Thursday, June 18, 2020

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Yesterday afternoon, I requested that my music service play songs by Peter, Paul, and Mary. I don’t know why I thought of them. The first song that came on was “Blowing in the Wind,” and I stopped and listened. Full disclosure: the song brought me to tears. The lyrics were nearly perfect for 2020, I thought.

Bob Dylan wrote “Blowin’ in the Wind” in 1962, and the song was widely performed and recorded throughout the 1960s, when our country was facing civil rights protests demanding racial equality, escalating nuclear capacities of unfriendly nations, a prolonged military engagement on foreign soil, and increasing levels of pollution. Perhaps history really does repeat itself.

Does the song mean that “the answer” is clearly swirling all around us, and that if we make a concerted effort, if we work together, then we can indeed grab hold of solutions leading to peace and justice? Or, does the song mean that “the answer” will always be elusive and unobtainable, and that humankind is too far gone to ever bring about equity and harmony?

Especially in 2020, I need to hold on to optimism. I need to believe that we can grab onto the answer.

On Monday, we learned of the Supreme Court decision that LGBTQ workers are indeed protected against discrimination by civil rights laws. And today, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of The Dreamers, which means that the administration cannot immediately end the DACA program.

The protests against systemic racism continue throughout the US and even other nations. Efforts to punish and prevent police brutality are gaining momentum. Governments, businesses, and voters are taking notice, and we are seeing encouraging responses.

Yes, I am holding on to optimism.

Will you join me in trying to grab the answer? (And look up the song, for old time’s sake.)

To capture the spirit of the shifting winds, I present my version of the Sea Breeze Cocktail.

In a shaker filled with several ice cubes, combine 1 1/2 ounces vodka, 3 ounces cranberry juice cocktail, and 1 1/2 ounce grapefruit juice.

Shake vigorously and pour into a tall glass with a few fresh ice cubes. Garnish with a lime wheel.