust myself off.
7. I always wish I was more touchy-feely, but I'm not. Sometimes I can be, but it's not usually my first instinct. Maybe that's changing as I get older though.
8. I almost gave Betsey and Ross back to their original owner because I was scared I couldn't handle the responsibility of pets. I'm so glad I didn't.
9. I'm blonde and frequently make dumb mistakes (raise your hand if you wore your non-prescription sunglasses for 3 hours indoors today before noticing like I did!).
10. My favorite snack is white grapefruit from Florida. It must be fresh, not in a jar. And definitely not the ruby red grapefruit. Ick.
11. I love that in the last year I've rekindled some really important relationships in my life, but there's one I still miss. A lot.
12. It always makes me sad when I have to let someone go from my life. Even if it's for the right reasons.
13. I hate eggs.
14. Ever since the tuna croissant incident in college, I have a very difficult time even looking at tuna.
15. It is my most fervent belief that the Cubs will win the World Series in my lifetime.
16. Family is far more important to me than I let on.
17. I love country music, but most of my friends pretend not to know this.
18. One of the happiest nights of my life was Election Night 2008.
19. It is really difficult for me to take credit for my accomplishments. I'd always rather let others bask in the recognition, but I have two good friends who loved me enough to show me the error of my ways.
20. I love peppermint ice cream and yellow tulips.
21. I've only been in love once.
22. My favorite spot in the world is a secluded beach where I can just be quiet.
23. It took me a long time to feel like I'd found MY place in Chicago and it wasn't just the place I grew up and where many of my family members are located. I think I've reached that place.
24. I believe in that eternal wisdom of the Rolling Stones: We can't always get what we want, but if we try sometimes, we might find, we get what we need.
25. Jimmy Buffett taught me to swear.
26. BONUS: 9 years later, I still miss my hair stylist in DC. He was the best there ever was and ever will be. The first time I walked in he asked how I wanted my hair done and I couldn't describe it, but I wanted a relatively radical change. I sat down in the chair and he got to work. When I left, it was the exact style I had in my mind and had been unable to describe. He's still there though, so go see him: Christopher Rosenthal at Salon Nuance.
I received the following email yesterday from the Arlington Heights Police Department Citizen Alert. Many towns, in fact, have similar citizens alerts which you can sign up to receive at Citizen Observer.
Many people have received a summons to appear for jury duty. Not everyone follows through on their civic duty. Criminals are using this fact as the basis for requesting sensitive information.
The caller identifies himself as an officer of the court or jury coordinator. They say that you failed to report for jury duty and an arrest warrant was issued. You explain that you never received a summons. To clear it up, the caller asks for verification information: date of birth, social security number and maybe even a credit card number. Hang Up! If you give this information away you may lose your identity and EVERYTHING that goes with it.
This scam's simplicity makes it effective. The threat of arrest catches the victim off guard and the ability to make the problem go away quickly by just giving some information is very inviting.
NEVER give out personal information when you receive an unsolicited phone call.
The bottom line is that only you can protect your personal information. Be alert and be proactive. If it smells a bit fishy, it probably is.
These are certainly tough times all around. You don't need me telling you that. I, for one, have champagne taste, but live on a Kool-aid budget. Times are tough.
But I didn't realize quite how tough things were until I saw the following article in the Tribune today. I had no idea the banks were suffering so much. And it's our fault. We each need to take responsibility for our part in the suffering of the banks. We created this mess and only we can fix it.
So I implore you to get out there and bounce some checks! As George Bush told us all after September 11th, it's our patriotic duty to spend money. If it was patriotic then, well, then by God, it's even more so now when no one has any.
First, banks had to worry about bad loans taking a bite out of their interest income.
Now, consumers are pulling back on their use of ATMs, and they're not writing as many checks, so fewer require overdrafts.
So some financial institutions are seeing dwindling levels of what's known in the industry as "non-interest income," which includes ATM, overdraft and other customer service fees.
An example: Amcore Financial Inc. last week reported that non-interest income was $16.9 million, off 7 percent from the fourth quarter of 2007 and down 16 percent from the third quarter of 2008.
One chief reason: "Service charges have declined as customers started to curtail spending during the quarter," Judith Sutfin, chief financial officer of the Rockford-based bank, said in a conference call.
Specifically, Amcore's revenue related to ATM fees and overdraft charges were down.
Fifth Third saw its deposit service charges fall in the fourth quarter, citing a falloff on lower transaction volumes and debit card usage.
"The economy is very weak, not just in credit, but where consumer spending is important, such as deposit service charges," Fifth Third Chief Executive Kevin Kabat said last week.
At TCF Bank, total fees and other revenue was $474.1 million for 2008, down 3 percent from 2007.
TCF is seeing growth in the number of checking accounts, but "due to the economy people are doing fewer transactions," said CEO William Cooper.
"They're buying fewer things, they're writing fewer checks, and their debit card transactions are smaller," he said last week in an earnings conference call. "So even though our base is growing, fee income has been pretty flat again because of the economy and higher unemployment and basically the fear factor."
The volume of transactions involving checks and debit cards is down – the "first time in my career that it's down," Cooper said. "People are simply buying less."
It has been a trend for six to nine months but has been worsening by the quarter, he said.
An analyst asked whether consumers might be getting more sensitive to overdraft fees.
"It doesn't seem to be a change in being more prudent about non-sufficient fund fees or anything like that," Cooper replied. "It more of just they're spending less so they have fewer incidents" involving bounced checks and their subsequent fees.
TCF's ATM revenue for 2008 was $32.6 million, down 8 percent from 2007, due to continued declines in fees charged to TCF customers for use of non-TCF ATM machines as TCF offers more no-fee checking products.
President Barack Obama (Oh God, that sounds NICE!) has been our president for a week now and I've seen more change in the last seven days than I'd seen in the previous 8 years. Now I'm not referring to change in the country so much, except he has lifted that nasty Global Gag Rule, which is a huge step forward for women around the world.
No, I'm really referring to the change that has come in my own life and the lives of my friends and family. I wish I could discuss all the change that is happening, but I can't.
All I can say is that for me, personally (I'm not speaking for anyone else here), I feel like a huge weight has been lifted, suddenly the world feels hopeful and the changes that are happening don't feel scary like they did a little more than a week ago. Instead, they feel right. Maybe one day I'll be able to write about some of it.
So be patient with me. I've got a bunch of blog posts in the pipeline and I'll get them finished in the next day or so. Really.
In case you missed it yesterday morning, below is the sermon delivered by Rev. Dr. Susan E. Watkins at the National Prayer Service. Watch the YouTube videos (note, the first one starts about 30 seconds into the actual sermon) and the transcript is below.
It's no secret that I'm not a huge church-goer. It's not that I don't believe in God because, in fact, I do. I don't go to church very often because I have too much life experience with "good Christians" who sit on the pew on Sundays and spend the rest of the week screwing everyone over. That kind of hypocrisy makes me insane. I also abhor the whole "fear of God" aspect. Finally, I feel closer to God when I'm in nature or doing volunteer work. I'd much rather walk my beliefs than simply talk them.
That said, if Rev. Watkins were my minister, I'd never miss a Sunday. She's inspirational and uplifting. She speaks to our better angels and about how we live each day and treat others says more about our faith than sitting on a pew. As a side note, she's also the first woman to deliver the sermon at the National Prayer Service.
Mr. President and Mrs. Obama, Mr. Vice President and Dr. Biden, and your families, what an inaugural celebration you have hosted! Train ride, opening concert, service to neighbor, dancing till dawn . . .
And yesterday . . . With your inauguration, Mr. President, the flame of America’s promise burns just a little brighter for every child of this land!
There is still a lot of work to do, and today the nation turns its full attention to that work. As we do, it is good that we pause to take a deep spiritual breath. It is good that we center for a moment.
What you are entering now, Mr. President and Mr. Vice President, will tend to draw you away from your ethical center. But we, the nation that you serve, need you to hold the ground of your deepest values, of our deepest values.
Beyond this moment of high hopes, we need you to stay focused on our shared hopes, so that we can continue to hope, too.
We will follow your lead.
There is a story attributed to Cherokee wisdom:
One evening a grandfather was teaching his young grandson about the internal battle that each person faces.
“There are two wolves struggling inside each of us,” the old man said.
“One wolf is vengefulness, anger, resentment, self-pity, fear . . .
“The other wolf is compassion, faithfulness, hope, truth, love . . .”
The grandson sat, thinking, then asked: “Which wolf wins, Grandfather?”
His grandfather replied, “The one you feed.”
There are crises banging on the door right now, pawing at us, trying to draw us off our ethical center—crises that tempt us to feed the wolf of vengefulness and fear.
We need you, Mr. President, to hold your ground. We need you, leaders of this nation, to stay centered on the values that have guided us in the past; values that empowered to move us through the perils of earlier times and can guide us now into a future of renewed promise.
We need you to feed the good wolf within you, to listen to the better angels of your nature, and by your example encourage us to do the same.
This is not a new word for a pastor to bring at such a moment. In the later chapters of Isaiah, in the 500’s BCE, the prophet speaks to the people. Back in the capital city after long years of exile, their joy should be great, but things aren’t working out just right. Their homecoming is more complicated than expected. Not everyone is watching their parade or dancing all night at their arrival.
They turn to God, “What’s going on here? We pray and we fast, but you do not bless us. We’re confused.”
Through the prophet, God answers, what fast? You fast only to quarrel and fight and strike with the fist. . .
Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice . . . to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house . .? Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly . . .
At our time of new beginning, focused on renewing America’s promise—yet at a time of great crisis—which fast do we choose? Which “wolf” do we feed? What of America’s promise do we honor?
Recently Muslim scholars from around the world released a document, known as “A Common Word Between Us.” It proposes a common basis for building a world at peace. That common basis? Love of God and love of neighbor! What we just read in the Gospel of Matthew!
So how do we go about loving God? Well, according to Isaiah, summed up by Jesus, affirmed by a worldwide community of Muslim scholars and many others, it is by facing hard times with a generous spirit: by reaching out toward each other rather than turning our backs on each other. As Mahatma Gandhi once said, “people can be so poor that the only way they see God is in a piece of bread.”
In the days immediately before us, there will be much to draw us away from the grand work of loving God and the hard work of loving neighbor. In crisis times, a basic instinct seeks to take us over—a fight/flight instinct that leans us toward the fearful wolf, orients us toward the self-interested fast . . .
In international hard times, our instinct is to fight—to pick up the sword, to seek out enemies, to build walls against the other—and why not? They just might be out to get us. We’ve got plenty of evidence to that effect. Someone has to keep watch and be ready to defend, and Mr. President—Tag! You’re it!
But on the way to those tough decisions, which American promises will frame those decisions? Will you continue to reason from your ethical center, from the bedrock values of our best shared hopes? Which wolf will you feed?
In financial hard times, our instinct is flight—to hunker down, to turn inward, to hoard what little we can get our hands on, to be fearful of others who may take the resources we need. In hard financial times, which fast do we choose? The fast that placates our hunkered-down soul—or the fast that reaches out to our sister and our brother?
In times, such as these, we the people need you, the leaders of this nation, to be guided by the counsel that Isaiah gave so long ago, to work for the common good, for the public happiness, the well-being of the nation and the world, knowing that our individual wellbeing depends upon a world in which liberty and justice prevail.
This is the biblical way. It is also the American way—to believe in something bigger than ourselves, to reach out to neighbor to build communities of possibility, of liberty and justice for all. This is the center we can find again whenever we are pulled at and pawed at by the vengeful wolf, when we are tempted by the self-interested fast.
America’s true character, the source of our national wisdom and strength, is rooted in a generous and hopeful spirit.
“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, . . . Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
Emma Lazarus’ poetry is spelled out further by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,: “As long as there is poverty in the world I can never be rich, even if I have a billion dollars. As long as diseases are rampant and millions of people in this world cannot expect to live more than twenty-eight or thirty years, I can never be totally healthy . . . I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the way our world is made.”
You yourself, Mr. President, have already added to this call, “If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. . . . It's that fundamental belief—I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper—that makes this country work.”
It is right that college classes on political oratory already study your words . You, as our president, will set the tone for us. You will help us as a nation choose again and again which wolf to feed, which fast to choose, to love God by loving our neighbor.
We will follow your lead—and we will walk with you. And sometimes we will swirl in front of you, pulling you along.
At times like these—hard times—we find out what we’re made of. Is that blazing torch of liberty just for me? Or do we seek the “harmonies of liberty”, many voices joined together, many hands offering to care for neighbors far and near?
Though tempted to withdraw the offer, surely Lady Liberty can still raise that golden torch of generosity to the world. Even in these financial hard times, these times of international challenge, the words of Katherine Lee Bates describe a nation with more than enough to share: “Oh, beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain . . .”
A land of abundance guided by a God of abundance, generosity, and hope—This is our heritage. This is America’s promise which we fulfill when we reach out to each other.
Even in these hard times, rich or poor, we can reach out to our neighbor, including our global neighbor, in generous hospitality, building together communities of possibility and of hope. Even in these tough times, we can feed the good wolf, listen to the better angels of our nature. We can choose the fast of God’s desiring.
Even now in these hard times let us
Lift every voice and sing Till earth and heaven ring, with the harmonies of Liberty;
Even now let us Sing a song full of hope. . .
Especially now, from the center of our deepest shared values, let us pray, still in the words of James Weldon Johnson:
Thou who has by Thy might Led us into the light, Keep us . . . in the path, we pray. Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee, Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee; Shadowed beneath Thy hand, May we forever stand. True to our God, True to our native land.
Did you see Beyonce singing Etta James' "At Last" to the for the President & Mrs. Obama's dance at the Neighborhood Ball last night? I'm not even a fan of Beyonce and was moved to tears by her rendition of this amazing song. The emotion is all over her face at how honored she is to be singing for them.
Watching the Obamas felt almost too intimate, given what we've come to expect from these dances. What I saw was two people completely and unconditionally in love with each other. Two people with a deep and abiding love that honors each of them as individuals and as a couple.
