Mellow Yellow

Donovan's hit song was released in the United States in November 1966 -- nearly 50 years ago, how can that be? -- and in the United Kingdom in February 1967.

"Mellow Yellow" was past history by the time my daughter drew this cheery picture in early 1984, depicting the two of us with a birthday cake. There were too many candles on it to represent her brother's imminent birthday, so perhaps the drawing represented what she'd like for her birthday that spring.

I couldn't help thinking about that song when I took today's self-portrait (see extra photo). My stitches will be removed Monday afternoon, and then I might be ready to venture out in public.  

All of this seems small potatoes indeed in the light of yesterday's community college shooting in Oregon by yet another young man with issues and an arsenal; the Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kabul apparently "collateral damage" in an American airstrike today; the huge gap between the ridiculously rich and everyone else, giving the former far too much influence in elections; and so much more.

There are countless things we cannot change, making me all the more grateful for this virtual community of people around the world who document the big and small moments of their everyday lives, bringing home how much we are all alike.

[New York Times op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof has a fresh approach to gun violence in "A New Way to Tackle Gun Deaths" -- it makes sense to me, and I hope you'll read it.]

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