A HEART OF GOLD

One of Cate's teachers at school loves to play the guitar and serenade the kids.  In recent weeks, she has come home singing classics like Oh Susanna and the like. However, I was shocked to hear her singing "Heart of Gold" by Neil Young, which is a true classic.  Here is a rendition by Cate as she watches a live performance of the song on Youtube. Her version is includes her trademark raspy voice and harmonic sound effects. Enjoy!

ALL DOWNHILL FROM HERE

The photo below contains one of the best moments of my life to date.

What an honor. It is all downhill from here after meeting the President...

THE ROAD WE'VE TRAVELED

Continuing on the theme of the President's re-election, you should watch this video if you have not already.  It sends a powerful message about how far Americans have traveled with this President in the past four years. My favorite part is at 2:40 with David Axelrod.

FORWARD

Today, I attended a fundraiser for President Obama in Portland.  I normally have clinic on Tuesdays, so once I heard about the event two weeks ago, I moved my patients to another day so that I could attend.  Thankfully, it all worked out.

I had heard President Obama speak on three occasions previously when he was a candidate for the Presidency. However, this was the first time I had a chance to see him since he took office.

The event was held at the Oregon Convention Center, and people of all ages and colors lined up outside to get a chance to hear the President speak and to catch a glimpse.  We were served lunch, and then many of us had the opportunity to meet the President and have a photo taken with him.

There were families, couples, and individuals who came alone like me.  When my turn came, I said hello to the President.  He was slightly taller than me and thin.  His hair was more salt than pepper, and he had a kind and welcoming expression on his face- like a teacher with new pupils on the first day of school.

We shook hands, and then we put our arms around each other's backs for a photo.  Afterwards, I grasped his hand.  I said, "Thank you for all that you have accomplished these past four years, and thank you for all that you will accomplish in the next four!" He said, "Thank you!"  With that, we parted.

It is rare that I am at a loss for words, but that brief encounter took my breath away.  Here, I had met the most powerful man in the world - my hero and the most accomplished President of my lifetime. What an honor and what an occasion.

Afterwards, I had a seat close to the front to hear him discuss his vision for this country and for the next four years.  President Obama talked about how far we have come since 2009. He talked about what drove him - to create policies that help the most people possible and to restore a sense of possibility in this country. He talked about his own family and about how their experience was America's experience. He expressed a belief in the American Dream - if you work hard, you have a chance to be successful.  His message came down to one of hope and perseverance, and the desire to leave this world better than how he found it.  One word more than any other summarizes his vision - Forward. Much of his remarks can be seen in the video below.


 
I feel lucky tonight. Not because I shook the hand of the leader of the free world. Rather, I feel lucky because I live in the free world and have a President who shares my vision and my dreams for that world.  More than anything, when I look at the President, I see possibility and opportunity. I hope my children see the same thing and that they know that hard work can allow one to scale any obstacle and overcome any challenge.  If they doubt me, I will show them that photo of me with the President once I receive it. I hope it will remind them of just what may be possible for them, too,... if only they set their minds to it! 
 
Forward!

PROFILES IN COURAGE

Everyday I am struck by how brave my children are. This is especially true when I drop them off at camps or at school. When I was Cate's age, I had never been outside of the house alone. When I did start nursery school, or pre-K, at the age of four, I would cry every morning. On the other hand, our kids have been taken care of by other people since the age of four months.

You may not have ever heard of the term before care or after care. However, for our kids these are natural parts of their days- days spent outside the home. This morning, I dropped off Cate at her camp at school with an unfamiliar teacher. Cate was a little hesitant to go in and needed an extra hug, but she did go in without a fuss. Afterwards, I drove Nicholas to Zoo Camp.

We lined up to enter with the other families outside the gate. As I stood there in that queue, I was struck by just how independent and brave my kids are. Here, Nicholas was about to go into a situation where he knew no one and where he would spend the entire day. He did not have the least bit of trepidation. The forecast said it was supposed to get up to 80F that day, so I had dressed Nicholas in shorts. However, as we stood in line, it was quite chilly - 50F or so. Nicholas had his jacket, but pangs of guilt hit me.

I was not just upset that I had not dressed him appropriately. Rather, I was also sad about having to outsource so much of his upbringing and care to others. This is the price you pay for being a two-parent working family. This sacrifice is nowhere to be found in the medical school brochures.

I love my job and appreciate the flexibility of research. If I were in practice, like Kathleen, my hours would be worse, and a school or camp drop-off would be unimaginable.

Fortunately, Kathleen will be cutting back to three days per week this summer. I will also try to do a better job of being more engaged with the kids in the free time that I have. Their courage and self-reliance is inspiring, but it also makes one more than a little sad.

COORDINATION

The other day, we were at the soccer field. Cate noticed a basketball on the adjacent basketball court.  She went over and picked it up, and I was not prepared for what came next.

I had witnessed Cate watching people play on the court before, but I had never seen her dribble a ball herself.  Well, dribble she did.  She could have gone on for days like that, and had perfect control.


I am beginning to wonder what physical activities and sports Cate will not master.  Scholarship, anyone?

MOONRISE KINGDOM

Yesterday, I saw Mr. Wes Anderson's new film "Moonrise Kingdom."  I have been a fan of Mr. Anderson since medical school when several of my classmates, who had attended prep school with Mr. Anderson, introduced me to his work.

Therefore, when his first film "Bottle Rocket" came out, my friends invited me to the Houston premiere at the old Landmark River Oaks Theatre.  Since that time, Mr. Anderson has made several other films.  The highlights include "Rushmore," "The Royal Tenenbaums," and "The Fantastic Mr. Fox." However, Mr. Anderson's latest film "Moonrise Kingdom" comes as close as humanly possible to perfection.

The movie tells the story of two middle school-age children living in an island off the New England coast. Sam is an orphan and a Khaki scout - think boy scouts with snappier uniforms.  The other protagonist is Suzy, a young girl full of life but also anger.  These kids orbit different worlds, but each child's world is populated by burned out or inept adults.  The contrast between the children's vibrancy and the adults is striking, and it makes Sam and Suzy quite compelling and likable.

The New York Times site features the scene in which Sam and Suzy first meet with commentary by Mr. Anderson. It is easy to forget during this scene and the rest of the film that these actors are children. They each inhabit their characters. Their chemistry and "love at first sight" is palpable, and one cannot help root for them.

More than anything, when I watched "Moonrise Kingdom," I was blown away by the passion that each child had for the other. Despite the fact that they had only met once and that their relationship was exclusively epistolary before they run away together, their connection was obvious.

The film reminded me of the first time I fell in love as a teenager, and it brought back all of those emotions and memories.  I was reminded of what it felt like to let my guard down, to invite someone in, and to risk rejection because not making one's feeling known would have hurt far more.  I will not spoil my adolescent story's ending or the movie's ending. Suffice it to say that they are different.

Far too often as we get older, we settle. We accept what is just all right because we have either lost hope, patience, or the belief that we deserve something better.

Perhaps settling is what it means to grow up, but we seldom realize that this is what our adult lives  have become.

"Moonrise Kingdom" was a reminder of what we all once were. However, "Moonrise Kingdom" is also a reminder of that for which we all may still strive - despite the extra pounds, lost hair, or wrinkles -  love, passion, and an endless sense of possibility despite what the world might throw at us.

I will leave you with the song that ends the film (NOTE: Stay for the entire credits because a treat awaits you!).   Fittingly, this song is sung by a children's choir.



In that final scene, we come to understand the meaning of the film's title. However, we also see a slice of heaven on earth that need not belong to just the young.