Every year since I started blogging, there is always this post on 911:
"Today, this 911 we come together to remember our World's Family members...may we always reflect on our challenge as the survivors..."
Every year since I started blogging, this message is repeated on 911 and 1028:
"As individuals and as churches, we have need to determine if our mission is to light candles and to keep candles lit, or to blow candles out. I still believe that one candle and that candles united in purpose create the World’s path of creation and life, or can be used to ignite the fire of destruction. If we seek Peace, whether the War is between Nations or the War is between peoples, our own stone and our own flame is really all that any of us have control over."
~ Jane Marla VerDow, Author of Dear Daisy
Content Synopsis Dear Daisy, nonfiction, reads as life is presented day-to-day and by seasons. The author, a gifted storyteller invites the reader into the world and relationship between a Colored illiterate Migrant Woman sharing her wisdom with a boss man’s child under cherry and apple trees during the early 1960's. Daisy, an Angel on Earth years later mystically reappears an Angel from Heaven to guide the grown child on her pathway back Home.
Dear Daisy tells a story 2000 years old yet reminds us how challenges continue to play out and that we each contribute to writing the story.
As the story begins, the author caught in a personal struggle of survival under conditions felt oppressive, writes to Daisy. As the reflective search for self and path unfolds, the 9-11-01 story strikes as a Holy War between extremists of Nations. Before the dust settles, 10-28-01 brings world chaos personal. Living the aftermath, the author struggles to forgive and declares through writing an Epistle as part of her emancipation pathway that violence as a rightful expression and worship of God is not the God of her faith.
Dedication (Dear Daisy) This work is dedicated with all my love to Daisy. Her warmth taught me love, her gift of patience taught me to search my heart for patience with others, her Soul taught me strength equal to compassion, and through her love and guidance I learned to reach for my World.
Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over and whispers, "Grow, grow."
~ The Talmud
Martin Luther King Jr. (Jan) and Black History Month (February), an anniversary I also remember each year with some act of saying thank-you and honoring. A cause certainly, but mostly reflects my choice to honor, Daisy who from my eyes was the humble, unyielding heart and soul of Dr. King's message.
Daisy, my Spiritual Mentor
My faith was born under the cherry or apple tree. As a child, Daisy was my teacher. She could teach about God by a smile, the way she held out her hand, how she listened to my stories, by her patience, and by the strength of her character and Spirit.
As a child, I understood nature, sensed how life should be, accepted what it wasn't on most days, placed hope in tomorrow by living today, and trusted my instinct to know right from wrong and direction. She taught by her compassion and gentleness to judge fairly or not at all, by her tolerance I learned to look for the good in people, and that the best way to teach was by being or reaching for the best within myself. Daisy as my friend, I sensed early on that we are all God's children; that more makes us the same than different and the contents of a person's heart measures Soul and worth.
Author Jane Marla VerDow honors Candaisy "Daisy" Mitchell in the National Women's Hall of Fame, Book of Lives and Legacies.
On this day, January 21, 2008, the day we set aside to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and to remember his "I Have A Dream" speech, the Civil Rights Acts, the marches and protests for civil liberties and freedoms, I would like to honor the woman who first taught me about "Dr King".
Our shared story is told in Dear Daisy, my first novel inspired by and dedicated to my "adopted Grandmother". The Lake Ontario Shoreline of Upstate New York is the place I call home and where my heart will always center to the farm, this place God gave me to connect each harvest season with Daisy. I will forever be grateful for this relationship and for the wisdom Daisy shared with a "boss man's" child under cherry and apple trees. It will always be etched upon my heart that Daisy, my Angel friend on Earth 1959 through the 60's, years later mystically reappeared my Angel from Heaven to guide this grown child on her pathway back Home.
A quote from Dear Daisy expresses best why Daisy is honored in the NWHF Book of Lives and Legacies... "I hoped the World would sense the role Black Grandmothers play today, and especially the role Colored Grandmothers played in the transition from "slave" or "free slave" to soil and fruits; each day establishing roots and opportunity branches children and children's children know today. This would be my dream. My heart pictured Daisy's rightful time to speak, an "illiterate" adopted Colored Grandmother, a poor migrant traveler rich in Soul and Spirit bridging generations and color divide, a leader in Dr. King's positive peace army."
She will forever be known to myself, friends and family by her less formal name, "Daisy". She didn't need a civil rights movement. Her presence, love and compassion told all there was to learn. Daisy used the canvas life gave her and planted seeds in fertile ground; hearts.
Daisy, my friend, Love Always,
"Miz Jane"
On September 8, 2010 hearing songs playing the airwaves for hatred and intolerance and voices of compassion, religious freedom, and tolerance competing...I wrote.
"I heard the songs, "Amazing Grace" and "We Shall Overcome" that year on that day, 9/12. The song waves hung with the dust for awhile...at least until other voices started to sing another song, the cry of war and retaliation.
I wrote then and now of the teachable moment and the healing potential then available in Dear Daisy, (written between 1999 and copyright release, 2004). I questioned there, too the wisdom or lack of, watching my country choose to follow false leadership and distortion of truths, and sit through the "shock and awe" of war, rather than listen to the song of the sparrow.
There is something powerful in education and learning called the Teachable Moment. In healing arts there is a Healing Moment where there is pure alignment of the physical-emotional-spiritual. On 9/12 we had both a Teachable Moment and a Healing Moment very visible and palpable centering and radiating from the heart and soul of NYC and the field of Pennsylvania...to the World. We lost that moment 2001. We've lived and continue to live and pay for those choices. What will we do on this the 9 year anniversary? Another moment of choosing..." (Rising Sparrow)
2010, the song, "Dear Daisy" was born.
Based on the book "Dear Daisy" by Jane Marla Ver Dow
Though the years they may change us
Some things in life forever remain
Like those years we spent together
Living life its joys and pain
You taught me all 'bout honesty
How the truth would set me free
Like a teacher you inspired me
Each day beneath that Cherry tree
Chorus)
Now "Dear Daisy" as I write this letter
Though eyes can't see I know you're there
I feel your presence surround me
Your angel wings as they brush my hair
Your smile my summer mornin' Sun
Your wisdom my guide no end
Your actions more than words spoken
Showed me I had a special friend
(Chorus)
Now "Dear Daisy" as I write this letter
Though eyes can't see I know you're there
I feel your presence surround me
Your angel wings as they brush my hair
(Bridge)
Say everything now there's a reason
Not in ours but in God's time
A path our lasting friendship
Enough love to last a lifetime
(Chorus)
Now "Dear Daisy" as I write this letter
Though eyes can't see I know you're there
I feel your presence surround me
Your angel wings as they brush my hair
"Dear Daisy"
© Buddy Sutton June 09 2010
Additional Lyrics Jane Marla Ver Dow
Vocal Version, "Dear Daisy" was recorded, August, 2010.
"Dear Daisy" song based on book, Dear Daisy by Jane Marla VerDow
"Dear Daisy" Lyrics: Buddy Sutton (Waterford, Ireland)
Additional Lyrics Jane Marla VerDow
Music Composition and Final Music Mix : Hiroshi Takatani (Hyogo, Japan)
Vocalist: Barbara Hunn (Williamson, New York)
Vocal Recording : Andy Calabrese, Calabrese Recording Studio, (Pittsford, New York)
Photos and Video : Jane VerDow
The Full Orchestra Version (Demo-approaching final mix) was shared as August turned to September. Theme Song "Dear Daisy" by Hiroshi Takatani
"Theme from Dear Daisy" Video Dedicated to 911 survivors.
We create the world each day with our choices.
One choice- one candle and candles united in purpose...ignite the fire of destruction.
My view this choice would follow
"In protest of what it calls a religion "of the devil," a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Florida, plans to host an "International Burn a Quran Day" on the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks...The Dove World Outreach Center says it is hosting the event to remember 9/11 victims and take a stand against Islam...it invites Christians to burn the Muslim holy book at the church..."
One candle, Pastor Terry Jones.
I see some caught between choices with the Islamic Center at Ground Zero debate. Pain is hard to tell another to let go of, the message has to come from within.
Respect, tolerance, understanding on all sides, and with more time passing...maybe a solution of hearts and minds will know the path to choose.
One choice - one candle and candles united in purpose create the World's path of creation and life
One candle, NYC Singing Policeman, Daniel Rodriguez
Or maybe hearing the message from September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
So I repeat here once again my message...
"As individuals and as churches, we have need to determine if our mission is to light candles and to keep candles lit, or to blow candles out. I still believe that one candle and that candles united in purpose create the World’s path of creation and life, or can be used to ignite the fire of destruction. If we seek Peace, whether the War is between Nations or the War is between peoples, our own stone and our own flame is really all that any of us have control over."
~ Jane Marla VerDow, Author of Dear Daisy
And I leave you with my words, my personal story, a question and a statement from Dear Daisy
"Violence delivered by others of this World in the name of Allah, is a "sin", yet violence in the name of God is a "virtue" ? I ask, what is the value of one sparrow or one person to thousands in the eyes of Allah or God? He created each one on their day. God is God regardless of His Name."
~ Epistle written by Jane Marla VerDow, February 14th, 2002 (message addressed to Christian Faith and Church)
Autographed Copies of Book Dear Daisy available through Author : Rising Sparrow Press
or unsigned copies through PayPal on this blog.
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