Kindness never dies

June 28 will always be a special day to me.  My dear friend was born 44 years ago on this date.  He was one of the most thoughtful and kindest people I ever met.  Even though he passed away two years ago, the love and the kindness live on in my memory.  Kindness never dies.

And love is love is love is love is love

On this day when many lgbtq Pride Parades and Celebrations take place at various cities around the globe, we still have so much work to do to make this a kinder world.  But I'm encouraged when I think of the words spoken by Lin-Manuel Miranda in June of last year when he was awarded a Tony Award:  "This show is proof that history remembers. We live through times when hate and fear seem stronger. We rise and fall and light from dying embers, remembrances that hope and love last longer. And love is love is love is love is love is love is love, and love cannot be killed or swept aside. I sing Vanessa's symphony, Eliza tells her story, now fill the world with music, love, and pride."

testify to love

Songwriters Paul Field, Henk Pool, Robert Riekerk, and Ralph Van Mennen hit a home run when they wrote Testify to Love.  On what is LGBTQ Pride Weekend in many places, I'm thinking of the incredible lyrics of that song:  "For as long as I shall live I will testify to love.  I'll be a witness in the silence Says the words are not enough.  With every breath I take I will give thanks to God above.  For as long as I shall live I will testify to love."

June 23rd

What can I say on this June 23rd that I haven't said before?  Well, it doesn't have to be new, right?  Be kind!  That's always the message!

Like stepping on to the surface of the sun

It's 99° where I live, and it's only 7am.  I keep hearing about other really hot cities.  In Phoenix I'm told it was 122° yesterday!  I told someone that is like stepping on to the surface of the sun!  On hot days like these, kindness is more and more important.  People are not comfortable, so help them with a pleasant attitude.  Stay hydrated.  You might want to carry an extra bottle or two of water to share with others.  Don't forget the animals too.  They won't be liking this heat either!

No hate

On June 12, 2016, a man pulled out a gun and killed 49 people and wounded 58 others in a hate crime inside Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It was the deadliest act of violence against LGBT people in US history. It was not the last. LGBT people face hate and violence every day. In some parts of the world, it is even worse. We must remember the massacre in Orlando, but we must also insure that these incidents don't keep repeating. We need to turn to kindness and love and we need to end the hate.

Equality for Unity and Pride

The late San Francisco Supervisor said "It takes no compromise to give people their rights. . .it takes no money to respect the individual.  It takes no political deal to give people freedom.  It takes no survey to remove repression."  During today's Equality March for Unity and Pride, I'll be thinking about Harvey's words.  Someday I hope true equality is a reality.

Sound familiar?

I really like these words of Ralph Waldo Emerson: "You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late." I'm also inspired by this that he said: "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."  Do these words of inspiration sound at all familiar?  I wrote all of the above once before in this space, exactly one year ago!

Kumbaya and Imagine?

Just a couple of weeks ago, concert-goers were killed and others wounded, and last night another night of terror in England with more deaths and many injuries.  When will this end?  I'm not saying we can wave a magic wand or that we should all sing Kumbaya and Imagine and all will be well, but surely we can return love and kindness to this world and get rid of all the hate.  I really believe that.  Let's work on it.

President Obama's lgbt messages

During his inaugural address January 21, 2013, President Barack Obama said "Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal as well."  I should also point out that during all eight years in office, President Obama issued proclamations naming June as LGBT Pride Month.