Idea-lists

I was in court until late in the afternoon with no lunch break, so I did not get to watch the inauguration. It was an interesting reminder for me that although I, and millions of others, are excited about this historic day, for other millions of Americans life went on much as any other day, with little thought about what was happening in Washington D.C. Probably not a shocking statement in Blount County, Alabama, one of the brightest glowing red counties in the whole USA.

So I did not get to celebrate the day as I thought I would. But I knew I would get to watch it later. My sister said she would record it for me when I told her I was still in court. I had planned to go to her house to watch it live.

About the time I talked to Terri I got a text from another friend whose message reminded me of the early days of the Lowry/Bentley think tank. That's what I called it anyway. Lowry got first billing because it was their house, coffee, fireplace and food that sustained the great mental operations of the group. You probably haven't heard of it, because the discussions were so sensitive we were afraid to record our conclusions. Or we couldn't find a pen and paper. And sometimes we all talked at once, making transcription impossible.

There was a time, which began a few years ago, during the 2000 election, that a few family members and a couple of might-as-well-be family members, would gather and sit around the table if the meeting was in the morning, or on the sofa and chairs if the meeting was in the evening, and talk, sipping on an appropriate beverage for the time of day.

Of course, this was not a talk-tank, We also thought. And agonized. Over elections, terrorist attacks, wars, scandals, tax reform, constitutional reform, social justice, religion, and other things that require thinking.

I won't tell you who thought what to protect the opinionated and prevent boycotts. And while many of my memories of the LBTT involve hilarity, it was also serious. Seriously, it was. There were observations and predictions about the above listed topics that were actually quite amazing, in retrospect. We reached some sound conclusions out of our curiousity, dialogue, and passion for the topics of the day.

Sadly, one of the reasons the LBTT came to be and lasted for a few years , other than the need for free coffee, wine or snacks, was that we felt like we would not be heard anywhere else. Worse that we could not voice some of these opinions without unpleasant consequences. There was no room elsewhere for dissenting thought or opinion. Not to our government, not to our churches, not even to most of our friends. Paranoia, you may be thinking.

If you're not with us, you're against us. Remember? Sure, now you think it's silly and counter-productive. Now you're part of the 70 plus percent that dislikes that kind of talk. That means that about sixty percent of you changed your minds since then.

Anyway, it felt good to remember those times today. First because they provided so much laughter and release. But I am also thankful because today things are different. Differing opinions, if thoughtful, are respected, actually encouraged. We the people are being asked, exhorted, to participate in the discourse, to get our ideas out there even if they are a bit different. That inaugural address was full of new hopeful ideas for the world. It was an example for all of us.

So let's get busy. The more ideas the better. And might I suggest they get so much better around a table, with coffee and good friends.