Get the Word Out

Yesterday I saw William (not his real name) at the bus stop.  When I am out walking the dog, this is where our paths cross.   He is a quiet and gentle man with upright posture. He has no house, but lives on the ridge on the other side of the freeway. Because Tyler hikes there, he met William before I did.  For years I never even heard his voice; we have simply smiled and nodded at one another. We may be about the same age, but it is hard to tell.   When, by bay area standards, it grew cold, I became concerned. When I next saw him, I mentioned the cold and asked if he needed anything.  As I expected, he shook his head no.  However, he surprised me by replying that it was much colder "down here" and pointed to the sidewalk.  

  

After than, we began saying good morning when we see one another. The dog pays little attention to him and I am grateful for that calm acceptance.  Yesterday was a surprise because William spoke first, and almost excitedly he told me that the grey overcast sky was only down here; from higher up the sky was clear and one could see clear across the bay. I was taken aback, but managed to respond something about the beauty of the bay.  He enthusiastically nodded in agreement.  When I began to walk away,  I said, "Have a great day," a comment I immediately regretted.  Not that I think William cannot have a great day.  Obviously seeing a sparkling bay rather than a gray sky is pretty great.  No, it is that I am tired of that word.  I paused, turned around and said, "Better yet, have a really good day."  He actually grinned and gave me a thumbs up.   

As I walked, I thought about the word good.  It truly seems to imply an unlimited resource.  People do good things all the time.  They tend to their children, help their neighbors, share their food, plant gardens, pick up trash, recycle,  adopt stray animals, recommit themselves to their work, their sobriety, their marriages, their communities.  They embrace new beginnings. They volunteer. They make music and create art. They lend an ear when there is trouble or sorrow. They pray, cry, and laugh with one another. They hold this life as sacred and worth nurturing. The list goes on.  It seems that instead of trying to make America great, we should concentrate on keeping America good.  A good nation resides in the heart of the people.  To feel compelled to be a great nation is a product of ego. Consequently, it instills a hunger that can never be satiated.  With those four words, "Make America Great Again" a campaign slogan launched us on a path that is nationalistic, racist, even fascist.  It is time to pause and rethink who we are as people, not only of this nation, but what it means to be part of humanity. To talk about not what makes us great because that divides and separates us, but rather share what is good, and what can make our communities better for all.  It is time for a richer vocabulary and a better view.   

 

   

#keepingamericagood 

photograph:  Lake Chabot, January 2019