Reflections: 16 December 1999
Thursday, 16 December 1999 — Somewhere in Italy
BARRELLING TOWARD THE NEW CENTURY —IT'S 2000!
BARRELING TOWARD THE DAWN OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY IS A DAUNTING CHALLENGE FOR ME. I GREW UP AT A TIME WHEN 2000 AD WAS A DATE TO MARK THE END OF TIME. I KNOW NOW THAT IT IS ONLY AN END TO THE WORLD AS WE NOW KNOW IT. I ponder this Y2K after having watched my son grow from a wide-eyed tyke into a tall handsome man of 22 years. . . a man of the new century! I once feared for his future in a world in which many of the powerful forces of my generation had raped, warred and plundered. I recall watching him and his friends frolic at his second birthday party in a park in Manhattan Beach, California. I HAD A REVELATION THAT DAY: I somehow knew that when called upon to make the right decision mankind usually responds. I was sure then, that very day, that my twentieth-century fears, based upon twentieth-century concepts could be laid to rest with the coming of age of these children. There they were running amok there in the sunshine, not a care in the world, all full of life, indomitable spirit and promise. Something told me that some child of this age, maybe even from this group of twenty or so — maybe even my own child — would hold one of the keys to their survival in a world that previous generations had rendered nearly inhabitable. A daunting task, yet I KNOW that it will come to pass! I REMEMBER ASKING KHALIL, A TODDLER AT THE TIME, ABOUT A PICTURE HE HAD DRAWN ON A PAGE IN HIS WRITING BOOK. "It's a space ship!" he responded. Now, to my eyes — and with my frame of reference — the figure was a large circle surrounded by five smaller circles. Each one was connected to the larger one by a crude line. "No," I said. "Let ME draw you a spaceship." I proceeded to "teach" my baby boy how to draw a rocket ship, alas, from my 1950s frame of reference!
Halfway through the task I HAD ANOTHER REVELATION!
My instinct was to draw a Buck Rogers ship... just like the ones in the comic books of my youth. Those images had solidified in my consciousness and became my reality — even as an adult. I felt stupid for just an instant. "This kid knows more about the future than I do!" I thought. "He is born of it!"
His space ship was a circular craft attached to satellite dishes just like the now-common space exploratory vehicles. I knew then that raising a child in this age meant that I HAD TO WATCH, TO LEARN, AND LEARN WHAT NOT TO TEACH!
His Mother and I found that we had to allow his INNATE and GENETIC survival skills to thrive — all while trying to live our lives in a way that honored and displayed the good in humankind.
HIS LESSONS WERE IN OUR LIFESTYLES — EVEN IN THE FRIENDS WE CHOSE! WHAT LESSONS WE LEARNED WATCHING HIM GROW!
I LOST MY TWIN BROTHER CHARLES AFTER ONE YEAR OF LIFE TOGETHER. It never occurred to me that his death was an emotional loss to me until Khalil reached that stage of development. I remember taking note of my son at the end of his first year. How conscious he was. How aware, how fully realized as a human being he was! There, for the first time in my life, I was able to deal with my brother's death. Charles was no longer a mere footnote to my childhood discussed merely in passing conversations with my older siblings when and if his name came up. After my cognition as I observed Khalil, I was able to understand and realize my loss, allowing me to go through the rite of mourning that was my right and get on with — and past — my loss. Not just the death, but the not-knowingness of a child to whom the event wasn't talked about to me by my parents because I was "too young to know."
THERE'S REVELATION AGAIN!
EVEN MY EMOTIONAL HEALTH HAS BEEN ENHANCED BY MY PARENTING EXPERIENCE!
So as Khalil grew, I began examining the corresponding stages of my
past — my missing puzzle-pieces that inhibited my own maturity and
growth.
BUT WHAT OF RELIGION OR GOD? What can I learn or teach my only son — the newly arrived adult — about these things that I know are essential to a full and happy life?
I HAVE TRIED TO INTRODUCE SPIRITUALITY AS A CONCEPT, NOT A SET OF DOCTRINES.
In doing so I, myself, have realized a more complete acceptance and love of God. ONE GOD all powerful and all-loving. A God who is forgiving and not prone to bribery or retribution. I know that in my son's own way and in his own time he will embrace Spirit in some way — maybe a way very different from my personal experience.
OH, THE CIRCLE OF LIFE!
ONE GIVES AND RECEIVES LOVE IN ABUNDANCE FROM BOTH ENDS OF THE HEART. A REFLECTION WORTH HAVING AS 1999 DWINDLES DOWN TO A PRECIOUS FEW DAYS.
AND FINALLY IN SPORTS:
Laila, the youngest daughter of my wife, Veronica, has begun a career in women's boxing. She debuted in upstate New York in early November, knocking out her opponent within 31 seconds of the opening bell! She inherited the willingness to inflict pain on an opponent from her father, Muhammad Ali, but she takes the steadfastness that is essential for successfully mastering a new skill from her mother.
Good Luck and a proud nod to you Laila! Beauty and brawn in abundance can't be all bad! AND YOU GIVE GOOD PRESS CONFERENCE!
SPORTS OPINIONS, LIKE ASS-HOLES, ARE AS ABUNDANT AS PEOPLE.
HERE ARE SOME OF MINE:
RAY SHERMAN! What did you do to the Minnesota Vikings offense? Maybe the same thing you did in Pittsburgh the year before.
NEED I SAY AGAIN that KOBE BRYANT was the missing ingredient in the LAKERS still-sometimes erratic offense.
CNN INTERNATIONAL should either do a good sports segment or do none at all! You would think with all the resources of the network that they'd build a better sports show than the one they do. Sky Sports dwarfs CNN in reporting of European Sports. And sadly, CNN does a poor job of reporting news of North American Sports.
EVANDER HOLYFIELD... JUST GO AWAY!
Witness his pathetic interview in CODE Magazine's November issue. He blames the women with whom he's had extramarital sex for his sins. REASON: They somehow were not "truthful about whether they were on birth control." In so many words it's their fault that he is the father of several children by numerous women outside of his marriage. You gotta read it to believe it!
Speaking of CODE MAGAZINE:
Check it out!
A Magazine for men of Color, edited by QUINCY TROUPE, the MILES DAVIS biographer and patterned after Esquire or GQ, but with a quite a "World View."
Great Features, Photography, Fashion, Art and... well, like I said, CHECK IT OUT!
I AM SPENDING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS IN ITALY. As I'm writing this I am in Genoa. Then on to Milan, and Torino. We open at the OLYMPIC THEATER in ROME on EASTER (Pasqua) Week.
I'm portraying my friend JUDAS ISCARIOT for the last time, as part of the VATICAN'S JUBILEE 2000!
I'm trying my hand incidentally at directing and overall artistic oversight as well.
VERONICA AND I WILL BE SPENDING THE PASSING OF THE MILLENNIUM FROM SIX TO NINE HOURS AHEAD OF OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS BACK IN NORTH AMERICA, SO A PRAYER AND A KIND THOUGHT WILL BE APPRECIATED AND RECIPROCATED.
WITH LOVE TO YOU ALL!
HAPPY NEW CENTURY!!!!!!
Reflections is Carl Anderson's Internet-based commentary column. ©Copyright 1999-2009, Abu Khalil Productions. All Rights Reserved.
