Xenophobia and Xylophones

Yes, I'm going to try and make some sort of connection here...  This may take more words than other entries.  It's a bit of an essay that follows...thank you ahead of time for proceeding, if you choose to do so.  If this warning of length leads you to choose to pass this up, please know that is fine as well...  You can proceed to your own act of kindness in the time you've saved by carrying on.

**********************************************************************************

Xenophobia is the X word that jumped into my mind many months ago when we first embarked upon this project.  I had no idea how in the world, yes, how in the WORLD, I would be able to work this in.  Xenophobia -The fear of foreign people.  Xenophobia is a word that has been actively on my mind for at least half my life, I think it's fair to say.  I realize this may sound strange to others however I have always felt passionately about the idea of giving all people a fair shake in life, no matter what.  Is that always easy to do?  No.  But, I do feel it is an essential driving force in my life.

Who knew that this very week I would be in a country other than my own?  Who knew that I would be in Logan International airport?  Who knew this week of X would fall just after the 10th Anniversary of 9/11?  This is all true.  This all happened and was not at all contrived.  Strange.

I have travelled to Canada to a small town called Niagra-on-the-Lake in Ontario.  When at Logan I was in line to prepare to go through security.  In front of me was a family from India.  There were three generations.  Grandparents, parents and one very cute, I'd say three year old girl with curly, dark brown hair and big, wide open, brown eyes.  Parents were attempting to prepare to go through all the check-points, shoes off, belongings in bin and NO DRINKS.  Well, one passenger in the family was not prepared to give up her sippie cup.  Whatever was in there was simply too good to throw out or it was simply the concept of "Mine" that was dictating the dance between parents and otherwise good natured, smiling girl.  Mother was becoming embarrassed.  She looked my way more than once.  I smiled as I exchanged looks with her.  In one more look back at me she mouthed, "I'm sorry."  I chuckled and made sure to say aloud, "No problem at all.  Don't worry about it."  She seemed to relax, maybe.  The dance continued through about two more zig zags.  I engaged in some more chat during that time.  The little girl turned her little head around like an owl to see who was talking about that cup of hers.  She laughed and held the cup tight.  While in line I noticed the high number of people with passports, with distinct clothing, and who were talking languages other than English.  I thought about how intimately involved Logan Airport was with 9/11/01.  I considered the impossibility of knowing, while standing in line, what the future holds at any point in time.  And file through the x-ray machine we did, in the name of safety.

The Indian family was on the same flight as me.  We acknowledged each other through head nods and smiles several times.  The little girl and her parents and I nodded a "so long" as they were picked up outside baggage claim.  I then travelled with my parents to this little town on Lake Ontario to spend a special week with my parents.  We are partaking in the Shaw Festival - a festival of plays that lasts from Spring through Fall each year in this town.  The streets of the town are filled with people from all over the world.  I suspected I might hear some French.  I've also heard many English/Irish/Scottish accents. There will be a play filled with Australian accents.  I've heard German, Dutch and I noted an Asian group but did not hear them as they were further up the road.  Many languages, many people.  Smiles exchanged, "hellos" as we pass on the streets.  Friendliness among people from different places.

Friendliness, smiles, acknowledgment between human beings, kindnesses -- all ways to conquer hatred, misunderstanding, conflict, prejudices.  Another way to express emotion, to communicate in a common way is through the language of musical expression.  One play seen yesterday filled the space between scenes, before and after the play with Irish music.  The play, Drama at Inish, also ended with all characters waltzing in a small hotel's common room.  The first play we saw, George Bernard Shaw's Candida, had original music composed for scene changes.  Are you guessing what the primary instrument used in this original music by Reza Jacobs was?  Yes, the XYLOPHONE!  And the music augmented the meaning in the performance.

Music is a language unto itself.  The commemorations on 9/11/11 nation-wide and world-wide included music as a way to pay tribute, to be mindful, to remember.  Music can and does maintain, create and sustain peace in the world.  It can be a tool for defeating xenophobia which can quickly lead to unrest, discord, and at its worse, the most unthinkable disasters. 

So X has brought about a serious subject intertwined with the salve of music.  Think about xylophones and kindnesses as you move through the now that is today!  Kindness to others promotes peace in the world!
Good day!