June 26, 2015
(This is part of a 365 project
during my 70th years where I write and illustrate a blog on each
day’s gift.)
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| New Zealand Couch Surfers join in the storytelling at Roman's. |
It is an unusual day when I don’t pick up a book
to read. Today was one. Somehow, life today seemed like pages from a book. We began
by taking New Zealander Couch Surfers, Sally and Matty, to Roman’s where journalists
meet every Friday for lunch. Table talk is often full of Sun stories. In
light of the recent uproar over the confederate flag and current response to
its use, David suggested that Maryland’s state song lyrics need further review.
The words were written in 1861 but the song did not become our state’s official
song until 1939. It supports the
Confederacy and mentions the “northern scum.” Lyrics also refer to Lincoln as a “tyrant,” “despot”
and “vandal.” It includes the phrase “sic semper,” which was shouted by Johns
Wilkes Booth when he assassinated Lincoln. After lunch, we drove Sally and
Matty around Baltimore, showing murals and graffiti and pointing out parts of
Baltimore’s history such as Green Mount Cemetery where John Wilkes Booth
is buried. David filled them in on
Baltimore’s schizophrenia in the Civil War.
Our kiwi travelers also had stories to tell about
their 3 ½-year adventure traveling to more than 50 countries. They have worked
on boats, explored rain forests, gone scuba diving in St Maarten, had a close
encounter with a viper and met the
swimming pigs on the Exuma Islands.
To finish the day, David and I attended Stoop
Storytelling in Columbia and then friend Shawn dropped by our house for the
night where we shared even more stories.
Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here.” Sue Monk Kidd, The Secret Life of Bees
My gift today is stories.
You can find links to my other
posts on this project here: http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html
