A place in which our children can grow free and strong . . .

I'm a big James Taylor fan. I saw him in concert once and it was incredible. So was Dan Fogleberg, but that's another story.

Two lines from his songs inspire me today, as we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and anticipate the momentous innaguration tomorrow. It's an amazing time in the history of our country. The lines:

we are bound together

in our desire to see the world become

a place in which our children can grow free and strong. (from Shed a Little Light)

I first heard this song when Erin was a baby. It brought me to tears every time I heard it, because it so aptly conveyed how I wished to change the world, for her and for all children.

A song on the same album (cd now :) that also conveyed what I wished for children was this one:

hold tight

to your heart's desire

never ever let it go

let nobody fool you

into givin' it up too soon

tend your own fire

lay low and be strong

wait it out

let it come along

oh, wait a while . . . (from Like Everyone She Knows)

I still wish that for children everywhere, and for parents too.