Saturday, October 3, 2009

Birthdays and such



This past week, which was my birthday time, I had quite a bit on my mind. During this time I read a book by Bil  Wright, When The Black Girl Sings. While the plot and storyline seemed a bit simplistic to me, the story still made me think hard and long.

Lahni is a black child (I do not use the term "African American") who has been adopted by white parents and in her teens, now has to deal with their impending divorce. She is caught in issues of gender, race, ability and religion. My major problem with the storyline is the particular way in which Wright allows religion to "bail" or at least assist her in some form of "solution" or, as in any good YA (Young Adult) book, to realize the moral of the basic story.

Music played a major role in my life, as well as those of my children and my siblings. When my oldest daughter had trouble with math, things changed when she took up the violin. For the youngest daughter, it was becoming involved in theatre. For me, it was singing -- despite terrible experiences with my church. This all seems to reinforce to me the unique qualities of each individual as well as the importance of the arts in the development of every individual.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. As a survivor, I would like to encourage everyone to find a way to participate. Here is one way where just a mouse click can make a difference: http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2&link=ctg_bcs_home_from_bcs_thankyou_leftnav_logo
I thank you.

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