war

Thank You.

| Betsy

You’ll have to turn up your speakers to hear this properly. It’s been transferred from VHS, and is a 1993 performance by 10,000 Maniacs at the inauguration of President Clinton. This morning I read that already this year there have been 219 American soldier deaths this year in Afghanistan, up 41% from all of 2008. And I’m sitting here in this coffeeshop surrounded by other somewhat sleepy people drinking my coffee and waking up. You can hear the Death Cab for Cutie song playing in between the sounds of the espresso machine and cash till.

And I’m catching up on the news and thinking about 1993, the year I graduated from high school. And where I hoped to be at this point in my life, where I hoped the world to be at this point in my life, and how the latter part of those hopes has gone pear-shaped. And I take an extra minute to enjoy the feeling of safety and peace and everydayness of my morning. I sip my red-eye (with light brew, natch) and catch up on what’s happening around the world and remember that these are days– we can take our days now to work towards a better future.

And I’m infinitely thankful for all the people who are fighting battles far away from home, wishing to have a nice quiet morning in the coffeeshop or with their families. This quiet moment of tranquility is for them. May they soon have days filled with laughter until they break.





These are the days you’ll remember.
Never before and never since, I promise, will the whole world be warm as this.
And as you feel it, you’ll know it’s true that you are blessed and lucky.
It’s true that you are touched by something that will grow and bloom in you.

These are the days you’ll remember.
When May is rushing over you with desire to be part of the miracles you see in every hour.
You’ll know it’s true that you are blessed and lucky.
It’s true that you are touched by something that will grow and bloom in you.

These are days.

These are the days you might fill with laughter until you break.
These days you might feel a shaft of light make its way across your face.
And when you do you’ll know how it was meant to be.
See the signs and know their meaning.
It’s true, you’ll know how it was meant to be.
Hear the signs and know they’re speaking to you, to you.

Lyrics from here.

CODEPINK. Collecting Knitted Squares For Mother’s Day.

| Betsy

CAMPAIGN: CODEPINK is collecting knitted squares for a cozy (see photo above) for the White House fence for Mother’s Day as a protest against war. All war.

WHAT TO MAKE: The squares need to be 4″x4″ and tightly knit, in the stitch of your choice. The donations need to be received by May 4th, as the U.S. observance of Mother’s Day is May 10th this year. If you’re a knitter, then you know that your average swatch takes little time, and so will these squares!

WHO TO CONTACT: If you plan to make squares, please email Janna at CODEPINK with the number of squares you plan to make and in what colors.

WHERE TO SEND: Once completed, the squares can be sent to:
CODEPINK House
712 5th Street NE
Washington, D.C.
20002

WHY TO SEND: Because war effects everyone. Even if you or your family haven’t been effected personally, someone you know has a brother, sister, aunt, uncle, husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend, mother, father, son, daughter, grandfather, grandmother, cousin or best friend who has been effected by war, either directly or indirectly. I come from a military family. I am an ardent supporter of our soldiers and the sacrifices they make for their jobs. I am not, however, always a supporter of our foreign policy. In the future, I’d like nothing more than to raise my children in a world without war. No one, anywhere, should have to make those choices that are sometimes made in conflict. For a list of current ongoing conflicts and the estimated numbers of casualities, see here.

That’s a lot of chairs left empty at the dinner table and thousands fewer hands to hold. Even if you don’t make squares, consider spending some time this Mother’s Day doing something to make this world a little nicer and a little kinder because we need all the help we can get. In honoring the kinder maternal sides of this world, you are also honoring all Mothers, who all bring their children into the world with the greatest love, the fiercest protection, and more hope than they ever thought possible.

Perhaps with enough little kindnesses, we can slowly begin to reduce the numbers of those effected by war by bringing about a few more smiles and discussions, leading to more open communication and if we’re lucky, a little less strife. We can honor all Mothers throughout the world by perpetuating tiny acts of gratitude and kindness that echo those of every Mother. Their dreams, strong wills and sacrifices made worldwide in the name of creating love, hope and peace in the lives of their children are examples of limitless love and open hearts that we all can learn from, remember and pass on.

P.S. I’ve emailed Janna (at the email address linked above) and will be donating 4 pink squares and 4 green.

despite it all…

| Betsy

Even though I can knit things for homeless people all over the world, research about the world’s inequities, protest against injustice…

It still doesn’t hurt any less when you find out that your closest cousin, the one you grew up with, is being sent to war.