Angels in the City of Angels

I had a terrible day yesterday. I knew it was a bad omen when I flushed the toilet and the crapper crapped out! The girls wanted to go visit G'ma to have a sleep over. Good enough, I had plans to clean, run errands, etc., so it all sounded perfect. The midgets will be out of the way, hubby's out of town, I can be productive---not! Packing up to go anywhere with my lil' lovelies (as any parent of toddlers know) is hurried, hectic and often times chaotic and there's always something forgotten and left behind. Yesterday was no different except the thing left behind was my cell phone.

We stopped by Carson to pick up some suman (the midge call them triangle sticky rice) from Tambuli market to take with us. Nothing out of the ordinary. The kid's cd was playing The Farmer in the Dell and both were happily singing. As I entered the freeway on-ramp the older midge asked about a noise that I didn't hear, so I said I don't know and just kept driving. Merge to the 405 freeway, get on the carpool lane. The steering wheel felt shaky so I slow down to the speed limit and then I felt that familiar pull and heard the sound of the tire's thumping against the rims. Glug. Thump. Glug. I press the hazard signal, got out of the carpool lane and limped, glugged, thumped the van to the freeway shoulder. I reach for the phone. Not there. Panic.

I look around and about 100 yards away to the rear is the familiar yellow phone box.
The van is also about 100 yards from the exit. I get out of the car (not recommended for the faint of heart) to survey the damage. The rims were sitting right on the flattened tire. If I drive to the exit I know that the curve will surely loosen the tire away from the rims and damage the rims too. I decide to slowly back the car with nary a turn on the steering, cautiously listening for any metal grinding sound. It is such a scary experience to get out of a stalled car on the side of a freeway where even the Little ole lady from Pasadena looks like she's racing Mario Andretti! I open the yellow emergency phone box, follow the instructions, answer the questions as it appears on a screen the size of a postage stamp (ok, I'm exaggerating some) and as soon as a voice comes on, the phone hangs up. It did that three times. I was ready to start flagging down motorists out of desperation when an angel appeared around the bend driving a CHP Freeway Service Patrol tow truck. A young man gets out, sees the problem and advise me to just sit inside the air-conditioned van with the children and he'll take care of everything. I happily complied and he did as promised, took care of everything---literally saved us. When he finished changing the tire and put all his tolls away, I asked how much for the service, he smiles and says it's FREE! HUH!? In L.A.? As on cue, the girls clapped and Josie exclaimed he's
a super hero ;-) He smiled. He didn't even want a tip, just told me to drive carefully and watch out for any more nails on the road. And with that, he drove off into the sunset.

So even though the day started bad, and the rest of our agenda was completely ruined, there is always a silver lining and it came in the form of a very charming tow truck angel. And this entry is my way of thanking the guys in the FSP crew.

We are the World, We are the Children

We are the world

We are the children

We are the ones who make a brighter day

So let's start giving

There's a choice we're making

We're saving our own lives

It's true we'll make a better day

Just you and me

When you're down and out

There seems no hope at all

But if you just believe

There's no way we can fall

Well, well, well, well, let us realize

That a change will only come

When we stand together as one

(Lyrics by Michael Jackson)

The song is playing in my head as I read article after article and watch news unfold in the safety of my kitchen . I watch reports about the war, destructions of war, earthquakes, tsunamis (again!) in Indonesia. Those poor people in Java are just not getting any breaks from Mother Nature! To make matters worse, their Indonesian plight has been overshadowed by the Middle East conflicts between Israel and the Lebanon based Hezbollah. Then there's the Iraq war and the on-going insurgency and failed Democracy in that region. The Bush administration continue to spin the successes of its meddling in that area amidst the out and out civil war between the Sunnis, Shiites, etc.

Rumsfeld, etal., are starting to remind me of Saddam's minister of propaganda at the end of Saddam's regime; bombs fall in the background and billowing smoke rises and the guy comes on tv to declare that they are winning the war! I guess they all read the same spin guidebooks-- Insane Orwellian doublespeak And How to confuse the masses!!!

And now back to Israel. I'm not judging the Israelis for their right to defend themselves against terrorists bent on annihilating Israel and its people, I am disturbed by the ferocity of Israel's attacks on the people of Lebanon. It is not just Hezbollah (the main target of wrath) but the innocent people on the ground. Foreigners scramble to leave the war torn Beirut, Lebanon. Greg Mitchell of Editor & Publisher wrote, "Few Editorials Find Fault with the Bombing of Beirut It's one thing to endorse Israel's right to defend itself and retaliate. It's another to remain silent on the crime of causing mass destruction and civilian deaths in neutral areas of Lebanon. " His commentary (read the linked article)on the subject reflects how I feel about the imbalance in this entire conflict. The fire power exerted by the Israel military on it's neighboring country and on Palestine seem so lopsided. I have read reports about milk factories being bombed in Beirut--I understand the need for bombing, say, an oil refinery or a known military installation, but a milk factory? A Red Crescent truck carrying medical supplies? It just seems over the top too,too much.

There will be a lot of people who will not agree with what I write and how I feel about this, my Jewish husband included. I cannot forget the Lebanese man from Pacoima on tv tonight who broke down during a news coverage while telling reporters about his wife and his four (US Citizen) children that are stuck inside the country. He said that his family waited in line under the desert heat for over 12 hours trying to get on a ship that was evacuating US Citizens only to be told that the ship was full and they had to come back another time. Or the man who spoke about his family that are also stuck in the mire AND how his young son, (a liver transplant patient) is running out of essential medication to keep his body from rejecting the liver that was transplanted to save his life. And then there are those that are just stuck in the city "shelters" with no where else to go...it reminded me of the Super Dome during Katrina but a lot worse from some accounts. The fit, abled and wealthy are out of danger---they've either walked, driven their Mercedes Benzes or SUV's across into Syria or other safe havens. It's the poor, the weak and mostly the children that are still in there that I worry about. It's always the poor civilian that seem to pay the highest price in times like these. I don't care about their country of origin or religious background, they're all human just like me and they are all suffering a terrible, non-sensical loss. And unlike Dumbya Bush, I don't care who started this shit. I just want it all stopped!

And Politics is, well, politics as usual. Did you hear about the American response to evacuating its Citizens from danger? Just in case you're waiting, there is no punch line. That was the joke! What response?! Oh, yeah, I forgot, it's the same idiotic administration that's still running this country into the ground....

Now back to how I feel about the issue. I feel sadness for both country, its people and their collective losses. I feel sad that this very same region/territory has soaked up so much blood from all the wars that extend back before Jesus' time. There is definitely something Karmic about that! If only there was a way to magically make all the war mongers, idiotic politicians and religious zealots disappear into oblivion then the Citizens of Earth could concentrate on the important issues like AIDS, world poverty, global warming, education for all, sustainable energy, etc., etc., etc.

People Come Into Your Life for a Reason

I'm sure most of you have seen this email before but it's one of my faves and so here it is again:

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season!


LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.