Happy Earth Day!

First posted 10/13/11

When I read and view clips of peaceful demonstrations popping up all over the country my memories revert to my youth and images of non-violent sit-ins, coffee houses, 3 days of peace and music, unpopular war, the environment (sound familiar?). What are those old thoughts and sayings “what goes around comes around” or “If you live long enough you get to see everything twice”? I never had the privilege of making the scene at the Woodstock music and art fair, because my mother would not hear of my plea to attend this “Aquarian Exposition” (that sounded harmless enough right?). I think she knew that I was a hippie wannabe and was afraid of losing her 16-year-old impressionable daughter in the summer of ’69 (at least she let me go to my cousins house where we stayed up all night and watched the moon landing). I can remember how my views and ideas escalated in just one year when I was about to graduate high school and become an adult. I also recall when my father’s Union was on strike and he was forced into taking painting and wallpapering jobs just to feed the family. I suppose I was hanging around with those unassuming friends who cared about the world and our future. Since I was still living at home (and didn’t pay the bills) I could only dream of attending, protesting, or actually being part of a movement that I longed to partake in. When the idea of saving the earth was called by a Senator from Wisconsin to us in 1970, I was 100% on board. How could my parents not allow me to attend this meaningful teach-in? To my surprise they even let me cut school and go to NY with my classmates to become a part of history (wow that was pretty cool back then). I have memories of walking up and down 5th Avenue, going to Central Park and listening to speeches with the smell of marijuana permeating throughout. I didn’t know it then but on April 22, 1970 I became an adult at the age of 17. I was taking part in something that I believed in and it opened my eyes to my future and the future of the earth. Keep healthy and fit either by recycling, driving energy efficient vehicles, eating organic food and trying to save the planet, or by partaking in something that you truly believe in!

Here are the results of my 5k yesterday 4/21/12:

284/396   Joan Jacobsen    Stockholm    NJ    #223     59    15/34  F  50-59    38:39.9     12:28/M