Hope

The unpredictable winter weather around here continues....I woke up this morning to 35 degrees and heavy fog over the ice on the lake. They are predicting temps in the mid 40's this afternoon continuing tomorrow as well. I will say that I much prefer a full on raging winter over this half-assed, wimpy, wet winter we've been having. Geez, I have a plow and don't even get to use it, boo hoo. (OK, now I've done it....tempted fate, we'll get a blizzard for sure now, tee hee!).

I would just like to have a little winter weather is all. I can handle the snow but freezing rain just plain sucks, any way you look at it. Of course, I drive part-time for a living so that makes it even worse. Most folks around here are pleading for spring to come...not me, I'd be content with snow and cold is it could be just a tad more consistent.

I spent a couple hours last night doing something I rarely do...watching television. Yep, I watched the "Help for Haiti Now" telethon and I was pretty impressed with what I saw. Not the telethon part so much with the melodramatic pleading for help though I get it, that's how it works. It's a complete, human catastrophe down there. But what impressed me wasn't the slick Hollywood production, the mega stars manning the phones, nope it was the way the musicians came out and played some incredible songs together. And they played without there usual bands...Madonna playing a gospel version of her song "Like a Prayer" with a choir, it was amazing. Members of U2 with Jay-Z and Rhianna. A duet with Dave Mathews and Neil Young left me speechless, it was beyond words. The songs were obviously chosen for their compassion, messages of hope, courage, redemption....it gave me goose bumps.

I just love the fact that what they could bring, what these folks had to offer to get attention for help for Haiti was just themselves and their songs.....there were no introductions, no audiences. If you didn't recognize the person then you never knew who it was...the artist remained anonymous, how rare is that in this day and age?! When the songs ended there was just...silence. Silence for those who were lost.

After it was over and I was thinking about what I had just seen I realized that it had actually left me with a feeling of hope. Hope not just for the people og Haiti...but hope for us all.