We recently experienced the emergence of the 17-year cicadas. They have left us now but will come again in 17 years. Their egg-laying has affected the trees, leaving orange or brown leaves. But the trees (at least the mature ones) will not be permanently damaged. The annual cicadas have now returned, but not in such numbers and without the intense humming. They will not affect the trees. Handel’s aria “Ombra mia fu” celebrates a beautiful tree.
America’s rush to put everyone back to work is dangerous and cruel. Much more thought needs to be given to how we can best go forward and how we can put needed funding into making everyone’s present and future safe. I took the liberty of reinterpreting what the House of the Rising Sun might be. The folksong isn’t clear on that, but there is a book that examines the topic in depth, Chasing the Rising Sun, by Ted Anthony.
I remember the first time I visited Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. The welcome and compassion for all who seek to come to America, ultimately for all who came in the past whether by their own choice or not, and for those who lived here before the white man came—that loving message still resonates with me. I am troubled by the lack of these essential feelings today in the actions or non-actions of so many people in positions of power. I love the vision of America that Lady Liberty stands for. I searched for a youtube video of Irving Berlin’s music along with Emma Lazarus’s poem. Instead I found the video below. I find it very moving. May it remind us once again of the feelings of universal welcome this country must have at its heart.