Come alive

What makes you come alive is often a complex and complicated question and answer. 

"But music was his life, it was not his livelihood,

And it made him feel so happy and it made him feel so good.

And he sang from his heart and he sang from his soul.

He did not know how well he sang; It just made him whole."

I have been thinking about these ideas as I am slowly expanding this blog and working on my monthly poetry e-news. I have had friends ask me about my promotion plans and I have been thinking about why I am doing these things. Personally, I think my "Why" is two-fold. 

1. These are words/ideas/thoughts which I need to release out of my head and onto paper. These are personal projects to make sense of the world. This is my response to the fact I don't have, and never will have, enough tape and glue to fix the whole world.

2. These are intended to have others know that they are not alone, that they are loved, that they are cared about no matter what is happening inside their heads or hearts.

I can relate to Mr. Tanner, I don't know how good any of this is but it makes me whole right now. And for that I am grateful. 

So what makes you come alive? What brings magic to your life? What is important to you no matter the outcome? Go forth and do these things and come alive.

Batman vs Captain American Faith Communities

My current faith community has been dreaming big and visioning for the year. It was shared that we hope to reach a wider audience with our messages of Justice and Love and Welcome via social media and possibly public access TV.

In all honesty, when I heard this I had a strong knee jerk reaction. After some processing, I realized that a superhero lens helps explain my reactions. In the past, I was part of a "Batman Community", which was doing the work of justice and love, and was supported and protected by a few Alfreds and Commissioner Gordons, but had to be more ninja about it. We were doing good but knew we were outside our denominations legal systems.

Now I am part of a "Captain American Community" who wants to stand tall and be known more publically. Everyone knows that Steve Rogers is Captain America. And while being open about your secret identity is great I also know that once your secret identity gets out the villain of the week is more likely to try to attack you. And I love my faith community and my faith leaders and don't want them to get any boo-boos from mean villains of the week.

Our message is important and needs to be shared with others. But I recognize that right now I am feeling a bit Hawkeye in Avenger's tower, I am used to faith being more spy-like, more a secret garden, not as big and bold and wild and free. And coming from a "Batman Community" it is hard to remember that I am now in a community which is a team and has a whole Shield (our denomination) on our sides and they are there to support us and help us.

May more know that they are absolutely loved for being exactly who they are no matter where they come from or who they love. May this message be shouted loud and clear.

Theatre, Chicago, Sherlock, Love

Today was the official launch of The 2019 Year of Chicago Theatre. It will be a year highlighting Chicago Theatre. The year will feature performances, grants for theaters, and a Global media campaign. Our mayor spoke tonight about how Chicago can give NY and London a run for their money in terms of theatre.

I remember when Hamilton came to Chicago, Lin-Manuel Miranda kept being asked: "Why Chicago?" and he kept looking at the various interviewers with odd bewilderment on his face and said, "Of course Chicago, Chicago's theater is amazing, How do you not know this?". I also remember during a theater open house having it be suggested Chicago has more theaters (storefront theaters/comedy clubs/etc) than NY. I am glad we will be spending a year remembering our amazing theater. Though I think "the world (is) wide enough for both (Chicago) and (NY/London)"

This is also the middle of Chicago's annual Theater week where numerous shows across the city can be seen for $15 or $30 dollars. Yesterday I saw "My Dear Watson: A Sherlock Holmes Musical" by Jami-Leigh Bartschi presented at the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival at The Edge Theater. I enjoyed it since I love Sherlock and because it was a nice break from the super heavy and troubling plays I have seen recently.

I will say one plot point which rubbed me the wrong way was the idea of trying to figure out if Sherlock was a man or a machine. Why would a machine not be a man, why can't a man be a machine too? I am glad that the program points out:

 "As you watch this show, remember that loving and being loved may not look the same to all people, but that does not mean they are not capable"

This week is also Valentines Week so I am even more aware of issues of Love. I recognize it can be problematic to give identities to people or characters who lived long before a particular term was created. But saying that, many in the Ace/Aro communities claim Sherlock as our own. And I feel identifying Sherlock as Ace or Gray A or Demi seems to both fit the character as written and as to how the character has been interpreted through history.

The question, if a person is a "man or machine", is problematic. Love is Love no matter what form it takes. I mean The Greeks had 6 words for Love: Philia, or deep friendship. Ludus, or playful love. Eros, or sexual passion. Agape, or love for everyone. Pragma, or longstanding love. Philautia, or love of the self.

I would say Sherlock "Aced" Philia, Pragma, and even Ludus with Watson. I would be happy to end up a Sherlock's Watson or even a Watson's Sherlock. So this whole man or machine is a false distinction and the question can x person Love is an unreasonable question. Everyone can love and everyone should be loved in return.

Lacunae and meaning

la·cu·na

     an unfilled space or interval; a gap.
     a missing portion in a book or manuscript.
     a cavity or depression, especially in bone.

“For those on the margins just being alive

is an act of Justice” Pastor Jamie Frazier

I recently read and enjoyed The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. It was a story of warmth and art and identity and creativity. The ending while hopeful also was dark (house un-american activities committee dark). The story was challenging because it was a reminder of how we turn on those who are innocent and creative, and who want to be left alone. How often where someone is from, or who they love, or their non-harmful opinions determine their fate. The Lacuna of the title covers the Lacunae in stories and the lives of others and in our own lives. There are always large holes in our knowledge of a topic or in our knowledge of a person.

Reading this story reminded me of the Lacunae encapsulated in words "We have always been here". which references the fact that women, POCs, minorities, etc have always been a part of creative and social movements. The groups who are often accused of being new, of being radical, of being nontraditional, are the groups who have been there since the beginning. But because they fall in some preconceived box they are told they do not belong. It is hard when you know you belong but others tell you that you are wrong, and will never belong.

Recently my Pastor Jamie Frazier referred to this (in the way that Pastors often seem to be able to read minds with the best of them): what might be called a Lacuna of justice. “For those on the margins just being alive is an act of Justice.” Which is powerful and true. Too often just being alive is radical justice. Pastor Jamie continued that for these "Justice is taking time for self-care".

Look for the Lacunae of the stories you hear, look for the Lacunae in the groups you are apart of, look for the Lacunae in your own life's story. And be alive and make that an act of justice.