Today, I’m thinking about the Jimmy Buffett song “Come Monday.”
“Come Monday It’ll be all right,
Come Monday I’ll be holding you tight.
I spent four lonely days in a brown L.A. haze
And I just want you back by my side.”
I used to be able to do a fair rendition of the song when I was jamming with some friends. Of course, my talent improved with every glass of wine I drank, and by the time we finished a bottle or two we all thought we were ready to cut a record. 🙂
Anyway, the first line of that song drifts through my mind most Monday mornings. There’s something so hopeful, so encouraging, so true in the words, and the melody underscores the message with determination.
So, every Monday morning the idealist in me wants to believe that everything will indeed be all right.Â
Despite the fact that the corona virus is far from being under control, states across the country are opening up, some with a better plan than others. There’s a comprehensive article in The Washington Post  giving state-by-state information on what is open in each. The report is compiled by the Post staff, and it’s actually quite interesting if you like research as much as I do.
I found this paragraph particularly alarming:
Cases continue to rise in some of the states where governors have been most aggressive in opening public spaces and businesses that rely on close personal contact, such as salons and gyms. None have met the federal government’s core recommendation of a two-week decline in reported cases.
On May 16 there were 1801 new cases of the virus in Texas, the highest one-day figure since the pandemic started. That is hardly encouraging me to go out, even though I feel the pull of Spring, beckoning me to be out and about – meeting and greeting people and sharing the excitement of earth being reborn and spirits being reborn.
I’ll have to content myself with waving to my neighbor across the street and not going much closer.
Now for something to lift our spirits. On Saturday, President Obama gave a 2020 Commencement address that was full of hope and encouragement that “It’ll be all right.”
Obama spoke at “Graduate Together: High School Class of 2020 Commencement,” an event organized by XQ Institute, a think tank that works with schools, in partnership with LeBron James’s foundation and the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
You can read the full transcript at the New York Times, but here’s an excerpt that made me smile.
With all the challenges this country faces right now, nobody can tell you “no, you’re too young to understand” or “this is how it’s always been done.” Because with so much uncertainty, with everything suddenly up for grabs, this is your generation’s world to shape.
Obama’s three pieces of advice for the graduates started with, “Don’t be afraid.” He pointed out how Americans have faced great challenges in the past and came out stronger, mainly because young people “figured out how to make things better.”
He then encouraged the graduates to do what they think is right. “Doing what feels good, what’s convenient, what’s easy — that’s how little kids think.”
The final piece of advice was “Build a community.” Obama pointed out the importance of working together for the greater good. “So be alive to one another’s struggles. Stand up for one another’s rights. Leave behind all the old ways of thinking that divide us — sexism, racial prejudice, status, greed — and set the world on a different path.”
That’s all for today, folks. I do hope your week begins on a good note, and you are able to stay safe and stay well.