Memorial Day Thoughts

The Gospel of John 15 says this:

15:12 My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you 15:13 No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends.

This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. Jesus commands us to simply love one another. Not so tough right, but he also alludes to the ability of the ultimate sacrifice that one can give in the name of love.

Last night I started watching the series Band of Brothers. It was not planned, just a funny coincidence that it coincided with the Memorial Day weekend. A few days ago I read a story of a puppy that was returned to the family of a 22-year-old soldier who recently lost his life in Iraq. It has been said that every generation has its war. After the Civil War, it was the Spanish American War. Soon to follow was WWI, WWII, Korea, & Vietnam. In the 80’s the Cold war reached its heights, but ended abruptly with the ending of the Soviet Regime. Over the past 15 years our conflict has been centered in the Middle East. My generation has traded in green army fatigues for sand colored ones.

I have said this numerous times, but just to clarify once again. I am a patriot. I love America. I am very proud of my Jamaican heritage, but this country is still the greatest one earth. In any loving relationship, you may love them to pieces, but just may not be happy with them all the time.

I take my freedom for granted quite often. In an hour or so I’ll be heading down the road to the beach to enjoy the holiday with some friends. This trip will only be impeded by stoplights and not security checkpoints. Something as simple as going to the beach without thoughts of personal safety is a freedom we all take for granted far to often.

In California one of my good friends & co-workers was a refugee from Bosnia. He was younger than I was by three years, but everyone thought he was in his 30’s. One day we got to talking about everything that happened. He was excited about telling his story, but after he showed me some of his scars I understood how some wounds will never heal. He was so thankful for the United States coming in at that time or he said he would probably not be here. This made me proud of our country to know that we have done some good after the dust had settled. I pray one day I will meet someone from Iraq and know we have had the same effect on that country.

Yesterday a couple of kids from my church are already signed up from the military. Seeing folks younger than me going off to fight in a war before they have really got a chance to live is something that does not sit well with me. I understand the situation, but also fear that sending our smartest individuals of to a country that did not ask to be liberated may not be the best of ideas. Despite my personal distain for our current war, I fully support any and every person who has ever donned a uniform in the name of protecting our freedoms.

So truly on this Memorial Day, I say thank you to all the soldiers who have given the ultimate sacrifice for my sake and the freedoms I enjoy all to well. Understanding the message of John 15 makes me appreciate the lives of all those who have been lost.

No greater love has ever been shown.

Sleepy O

Hibernation

So I will be going into a self imposed hibernation of over the next few weeks. Starting June 1^st and continuing until my birthday July 14^th!! I wont be completely incognito, but I won’t be out as much. For those prayer folks, I ask you to join me in a time of meditation. I will spend the next few weeks, concentrating on my mind, body and soul. Nothing is wrong with me, but every now and then I lake to time some time for personal reflection without to much distraction from the outside world. So If I do not answer my phone, or seem distant over the next few months, please understand it is nothing personal against you, but it is just Oliver getting back to all the things that make me me. I hope to see or hear from all my friends over the next couple of weeks. Until that time, I will truly pray for all of you and wish that the creator continues to bless you with peace & eternal grace.

Love You All,

My Natural Mystic

My Natural Mystic

With so many songs constantly running through my head it is amazing that I have really pressed my career in music. My roommate ridiculed me the other day for constantly singing as we walked downtown. Sorry, dirk, but it is just what I am. Funny enough that same night I ended up on stage doing a couple of Marley tunes.

Over the past few weeks I have found myself completely consumed by music. I cannot get enough. My newest pusher has been myspace and its artist section. I have found myself probing through pages and pages of independent artist trying to find that one track that says it all. I guess it must be my current funk in life I am going through, but for whatever reason, I have found myself gravitating to the original and unknown. While finding comfort in those familiar tunes I know far to well.

My recent obsession has been with mostly acoustic and soul music. I have found myself searching out live performances of my favorite artist. Jason Mraz, Eric Clapton, Anthony David, David Ryan Harris, Danyo Cummings, Goapele, Lucky Peterson, and the Marley’s have been a constant source of escape for me over the past few weeks.

Tonight I found my old Clapton Unplugged CD. This is the CD I would want to be trapped with on a desert island with. Just give me a guitar and a solar powered CD player.

At my office I have a nice Bob Marley, Ben Harper, & Jack Johnson mix that I like to mellow out to. This is nice as I have grown more and more anxious of my job anticipating my very soon departure. As a uncertain future looms in the distance, music provides me a certain amount of solace of a long lost friend that never wavers. The beauty of music is that is can consume and save this savage beast.
Many more will have to suffer, many more will have to die…Don’t ask me why?

I am gettimg married

I’m Getting Married

If that doesn’t sound weird to say I could not even imagine it happening. This morning I had a good chat with a friend about this issue in both of our lives. She was telling me how frustrated she was a woman getting older and “it” never yet happening for her. I also shared some of my frustration, but hope for something promised. It is funny how men and women can feel the same way about something, but never discuss it unless they are in such a safe and comfortable environment. In our discussion, we both proclaimed how much we enjoyed our independence, but longed for something a bit more meaningful. I had just returned from a wedding the previous weekend and was feeling a bit of those wedding blues. “ Always the groomsmen never the groom” is a joke quite common around my house. My mom provides the biggest catalyst to get married. Every time I venture to Deltona, a 20-minute Q & A session follows about when I will get married. I have come to accept this interrogation as apart of growing old and single. To my defense, I am no position to even think about settling down. Right now life is as good as it gets. I understand that I am no spring chicken, but I also know that my time has been set by a hand greater than mine. To be the man that I want to be for my eternal partner, I am still a work in progress. So I am getting married, just not anytime soon.

Banana Boat Boy's

Miami Banana Boat Boy’s

The name sounds funny doesn’t it? It mostly sounds slightly offensive to me, but that it because it affects my direct culture being from Caribbean descent. I am pretty sure that the Dolphins will not be changing their names to this any time soon. It is just offensive to some people.

Recently, the NFL has tried to crack down on things they feel might be detrimental to the league. They have through a series punishments, disciplined said players who did not measure up to the code of conduct established by one Roger Goodell. Bravo Roger, you have been able to establish a league in which values and personal character as much as on-field performance. To make his point even better, Mr. Goodell went as far as holding the teams and owners for the actions of their players. Wow, what a renaissance man!! A commissioner actually stepping up to the challenge of the day, Bud Selig, please takes some notes.

Most Recently, the hammer is leaning towards Michael Vick and his alleged dog fighting ring. As awful as this is, it is not something that truly hurts anyone emotionally on a daily basis as a racial slur would. As to be on cue for this blog, a few days after some serious allegations were levied against Vick, a Player from the Washington Redskins came to his defense. Clinton Portis claimed that Mr. Vick had every right to do what ever he wanted on his property and questioned the motives of those set out against him. He aimed most of his argument to those members of the Media and PETA who have firmly gripped this cross. As I heard the comments of Mr. Portis, I knew that a quick response if not complete dismissal of his statements would be soon to follow by the NFL organization he is employed by, the Washington “REDSKINS”!

In a statement released a few media hours after Mr. Portis’s inflammatory comments, the REDSKINS released a statement disassociating themselves with the remarks of Mr. Portis. Going further in their statement, they actually went as far as apologizing for anyone who might have been offended by Mr. Portis…Really?

As I have grown older and more educated, I have come to realize that some things can be more offensive to one person than the others. I used to think that being a conservative Christian was the only way of life. Even though I still hold some of those value true to myself, I am now smart enough to know that I am not the smartest person on earth, although coming in second is nothing to hang your head about. I have come to learn that people who are different than me both socially and economically deserve the same amount of respect as any other person in this great country. Theories of equality should emulate from the walls of Washington DC to the rest of this country. Unfortunately, Washington is crowned with one of the most offensive franchises in the country. How can this be? How can we in a modern post civil rights era condone a franchise that carries on the name of a racial epithet? Please do not diminish the racial slur by the cute markings on a helmet. This term is down right offensive. It carries the same weight to me as the dreaded N’ word.

A few years ago the St Johns University changed their mascot from the Redman to the Red Storm. Kind of catchy, but given its replacement, I never heard those horrible words uttered again. In Washington, the NBA’s Bullets changed their name to the Wizards to sever their relationship with a the word “bullet”, sight the negative connotation that could be used in. How Ironic that a few steps from where the Wizard’s play, the REDSKINS fill RFK Stadium Sunday after Sunday with thousands of fans wearing offensive attire. Funny how we forget those human beings who don’t mean that much to us in society, but let a few dogs get caught up in a fight, and ESPN is all over it?
This is just very disheartening.