Well, maybe you did, but it came as news to me when Michael
announced as much last night at the Spearhead concert inside/outside Berkeley's Greek Theater. And when I heard him say that, my heart just
melted. I think this is a feeling
that is very hard to describe to a non-adoptee. It's pre-verbal, and perhaps somewhat
akin to finding long-lost members of your family? I dunno, but It feels like home.
When Michael first brought his elderly mother on stage, I
needed some details filled in...and STAT!
The fact that she is white came as no surprise, as I have always seen
Michael as bi-racial. The part that was
not touching home was that she was SOOOO SHORT!
I mean, Michael hovers right around 6'6" (or so i've googled) and
from where I was sitting - up in the nose bleed seats in order to catch maximum
rays on the summer solstice - she looked like she capped out at around 5' or
perhaps less! I mean, sure, I guess that
could happen, but what are the odds?!?
As I was imagining the odds that my own child might surpass his parents
height in the spectacular way that Michael has, the musician took a seat on his
chair, picked up his guitar, and plucked out the story of his adoption, or at
least, the story he tells his public audience.
Youngest of 5, last two were adopted boys of color, mother
raised them to believe that all of their children were equal (cheers from the
crowd), that they were not any different than any of their other children, blah, blah, blah. And please forgive me for
just throwing up all over my blog, but I have some issue with this "love
see no color" battle-cry of the masses. We can do better than that for our
adopted children, for everyone! That's
like putting blinders on your child and telling him to see his way though the
room using his heart. Aint gonna happen,
ppl. I hope that we can all be on the same page about the notion that children
are not born into this world as tiny racists!
This is something they learn from their environment - from
adults. And whether we like to think
about it our not, everyone is impacted by this and everyone has their shit to
sort through about it.
Anywhoodle, Michael bounced around on stage and into the
audience a few times. Brought the
kidlets on stage. It's wonderful to
watch him with kids. The way he engages
with them reminds me of the desire to move through and out of one of our
deepest human tragedies - how we are a society that has become blind to the gifts right in front of us, staring us in the face. Over and over again, we overlook our true riches - our children. Yep, git out your hankies folks, this is
indeed a "Children are our Future Moment" we got us goin' on right
chere. Feel it, embrace it, soak it innnnnnnnnn.
And this, one of my favorite chants
of the evening by the very lovely (OK...downright hawt in the pants!) Michael Franti:
"Life in your love and love in
your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
"Life in your love and love in your life."
mmmmhhhhhhmmm...thank you for the love,
Michael, thank you so very much.
xo
xo
No comments:
Post a Comment