A Perfect Effort

I gave a speech at the Annual West Contra Costa YMCA Awards Dinner held at the Richmond Country Club last night.  It was well received by the audience, perhaps it will be by you.  Have a great weekend.

Peace.

Good Evening,

 

In a couple of months at a movie theater a couple of miles from here, you are likely to find a movie playing that is entitled “When the Game Stands Tall”.  The movie, which will be out just as football season begins, tells the remarkable story of a high school football dynasty.  The high school football dynasty depicted is De La Salle High School of Concord, California, and its  football teams coached by Bob Ladouceur.

 

Now, it is unusual to see a movie being made about a high school football team, but the De La Salle High School football teams depicted were special.  Indeed, beginning in 1992, the De La Salle High School football teams went undefeated for twelve seasons and for 151 straight games.  That is a phenomenal record and is highly unlikely to ever be broken.

 

In seeing this streak continue and the success of the athletes that graduated from it, many began to ask what was the secret to the success.  As it turns out, the secret to the success was that the coach did not so much emphasize the winning but rather focused on getting his players to give a “perfect effort” not just in the game, but in life.  Coach Ladouceur knew that success would come if the players were challenged with responsibility and commitment, when the players both individually and together came to develop integrity, discipline, faith and commitment.   When that happened, then the “perfect effort” would come, and so would success.

 

One of the players on the De La Salle High School football team highlighted in the film “When the Game Stands Tall”, is a student from Richmond, California.  His name is Terrance Kelly, and he was a star on these undefeated De La Salle teams.  Indeed, Terrance Kelly was the captain of the last team to keep the streak alive and during his four years at De La Salle High School, the team never lost a game.  At the end of his senior year, Terrance, a four star linebacker prospect was awarded a full athletic scholarship to play football at the University of Oregon and, as a disciple of the “perfect effort” philosophy, appeared on his way to continued success at Oregon and beyond.

 

However, in what seemed to be a cruel twist of fate, Terrance Kelly’s career at Oregon was stopped before it had even begun.  After spending the summer in Oregon, Terrance returned to Richmond before his first year of school was to start to take care of some business and to say goodbye to some friends.  While saying goodbye to some friends on an August evening in 2004, he was shot and killed by a young man who allegedly mistook Terrance for someone else.

 

This seemingly senseless act shocked the City of Richmond and devastated Terrance’s family.  It just left so many wondering why such a thing would happen to a young man who had so much promise and who was so good.  For so many, the question was “Why God? Why?”

 

I suppose God answered that question in different ways for different people, however, it is rather remarkable and rather fitting that after the tragic death of Terrance Kelly, Landrin and Mary Kelly, Terrance's father and stepmother, created the Terrance Kelly Youth Foundation. The mission of the Terrance Kelly Youth Foundation is to inspire and empower at-risk youth who face challenging circumstances to become successful, productive, contributing members of society. The foundation strives to motivate the youth to seek education as an alternative.  In essence, the Foundation in its own way strives to encourage our young people to make the “perfect effort” just as Terrance had made during his all too short life.

 

About 4 years ago, the Terrance Kelly Youth Foundation came to our Y looking for a new place to house their youth programs. As an agency that is always looking for partners to work with, our Y welcomed the partnership.

 

Over the last 4 years, Landrin and Mary Kelly have brought a number of valuable resources and programs to our Y and to the community.  And Mary Kelly, in particular, has made significant contributions to our Y facility and Y operations.

 

Today, Mary Kelly is the coordinator for the Terrance Kelly After School program at the E M Downer Family Y.  But Mary is also always looking for new ways to engage the youth. Mary has been the person who has coordinated bringing in specialty programs including photography, hip hop dance and cooking. Mary volunteers with the afterschool program’s homework help and tutoring striving to help others onto the path to success that Terrance Kelly was on.

 

Mary also supervises the ANGELS program which stands for: Achieving New Goals through Education Learning and Self-esteem.  ANGELS is a five-week comprehensive violence prevention program designed to raise awareness before violent acts are committed. At-risk youth between the ages of 12 – 17 are challenged and motivated to reflect upon personal choices, communication and problem solving skills.  The program reinforces non-violence and provides a safe environment which allows the youth to build the necessary skills to succeed in life. 

 

In April of this year, Mary, who has worked for Home Depot for 20 years, talked to her boss about the need to spruce up the landscaping around the E M Downer Family Y, where the Terrance Kelly Foundation activities take place. Store manager Allen Fox agreed to donate about $1,000 worth of materials from the store and also solicited donations from vendors, who provided soil, bark and strawberries. On Saturday, April 12, 2014, about 20 volunteers from Home Depot stores in Vallejo, El Cerrito and Hercules worked side by side with youth and families from the Terrance Kelly Foundation and also from the E M Downer Y after school and sports programs. Together they donned gardening gloves cleaning out the planter beds and filling them with fresh dirt. They put together picnic tables for the youth, placed small planter boxes complete with irrigation along the south fence line filled with strawberry plants and cleaned up the area including pulling weeds. On the west side of the building they cleaned up the landscaped area and covered it with new bark. The crew also installed new landscaping along the outside wall of the gym complete with a drip irrigation system. There was great coverage of the day by the news media and a lot of smiling faces both young and old for a job well done. Obviously, teaching youth to give back to the community is an important part of the Foundation’s work.  But it appears that teaching adults about the joy of giving back is also one of the great side benefits.

 

Mary and the other volunteers at the Foundation have two events coming up to support the important work of the Terrance Kelly Youth Foundation: The Terrance Kelly Youth Foundation 4^th Annual Golf Tournament which is happening next Saturday June 14 and the 10^th Annual Gala Dinner and Auction which will be on August 23^rd. If anyone is interested in participating in either of those events you can go to the Foundation website www.TKYF20.org

 

In a divine way, by showing how to turn a great loss into a great gain, Mary, who was born in North Richmond and attended local schools graduating from Richmond High School, and who came into Terrance’s life when he was 4, has continued with Landrin to keep Terrance’s memory alive by motivating youth from impoverished communities to gain a broader view of the world, enabling those youth to rise above the negative circumstances prevalent in both the community and their lives. Indeed, both Landrin and Mary have through their “perfect efforts” with the Terrance Kelly Foundation helped to make it possible that the spirit of Terrance Kelly lives on in the lives of those many young people that they touch.  And so, it is quite fitting, and quite an honor and a privilege for me to say, “Mary Ann Kelly, for the many hours of volunteer work you contribute in our community, the YMCA tonight honors you by presenting you with our Volunteer of the Year Award.”

 

Ladies and gentlemen, our Rita Davis Volunteer Award Winner for 2014,  Mary … Ann … Kelly.

 

Ethic of Constructive Peacemaking

As is my custom, I peruse the New York Times obituaries on a regular basis.  During a recent perusal, I read the obit for a Dr. Glen Stassen, a noted theologian and peace activist.  I was first struck by the fact that Glen Stassen was the son of the perennial Republican presidential candidate, Harold Stassen.  That relationship was interesting in itself.  However, in reading further I became intrigued by the theology/philosophy of Glen Stassen.  Stassen's Ethic of Constructive Peacemaking was a novel one for me and I wondered if it is still being employed or if it had died with Dr. Stassen.  In my mind, I found it interesting to ponder its efficacy and the prospects for its universal application in a world where other faiths and beliefs advise to the contrary. The pondering, in itself, was an interesting exercise.  Perhaps, during your weekend of rest, you will find it interesting to so ponder as well.  

Peace,

*****

Dr. Stassen argued, Christian ethics demanded organized action to save the world from self-destruction.

“Christians need more than an ethic of ‘just say no,’ ” he wrote. “Jesus didn’t just say no to anger and revengeful resistance, but commanded transforming initiatives: ‘Go make peace with your brother or sister; go the second mile with the Roman soldier.’ ”

What Christians needed, he said, was “an ethic of constructive peacemaking.”

Theologians had long wrestled with the Christian response to war, and whether it was ever morally justified to kill. Two schools of thought had emerged: pacifism, which said it was never justified, and “just war” theory, which described circumstances in which killing in war was morally defensible. Dr. Stassen advocated what he called a third option: preventing wars from starting in the first place.

“Why do we only keep debating whether wars are justified?” he asked.

In “Just Peacemaking: Transforming Initiatives of Justice and Peace” (1992) and a dozen other books on nonviolence and conflict resolution, Dr. Stassen described techniques for hard-nosed negotiating in which both parties admit culpability for past deeds, take a clearheaded measure of the interests of the other side and sometimes make calculated unilateral initiatives.

“Biblical realism,” as he described the mind-set for negotiations like these, “is about diagnosing sin realistically and seeking deliverance, not merely about affirming some high ideals.”

An Awakening

On my desk, I have two Zen calendars, one from the year 2011 and the other from 2013.  Occasionally, I view some of the pages from previous years to once again ponder on the lessons that are to be learned from Buddhism about life and being in the present moment.  I must admit that often the lessons are lost on me.  I do not fully comprehend what being fully "awake" may mean from a Buddhist perspective, but I do appreciate that the need to live more in the present than in the future, or the past, is an important aspect of the faith.  

In my contemplation of my best minute, and in my "awakening" to the appreciation that my best minute may be the minute of the now wherein I can simultaneously reflect on the "best minutes" of the past while enjoying the beautiful marvels of today, I doubt that practitioners of Buddhism would approve.  And yet, there is something to the experience that seems to have merit.  I am wondering whether others have experienced their own "awakening" moment and, if so, if they would be willing to share it with us. 

What experiences have led to your "awakening" and, if you are now awake, are you more attuned to life and the beauty that surrounds us?  

Speaking for myself, it seems that by living in the now one does indeed become more "awakened" to -- more in tune with -- the beauty of the world that exists all around.  But perhaps I am mistaken.  Please "enlighten" me if I am.

In the meantime, allow me to also mention that the journey to an "awakening" is not necessarily a solitary journey.  Indeed, as indicated previously sometimes one must be "pulled from bed", to be able to see the wonders that abound in this world and beyond.   If your journey was not a solitary one, please tell us who your "guide" or "fellow traveler" was or is.       

In my case, my recent "awakening" has been made possible by my girlfriend, who pulled me out of sleep to see the stars.  Who, along your journey, has helped you also to be able to see? 

Peace.

The Best Minute of My Life

This past week (on Monday night/Tuesday morning), I was pulled from bed to go outside and witness a rare astronomical event, the first of four Blood Moons.   On Tuesday evening, I caught up on some of my television viewing by watching the third episode of Cosmos where I learned, for the first time, about the relationship between Edmond Halley, Christopher Wren, Robert Hooke, and Isaac Newton and how it was Edmond Halley who financed Newton's Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica,one of the greatest scientific treatises of all time.  And today, I am confronted with the news (see below) that a planet has been found that exists in the Goldilocks range (the habitable zone) of a nearby (500 light years away) solar system. 

As I reflect on all these celestial and scientific marvels, I am mindful that any attempt to single out the best minute of my life may actually be subject to Heisenberg's principle of uncertainty in that any attempt to observe the best minute of my life in retrospect is colored by the age and perspective of the observer at the time of observation.  Over time, the validity of the observation changes and the value of the moment can vary.  

Or perhaps it is Einstein's theory of relativity that affects my assessment of what might be the best minute of my life.  The perception of the candidate moments for such a designation varies based upon the observation of the minute at any particular space and time in my life.

However, ultimately, in going through the process of thinking about the best minute of my life, simply thinking about all the moments of joy and happiness that I have experienced brought a great smile to my face.  To realize that I have been fortunate enough to have so many moments indicated that I have had a good life ... a blessed life.   And in the process of mentally reliving all those moments and reaching the conclusion that I reached, it dawned on me that that moment of "awakening" just might be the best minute of my life.  

Peace.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/kepler-finds-new-earth-like-planet-500-light-years-away/

The Best Minute of Your Life

Last weekend I donned by charcoal grey pants and my dark navy blue shirt and resumed my "career" as a Little League baseball umpire.  The games were held at Clayton Community Park in Clayton, a quaint suburb community situated at the base of the Bay Area's highest mountain, Mount Diablo -- the "Devil Mountain."  It was a beautiful day for baseball and the setting was grand.  There was green everywhere.  Indeed, there was such a variety of green, it seemed to me that one would need the 128 crayon box to match the various shades of green that were visible at the park.  Additionally, looming over the center field was the site of the majestic Mount Diablo inspiring us with its size and green grandeur.

The field was a little damp from the previous day's rain, but that did not deter us from proceeding on with the game.  I, along with the kids, was looking forward to renewing this ritual of Spring.  And so, with a great deal of enthusiasm, I commenced the proceedings by using my "umpire voice" to yell, "Play Ball!"

The game was going along quite well without incident until about the fourth inning.  At that time, one of the young pitchers lost his control and accidentally hit the batter on his helmeted head.  I immediately called "Dead Ball!" and motioned for the coach to come over and tend to his player.  The helmet had taken the brunt of the pitch so the player appeared to be okay.  Nevertheless, I walked with him halfway to first base just to make sure that he was okay.

I was about to resume play when the pitcher's coach asked for time out.  I gave it to him and allowed him to go out to talk with his pitcher.  After all, these are 11 and 12 year old kids and, after hitting a batter in the head, it is customary for a coach to talk with his pitcher to settle him down and to get the pitcher to refocus on the task at hand.

As the coach talked to his pitcher, the next batter began to engage in some banter with some fans behind the backstop.  One of the fans noted that the hit batter was the identical twin brother of the batter on deck and asked the on deck batter which one of them was older.  The on deck batter replied, in the smart aleck way that only a twelve year old can, that he was the older one by one minute ,and ...this is were I could not help myself from cracking up ... that that one minute was the the best minute of his life.  The implication being that the best minute of his life was the minute he was in the world before the arrival of his twin brother.

That smart aleck moment was priceless fun for me... but it also got me to thinking.  What is the best minute of my life?  I mean most of us can think of our best year or even our best day, but our best minute?  The exercise that I have engaged in since pondering that question has been a rather illuminating personal experience indeed.  And, in engaging in that experience, I began to wonder what others would say was the best minute of their lives, ... and why.

And so, my friends, wherever you may be.  Please let me know what was the best minute of your life and why?  If you are like me, I think you will find the exercise a rather interesting one.  On the other hand, if you do not have a "best minute", do not despair, another minute is just a few seconds away, and it is conceivable that the next minute to come will be the best minute of your life.

Peace.

P.S. The team that the twins were on lost their game.  But it was a good game.  The next game, however, was even better with the home team winning 5-4 on a thrilling three run inside the park home run.  It was inside the park because the park had no fences and the kid had to run as fast as he could around the bases to barely beat the throw to home plate. What a great day for baseball!

Josephine Odumakin, Nigerian Women's Rights Activist

The mantra from the 70's was to "Think globally, act locally".  In that vein, for today's Women History Month post, I today offer Josephine Odumakin, another International Women of Courage.  You can read more about her work at

http://www.bellanaija.com/2013/03/11/a-courageous-woman-nigerian-human-rights-activist-josephine-odumakin-honoured-with-the-2013-united-state-secretary-of-states-international-woman-of-courage-award/

and a revised Wikipedia bio follows.

Peace.

***

Josephine "Joe" Obiajulu Okei-Odumakin is a Nigerian women's rights activist. She is the president of the rights groups Women Arise for Change Initiative and the Campaign for Democracy. 

Odumakin was born in Zaria, Kaduna, on July 4, 1966.  She grew up in a Roman Catholic household. She received a bachelor's degree in English Education in 1987, followed by a master's in Guidance and Counseling and a doctorate in History and Policy of Education from the University of Ilorin.  She has frequently been arrested for her activism, especially during the military rule of Ibrahim Babangida, and she met her future husband, Yinak Odumakin, while in prison.

In 2013, Odumakin was presented an International Women of Courage Award from the United States Department of State. 

Beatrice Mtetwa, International Woman of Courage

March has been designated as Women's History Month and, in celebration of the month, I offer this first tribute to the international women of courage to Beatrice Mtetwa.  You can find a brief film about Beatrice Mtetwa at 

http://ruleoflawfilmproject.com/?page_id=53

and a brief description of her at

http://ruleoflawfilmproject.com/?page_id=1306

You can also read about her in the edited Wikipedia listing below.  It may take a little time, but I hope you do.

Peace,

Beatrice Mtetwa is a Zimbabwean lawyer who has been internationally recognized for her defense of journalists and press freedom.  The New York Times described her in 2008 as "Zimbabwe's top human rights lawyer".

Mtetwa received her LLB from the University of Botswana and Swaziland in 1981 and spent the next two years working as a prosecuting attorney in Swaziland. In 1983, she moved to Zimbabwe, where she continued working as a prosecutor until 1989. That year, she went into private practice, and soon began specializing in human rights law. In one of her more notable cases, she successfully challenged a section of Zimbabwe's Private Voluntary Organizations Act which allowed a government minister the authority to dissolve or replace the board members of non-governmental organizations. She also challenged the results of 37 districts in the 2000 parliamentary elections. In a PBS documentary, Mtetwa described her motives for her activism as "not because there is any glory or cash to it and not because I'm trying to antagonize the government... I'm doing it because it's a job that's got to be done".

Mtetwa is particularly noted for her defense of arrested journalists, both local and international. In 2003, for example, she won a court order preventing the deportation of Guardian reporter Andrew Meldrum, presenting it to security officials at Harare International Airport only minutes before Meldrum's plane was scheduled to depart. She also won acquittals for detained reporters Toby Hamden and Julian Simmonds from London's Sunday Telegraph, who had been arrested during coverage of the April parliamentary election on charges of working without government accreditation. In April 2008, she secured the release of New York Times reporter Barry Bearak, who had been imprisoned on similar charges. She also defended many local journalists arrested in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election.

In 2003, Mtetwa was arrested on allegations of drunk driving.  At the police station, she was reportedly beaten and choked before being released three hours later without a formal charge. Though unable to speak for two days after the attack, she returned on the third day with a folder of medical evidence in order to file charges against the police officers who assaulted her. Police officers reportedly attacked Mtetwa again in 2007, beating her and three colleagues with rubber truncheons during a march protesting harassment of Zimbabwe's lawyers.

In an interview with the Committee to Protect Journalists, Mtetwa described her procedure for averting potential attacks:

"I think I confront the danger immediately before it happens. I always make sure that if, for instance, I'm called in the middle of the night to a scene that is potentially dangerous, I make sure that there are as many media practitioners as possible, particularly to record what will happen there. And in the glare of cameras I find that people don't want to do what they would want to do. So in a lot of ways I think I've been lucky, and I haven't received as much harassment as one would have expected, or as much as other human rights defenders have had."

In 2005, she won the Interantional Press Freedom Award of the Committed to Protect Journalists.  The award citation stated that "in a country where the law is used as a weapon against independent journalists, Mtetwa has defended journalists and argued for press freedom, all at great personal risk."  She also won the group's Burton Benjamin Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2008.

Mtetwa was also received several awards from legal organizations. In 2009, the European Bar Human Rights Institute awarded her the Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize ("The award given by lawyers to a lawyer"), reserved each year to a lawyer who throughout his or her career has illustrated, by activity or suffering, the defense of human rights in the world.  Mtetwa also won the 2010 International Human Rights award of the American Bar Association.  In 2011, she was awarded the Inamori Ethics Prize by Case Western Reserve University in the United States.  And, most recently (2014), she was named a recipient of the International Women of Courage Award that is annually given out by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have shown leadership, courage, resourcefulness and willingness to sacrifice for others, especially for better promotion of  women's rights.