Once Again, Whitman Frees Me

Walt Whitman: “This is what you shall do: love the earth and sun and the animals, despise riches, give alms to everyone who asks, stand up for the stupid and crazy, devote your income to others, hate tyrants, argue not concerning God, have patience and indulgence toward the people, take off your hat to nothing known or unkown.”
I love this quote.  It frees me from the shackles of anger. I get so mad at people who want to restrict the rights of others. I get so mad when people think everyone should be just like themselves, when people value money over family, when they want to protect their own little insular world and all others be damned.
It’s so confusing to me. In my world, family comes first, before money, before career, before religion. Family is my religion. In my world, the laughter of children is treasured over a clean home. My favorite kitchen is covered in flour and tiny chocolate fingerprints.I feel so lovely sitting on the white sands of Lambert’s Cove, watching my little mermaid frolic in the gentle waves, watching my little buster stand in water up to his chubby ankles with his boogie board strapped to his wrist, while he watches his board go in and out with the tide, fascinated. I love the soft pink of the sky as the sun sets and the ocean turns an extraordinary lavendar, glowing at magic hour. I love sitting on the bench at Annabelle’s drama camp, amidst the thick grove of trees, watching the dancers, listening to the opera singers, watching them walk among the trees in their rich gorgeous costumes, their voices pouring through the air and washing over me and Henry as he balances on the rock wall. And now my mermaid comes to me to ask for a bedtime snack…