Since it is almost Valentine's day, I guess I can write about Christmas.
I haven't written a lot lately since things are busy with school. Also, it really hampers my Christmas spirit if I analyze the holidays too much.
I was so lucky to get to spend some amazing times with family and friends this holiday season. It did seem like a series of binaries, though, if that is the word I want. We decorated our house on the day of Junior's memorial service. I wanted to do a whole post on that, but I couldn't.
A couple of days before Christmas, a man was murdered on West Park, where a lot of our best friends live. Christmas eve, we went over to 123 to get eggs. An older woman was walking home and asked about the community garden. When we explained, she seemed so relieved. She said that everyone in her family had warned her about Franklinton, and as soon as she moved in there was the murder. She was excited to hear about the garden and the good things going on here, too. It doesn't sound like much of an interaction, but it was for me.
As usual, it was all good things for me this Christmas, and I am so lucky. But I still kept thinking about our girl scouts telling their caseworkers what they want for Christmas and Lee Anne reminding us at Junior's service that we can't feel like we failed him. And still feeling like we've failed.
So that is my melancholy reflection on the holidays, but I am excited about 2011! Great things are happening with the bike shop and the community gardens and we are looking forward to getting involved however we can. My dissertation is moving (slowly) along and I have another fun group of students this quarter. This Friday, some of the girls are going to read For Colored Girls who have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf. I can't wait!
To summarize my post and look forward to the reading:
"i usedta live in the world
then i moved to HARLEM
& my universe is now six blocks"
-Ntozake Shange
