Pat Taub
John Lewis
This week belonged to the memory of John Lewis, who died on July 17th. I watched footage of the 25-year-old Lewis, being beaten within an inch of his life, when crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama in a march for voting rights. Lewis made one final crossing of the bridge in a horse-drawn carriage holding his flag-draped coffin. The bridge was covered in red rose petals to represent the blood of non-violent protesters, who along with the young Lewis, were brutally attacked by the police as they crossed the bridge.
A few days ago The New York Times published a posthumous message from Lewis:
So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.
Photo, The New York Times
Jaws in Maine
Recently a Maine seasonal resident was attacked and killed by a white shark while swimming off Bailey Island. This is the first deadly shark attack in Maine history. It is believed that sharks swimming close to beaches are in pursuit of seals and might have mistaken the victim for a seal. Several Maine beaches have posted warnings against swimming.
Photo, The Portland Press Herald
Reading about Dying
Maybe the out-of-control COVID can explain why I’m reading more about death. This week I discovered a book I ordered awhile back, which got buried under a pile of books. The book is The Dispositions, by Thomas Lynch, a Michigan funeral director. Lynch is an entertaining writer, who prefers open casket ceremonies to cremations, believing family and friends can’t experience closure until they see the dead body.
Lynch reinforced my decision for an environmentally friendly green burial. Simply put, friends and family dig a hole for my corpse and hopefully say nice things about me. When I first announced this to my family, a smart ass son commented, “Why not a Viking funeral?” Lynch reminds us not to get too worked up over our funeral arrangements because once you’re dead, it matters little.
A green burial with family and friends carrying the casket to a designated natural location, Photo, US News & World Report
Zoom Family Calls
With a son in Santa Monica and another right outside of Chicago, Zoom calls have become my lifeline. It’s especially good fun to see my teenage grands grow up from week to week. Max, almost 16, has added inches since our first Zoom talk while his slightly older sister’s art work gets better and better. Prior to Zoom I wasn’t privy to these regular visual sightings.
A photo of my family , June, 2018, London, Queens Park. Photo bomb, courtesy of youngest son
National Anxiety
My COVID anxiety has been replaced by a growing concern for our country’s future as Trump’s goons, resembling martial law, beat up peaceful protesters. Even the mainstream press is now using the F word as in Fascist. I admire all those who are committed to non-violent protests. John Lewis’ spirit lives on.
Photo, unwelcomeguests.net
