November 7th, 2008 Jo
I know there is little to say now about this man’s historic victory, but I still have to add my voice to the choir.
I never in my life have felt so hopeful about a political event - Obama’s campaign in America has made me re-think the whole way we are working on disability in India. I hope this will begin to happen all over the world; that everywhere people will begin to see the power of one, the incredible importance of every single thing we do, the fact that we can choose to build or we can choose to destroy.
Yes we can! What a marvelous way to approach the challenges of our times, wherever they are, whoever we are working with.
A friend of mine wrote to say that he wonders if we are worthy of this gift, and whether we will squander it in the “business as usual” which will soon take over once again. It would be easy - the political machine is so big and its wheels move exceedingly quickly (he’s already getting his daily security briefings). But Obama’s gravity when he gave the acceptance speech made me think he has more important things on his mind than political glory. Somehow, the fact that he was dealing with his grandmother’s death at that very moment put it in a larger context for him and for each one of us, I think. “Do all in the atmosphere of eternity” couldn’t have been more vivid!
I love the feeling of consequence and virtue and character that he summons, and I don’t think it is overstating it to say that a leader like this comes along once or twice in a century. And great leaders inspire other leaders. Here in India, when Mahatma Gandhi was the towering figure of the time, there were so many others who grew in depth and understanding because of his example. Jawarhlal Nehru, Radha Bahen, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Marjorie Sykes, Lala Lajpat Rai, Achint Ram. We don’t have their like today, but they may start emerging again, now that politics has reclaimed some of its vision and grace.
I am not star-struck or hero-worshiping. I have serious disagreements with some of President Obama’s views (on abortion, primarily). But I respect his mind and his heart and I believe he would extend the same courtesy to me and to others who disagree with him. I think in his presidency we have the best chance yet of finding common ground on an issue as divisive as abortion.
God bless this good man. God protect him and his family and give him strength to face the challenges that are in store for America and the world in the next eight years. Barack Obama, Zindabad!
Posted in America 08, Bright Ideas, Inspiration | 1 Comment »
June 22nd, 2008 Jo
Mom died on June 21st at around 10 AM. I heard the news at the airport with Anand and my brother Christopher. We got home soon after and spent the afternoon at her bedside, gazing at her now still and peaceful face, telling stories and remembering. Dad is alternately brave and bereft.I am so glad to be here. I feel so lucky that I can make this time for Dad: thanks so much to Cathleen and Ravi for handling the homefront, and my wonderful, generous colleagues at the Foundation for stepping in to take care of everything while I am gone.
Mom! All of us keep saying it over and over: how blessed we all are to have had such a mother! Amazing woman.
Posted in America 08, Serious Stuff | 11 Comments »
May 13th, 2008 Jo
This photo doesn’t do justice to Shrikumar, but that’s hardly surprising. Nothing does. It isn’t possible to describe him, to imitate him, to keep up with him or to thank him. He is simply a force of nature, unstoppable and unswerving.
Both Ravi and I owe him more than words can say.
Shrikumar and Ravi have been friends since 1973. They became very close during the time of India’s State of Emergency in 1976 when both of them were active with Indians for Democracy, a group of US-based Indians who did all they could to raise international awareness about human rights abuses in India at that time.
After the Emergency ended, Shrikumar turned his attention and energy towards humanitarian causes of all kinds - particularly large-scale disasters. He has raised millions of dollars for the victims of earthquakes, cyclones, tsunamis and communal riots.
He is a long-time supporter of Karuna Vihar and for years he has made bulk purchases of our calendar and used it to raise even more money among his friends and donors.
He lives half the year in Mumbai and half in Michigan where he has a home and many devoted admirers. When I was there last month, he organized a gathering for me which around 40 people attended. It was a wonderful evening, and I really enjoyed the eclectic crowd he had invited. But the best part was getting to see Shrikumar in his mini-empire in Michigan. I have seen the address on his letterhead for nearly 30 years and it was a treat to finally walk through that door in Okemos.
He is a wonderful man and we are lucky to count him as a friend.
Posted in America 08, Serious Stuff | No Comments »
May 12th, 2008 Jo
Here’s an interesting little series! This is my dad with Enzo (Lucy’s son) and Jared, Enzo’s friend. Dad loves it when the kids come over to visit and he encourages their antics and pranks . .
But when you’re 86, after a while, you have to ask little boys to slow down a bit:
And when they don’t, well, your only option is to go to sleep:
And wait for them to grow up and be sedate, polite young adults:
Posted in America 08, Fun!, Growing Up | 1 Comment »
May 12th, 2008 Jo
One of the best times I had on this trip was the evening three of my sisters and I went out for dinner together. Lucy found us a wonderful restaurant in Providence’s Federal Hill and we had an Italian meal and such great conversation and laughs. We talked about books, our kids, our parents, our lives. It’s one of the nicest parts of having a big family - your best friends are people you’ve known since you were born!
Posted in America 08 | 2 Comments »
May 8th, 2008 Jo
I spent one of my last days in the US with Anand and Cathleen in Newport, Rhode Island where we walked several miles along the ocean side and then had a wonderful lunch at a restaurant in the city. And here they are, the loves, against the wide ocean skyscape, beautiful, young and poised for take-off.
Posted in America 08, Growing Up | 2 Comments »
May 6th, 2008 Jo
This is Moy Moy Senior, little Moy’s namesake, demonstrating that not everyone ages in the same way in this world. Moy is 45! Is there no justice?
Posted in America 08, Fun! | 1 Comment »
May 5th, 2008 Jo
Lucy lives next door to Mom and Dad. She is my youngest sister and she has the most loving, generous heart of anyone I know. Lucy’s life revolves around meeting the needs of others. What does she not do? She is like one of those women from another era - she cooks fabulous meals, volunteers at school, takes care of her friends’ kids when crises hit their lives and brings up her own two wonderful boys. But it’s the care and devotion she lavishes on our parents which really makes her stand out.
Mom and Dad need almost everything done for them: she does their shopping, cooks their meals, cleans their house, bathes Mom, gets her on the toilet every few hours and keeps track of all the amazing things she says. She does it all with humor and love: she makes them feel special, like they are the very ones she’s been waiting all day to see.
Lucy’s husband Robert takes care of the plumbing, the electrical jobs, the washing machine crises, the garden and the heavy lifting. He has built an amazing ramp so Mom can go in and out of the house with ease and there is nothing he can’t fix. He is a darling and a jewel and none of it would be possible without his open, loving Italian heart.
It makes their lives good. It makes our lives great. Just knowing they are there lets us sleep at night.
Posted in America 08, Little Notes | 1 Comment »
May 5th, 2008 Jo
My mother, my children. It’s an old story, says Sharon Olds, the oldest we have on our planet - the story of replacement. I look into my mother’s eyes on each visit home and I wonder anew at the mysteries of aging and loss, wonder at this brilliant woman who now cannot name her children or, occasionally, herself. Mom was a writer and an editor in her working life, and she read widely and avidly with a curiosity that was both insatiable and inspiring. Everything interested her; everyone had a story: “And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.”
Even though she is in the late stage of Alzheimer’s she is still remarkably articulate. Even when her comments are random and nonsensical, her vocabulary is amazing and she is sometimes hilariously funny.
And sometimes, she says something so poignant and moving it brings us close to tears. A few days before I left, I was helping her get ready for bed. She looked at me seriously and said she was worried.
“Worried about what, Mom?”
“Well,” she said. “We don’t have the right information we need for everything we have to talk about.”
It’s the perfect description of her condition now. So much to talk about still, so many stories to tell - she just needs that information, those words. Oh, God Bless her!
Posted in America 08, Serious Stuff | No Comments »
May 5th, 2008 Jo
I love this photograph! This was at my 50th birthday party (celebrated a bit late here in the USA). My sister Moy Moy (the leaping blur in the background - she’s around five inches shorter than me in real life, so you get a sense of how high she can jump!) hosted it at her house and Mary, Tom, Lucy, Anand and Cathleen helped with the food, drinks and decorations. So many wonderful old friends managed to make it, including Mom and Dad!
Posted in America 08, Fun! | No Comments »