Congo Rising

This week is too important in the world to not mention the Global Summit Against Sexual Violence. As I perused the internet I came across a number of videos and articles of the Congolese speaking out against sexual violence in global conflict.  As Denis Mukwege says in a recent article from AllAfrica discussing rape in war: "It's not only sexual relations without consent. It's an act of destruction.  It's an act which results in the negation of the other's humanity, and it's done to not only destroy people, but the community." Dr. Denis Mukwege is one of my heroes for the Congo.  Not only has he stood up for women's rights and protected and helped the women of the Congo, but also he has risked his life for Congolese women for decades.  The Congo may be thought of as the worst place to be a woman, but I am confident that Denis Mukwege along with the women from organizations across the country are raising up the Congo.

The women of the Congo are particularly impressive.  If we think of our hearts as having room and places for individuals, then my heart has so much love and dedication to the women of the Congo.  They are my inspiration for my work and they guide my passion.  Without their power and their strength I would not be able to do the work that I do.  It is hard at times to work on the DRC, with too many deaths, too many rapes, too much exploitation, and too much corruption, but I would place my complete and undying faith in the Congolese women.  So much of the news and media that comes out about the Congo (when it does surface) is about war criminals, mineral exploitation, and other horrible atrocities. The amazing words and actions of the women in the Congo never make headlines.  So, for many people, the Congo is simply seen as a failed state, but I believe that it is important to hear these voices and understand that in no way is the Congo a lost cause.

Mamas

Mother's Day is a celebration of all moms around the world.  I am so happy that my mama and I are not only mother and daughter, (at this point in our lives treating one another with mutual respect), but also great friends. It has been wonderful growing up in such a close family with both my mother and my father.  I trust both of them with anything and everything and often they are my best friends and my biggest confidants.  I couldn't ask for a better pair or a better collaboration between individuals.

But for me, Mother's Day is more than celebrating my biological mother.  My mama has always told me that I've had many mothers in my life.  In different moments throughout my life whether it's been growing up, moving away, or creating a life somewhere else, I have had other women come into my life and play a role as another one of my mamas and to these women I am forever grateful.  These women include my daycare providers, my Montessori school teacher, my best friend's mom growing up, and most recently my boss from a summer job.  These women have made an impression on me and their involvement in my development and understanding of myself and the world around me has made me into the woman I am today.

My mama, Alex, is my main mama.  My friend and my hero. She is the one who I look to for guidance, advice, and support.  I hope that one day I can be as great a mother as my mama has been to me. But I also hope that my children have the opportunity and the wonderful gift of having supportive, strong, independent and caring women become mothers at many points throughout their lives.

music

Music has always been a part of my life.  A more important part in my life in many ways than other things like sports, or books even.  I have realized in the past few years that my life has a soundtrack. And that's not to say that certain songs or artists represent certain specific moments in my life.  But rather certain albums (sometimes songs in particular) have come to remind me of a certain period in my life.  If I get an album that I absolutely love, I'll play it on repeat in my car cd player until I have not only the lyrics to every song memorized but also the order in which they play.  And this album, becomes the album that reminds me of that time in my life.  So now when I replay that album I am immediately brought back to that same period and the flood of memories and emotions that goes along with it.

I was reminded of this twice in the past week.  Once when my wonderful roommate sang Wonderful World by Sam Cooke, a song that my dad and I used to sing.  I think he even played it on the guitar. Hearing her sing this song I was brought back to those moments, sitting in our living room in Braintree listening to Sam Cooke, Carole King, Linda Ronstadt and the like.  Often my dad would play guitar, but sometimes I remember when we would put a tape or cd into the stereo and I would be on my mama's hip singing and dancing and swaying to the music.  And while we no longer seem to do this as a family in such a concentrated effort, it still happens sometimes when we are in the car and all of a sudden we all break out in song.

This same feeling came over me when I went to a Brett Dennen concert in Philadelphia.  A folk-pop singer from California, I was first introduced to him in high school by one of my best friends.  Now more than 6 years later seeing him live was wonderful.  But one of his albums played in my car the entire summer that I lived and worked at a music camp in Vermont.  That summer was amazing and crazy and weird.  I met some of the greatest people there and I've continued to have a place in my heart for a select group.  Now when I hear that album, Loverboy, the songs remind me of the times that I blasted the radio in my car driving to Burlington or over the Brandon Gap.  And it's not necessarily the songs that have particular significance to me during a certain moment in my life, but rather the memories and experiences associated with the time at which I was listening to this album that come back to me whenever I listen to it again.

This is true forever and always of Graceland by Paul Simon.  This is one of my all time favorite, top-five albums.  We had it on cassette when I was a kid and I memorized all the lyrics and the exact order they would come up in.  If I ever need to feel grounded I listen to this album.  There is something special about music and the connection that I have with it.

For some people there are smells that remind them of certain people and events.  For others they can simply remember great detail and specific dates in which things happened. My relation to my life as it passes behind me is through my music.