Contrasts

On a sunny Sunday here, but one that Americans will long remember as a very dark day in our country's history, we hosted friends who were visiting from Germany.

Tom and I first met at age 12 in the school band, where I played flute and he played saxophone. By high school a few years later, he had added oboe to his musical skills and we enjoyed playing in woodwind trios and quintets, as well as the band and orchestra. 

His family moved after our first year of high school, but Tom and I kept in touch episodically over the following decades. He met his wife Annette, a German citizen, in the United States, and they made their home in her country, raising two bright daughters -- not surprising, as both parents are educators.

Tom's brother Rob and his wife moved to Bellingham a few years after we did, and we enjoyed seeing Tom and his family when they visited here ten years ago. Today's visit was the longest time we've had together, and the conversation flowed easily amongst the four of us as we shared two of our favorite places with them -- Whatcom Museum, where I photographed Tom in the new "Colorfast" exhibit and both of them (see extra) in the lobby, and Squalicum Harbor, filled with sunshine and kites.

Over a leisurely dinner, I appreciated hearing firsthand about the challenges of integrating Muslim refugees into German  society. There is no going back there, or here -- we are going to have to figure out ways to make this work. 

Ending the currently legal sale of assault rifles to civilians would be a good start.

(For another view of this exhibit, see Phil's blip.)

Blip 1566