The Sounds of Silence

As you may have heard, today is the National Day of Silence. Over 7,000 high school students have registered to participate. The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools.

This year’s event is held in memory of Lawrence King, a California 8th-grader who was shot and killed Feb. 12 by a classmate because of his sexual orientation and gender expression. Students will come together to encourage schools and classmates to address the problem of anti-LGBT behavior. (EDIT: LGBT: Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transexual)

Silence is a powerful thing. Silence in the face of bigotry and bullying lends it power, gives it strength. Today's event is meant to break that silence, to get people thinking and eventually talking about how to take away that power.

I'm sure school teachers world-wide would agree that the very concept of hundreds (or even a dozen) high school students being quiet is highly unusual and not something easily accomplished, so perhaps today can be the start of something better.

On one hand, silence is what I wish for Larry. I don't want the last things Larry heard to have been his attacker's bigoted commentary on what he was about to do, so that he died afraid, or thinking that he'd caused this to happen, simply for the way he dressed...and for wanting to be someone's Valentine. I hope (perhaps vainly) that the end was a surprise...just blissful silence and peace.

On the other hand, this is one of those times when I very much want there to be an Afterlife, with a view back to our sorry little world. That way, I'll know that Larry can see just how many people there are who miss him, who love him for who he was and believe that this shouldn't happen to any kid, for any reason.

We miss you, Larry. We're trying to make it mean something.

Friday

Hey, everybody!! Look, I'm finally back.

Sorry for the impromptu hiatus this week: to paraphrase the immortal Lily Von Schtuppe, I guess I was just tired.

Tired of posting yet another picture of the world on a rainy day. Tired of listening to myself bitch about how slow winter is to let go of us...especially when so many people I know are still dealing with "quality" snow pack. And I was a little tired of putting a bright face on all the challenges this new rental have brought to our lives.

And, too, I was a bit loopy from the fumes. Our "new" furnace (installed on a sunny day in early January, you may recall...) was acting up and leaking fuel oil--we collected the stuff in buckets and had nearly twenty gallons(!!!!!) before the repair guy was able to fix the problem. Since the computer's right near the furnace room, I tried to abbreviate my at-home online time until the situation resolved.

Now, the repairs have been completed--as I understand it (I'm no plumbing/heating expert) there was a fuel oil pump replaced twice, a pinhole leak in a water line, a troublesome water feeder valve and finally a broken wire to one of the thermostats. Our repair guy says he'll be back sometime next week to perform some cleansing rituals and possibly bring a priest along to perform an exorcism (this could explain the rats...), but I'm happy to say as the overnight temps linger in the thirties, that we have heat once more. We were also able to filter and reuse most of the "escaped" fuel oil.

And despite the on-going rain (perhaps because of it, too)spring is slowly creeping in around us. The robins have been back for a few weeks now. Fresh little bits of green are appearing here and there.

This evening, the sun almost came out. Things are definitely looking up.

The arrival of this particular Holy Week has me very thoughtful of late. I'm not a practicing Catholic, but after years of having done so, those traditions and rituals are still burned on my brain for particular dates and occasions. I'm not very churchy, choosing to do the bulk of my worshipping in the garden and in some of nature's more beautiful places. Some of the old traditions don't work for me, while others nestle somewhere deep in my heart.

But lately, I find myself sickened on a somewhat regular basis lately I see people using their "Christian" (quotations to indicate I don't feel they act particularly Christ-like...) values to divide our society into factions, as though their beliefs are superior and could therefore justify hurting or killing people because they don't believe the same things or fit into their peculiar guidelines for what's "acceptable."

I just can't imagine Jesus would be okay with that.