My Country

    The tragic events of the mass shootings in Newtown, Connecticut remind me of the sudden ways that love can be taken from us. Our greatest gift is our children. The death of a child reminds us of the brevity of life and the importance of love.  In the aftermath of unspeakable horror, some experts say we should tell our children that we love them. That seems obvious. But what I think we should tell them is that we are listening. That we have had enough of these senseless and violent acts and that we intend to do something.
    Can we make our schools safer?
Should we outlaw ownership of multiple weapons?  How do assault weapons enter into the United States?  Who are the sellers of these guns?  Where are they bought and sold?  These are some of the early questions.

   If we learn to listen, we may be able to change the world.  When I first heard "Ma vlast" (the title means "My Country") written by the composer Smetana,  I was moved by its massive beauty and lyricism.  It is a musical interpretation of the path of the Moldau River, that runs through the city of Prague, Czechoslovakia.  He uses "splashes of melody and musical devices to evoke the brooks and creeks." I later read that this musical piece is one of the 1,000 Recordings To Hear Before You Die. During the years he spent writing and scoring Ma vlast,  Smetana completely lost his hearing.
   Our country, The United States of America, must no longer be deaf. We should hear the cries of those poor children and do something to change the world. Not just for them but for all the children in our future. Then, and only then, what comes out of deafness can be transformative and beautiful.