Hope

"You can't deny
The other side
Don't want to die
Any more than we do
What I'm trying to say,
Is don't they pray
Tell me, how does God choose?
Whose prayers does he refuse?
Who turns the wheel?
And who throws the dice
On the day after tomorrow?"





We had the extraordinary experience of hearing Joan Baez in concert last night. Her message of non-violence and peace brought a new sense of urgency and a new hope to us all. Hels and Lou were fascinated by her story and were in awe of her presence, as was I. I went to a Joan Baez concert about 10 years ago, and that concert was nothing like this.

Last night Joan stood on that stage and gave us a concert that spoke directly to our times. At one point, she spoke of working with Dr. King. She said that not since then has she felt such hope for the healing of our world as she does today with Barack Obama's candidacy. The audience roared their approval, and she launched into yet another song that spoke so simply, yet directly to each of us about our responsibilities to this world.

There was much to contemplate in the car on the way home.

Finlandia

This is my song
Oh god of all the nations
A song of peace
For lands afar and mine

This is my home
The country where my heart is
Here are my hopes
My dreams my holy shrine

But other hearts
In other lands are beating
With hopes and dreams
As true and high as mine

My countries skies
Are bluer than the ocean
And sunlight beams
On clover leaf and pine

But other lands
Have sunlight too and clover
And skies are everywhere
As blue as mine

Oh hear my song
Oh god of all the nations
A song of peace
For their land and for mine