Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The Divinity of Mistakes –

The other night, before bed, I decided to check channel 26 to see something, I forget now why, but I hit too many numbers and wound up on a Showtime channel where the end credits to a movie were rolling, I don’t know which film, but the haunting, lilting sounds coming from my TV caused me to pause. I sat transfixed, my wife came out to see what the hell I was doing just sitting there watching the bland, black and white credits to a film neither of us had just seen. “I’ll be in…in a minute,” I said. I watched the credits to the end so I could see that the song “It Ain’t Easy” was preformed by Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet.

Now, I can’t stop listening to her. I read her story on Wikipedia. What an amazing journey she has been on and I realize most of you taking the time to read me already know her. Inspired, I actually picked up my banjo and realized I could now tune it with the new electronic tuner I had purchased for the guitar. So now, this morning, listening to her song “City of Refuge” I hear the line: “To run with the Gods, You gotta Run Harder” Abigail Washburn. This resonates with me in ways you all can relate to I am sure. I wallow in my mediocrity because I need to work harder. Harder to get my words heard, harder to get my novel out there, harder to keep the citizens of New York safe. I’m gonna run, run, run to the City of Refuge. Run, run, and run.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Father's Day 2012

Dear Dad, there is so much I need to tell you. How things are with work and with this great, big, ever growing, ever changing city we used to live, work and play in together once upon a time in America.The new buildings going up, the old ones coming down, the ravaged ones getting face-lifts using old and new ways.

I want to thank you, dad, for making me the man I am, for showing me that the only way to survive in this business, in this world, is by being careful. Full of care.

"Take care, I love ya, bud." Those were the last words you said to me, with a wave of your good hand and a smile. That's how I will always remember you. You gave me the tools of wisdom and success in a series of small phrases like: "Get it done." and "Be safe." You will always be my hero, my champion and I live every day to make you proud to be my father as I am to be your son. Your struggle, your pain, your sacrifices for me, your mistakes, your missed steps, are all ingrained in my heart. You are my history. I am your future. Because of you I have grown up to see our city transformed into a garden, an absolute miracle of urban living. A model, a beacon, an exemplar of peace and prosperity at which I marvel each day. There are problems, too, but I want to tell you dad, the good far out-weighs the bad.

Downtown has risen from the ashes and every neighborhood, rich or poor, large or small has struggled to reinvent itself in a better, more civil image. In faith, I know you know, dad, you feel these things as I feel them. On this day, this Father's Day, I think it is OK to get a little sentimental and give thanks to the founding fathers of our nation, of our way of life, of our way of solving problems and changing wrongs into rights. To the fathers of this city, the visionaries, the dreamers, the workers, the soldiers, fire fighters, police, teachers, the leaders and doers of things...and to the followers,folks who believe it is good and decent to be an American, a New Yorker, who live every day of their lives in this city, giving it their life's blood, thank you. Happy fathers day.