Rockin in the Free World

    Monday started out as a day of possibility, where my work felt worthwhile and surmountable but after a hectic Tuesday and a difficult Wednesday, I began to wonder where the purpose was and how anything good could come of all my labors.
    But by the time Friday rolled around, I was ready for a weekend with restorative powers. We were scheduled to spend a couple days in New Haven, CT with good friends John and Lynne, listening to music, enjoying good food and relaxing in a fine setting. Still, I remained skeptical and a little disheartened by the magnitude of problems people faced.
    As we drove, I began to read early internet reports of the Supreme Court ruling that gay marriage was to be allowed in all 50 states and suddenly the clouds of doubt parted and a wave of solidarity began to unfurl.
    By the time we arrived at the park to hear Lucinda Williams, I was fully ready to tuck in to the delicious chicken salad, cole slaw and three bean salads Lynne had made. The air took on an ethereal strain and strangers began to remind me of people I knew. Maybe it was the two glasses of wine; maybe it was the rarified air of a cool New England summers day, but I felt a shift in momentum and the heavy tone of the week gave way to overwhelming acceptance and an incredible lightness of being.
    Lucinda belted out our favorite tunes and sated by fine food and solid company, I felt the cool of the night, the clarity of the indigo sky and a sense of contentment and peace. She called attention to the news of the day and said she, for one, was happy that today Americans could love whomever they wanted. A huge cheer rose from the crowd. A child waved a rainbow flag. One battle for equality had been won but many more hurdles stood waiting. Some would never get used to this fresh reality and some would never stop hating long enough to accept this new truth. But for now, we would celebrate.
    When the band came back for their encore and played Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World", the crowd went giddy and stood up to dance. There is so much more work to do to ensure that all people are truly able to enjoy the freedoms that this country guarantees, but putting aside differences and embracing our commonalities is a really great way to start.