Blog archive
March 2024
Addressing The Needs of Older Adults Through Pasadena Village
03/25/2024
Coming Soon: More Resources for Older Americans, Online and in Person
03/25/2024
Community Building Locally and Nationally
03/25/2024
Preparing for the Future with Ready or Not
03/25/2024
Volunteering is at The Heart of the Village
03/25/2024
Women's Liberation: Then and Now
03/25/2024
Writing Memoirs Together
03/25/2024
Current Views on Current Events
03/20/2024
Unchained
03/18/2024
Rumr of Humor issue # 2409
03/10/2024
Blacks Portrayed by European Artists
03/03/2024
Rumor of Humor #2408
03/03/2024
February 2024
Caring for Ourselves and Each Other
02/27/2024
Doug Colliflower Honored
02/27/2024
Great Decisions Connects Us to the Worldwide Community
02/27/2024
Letter from the President
02/27/2024
Pasadena Village's Impact
02/27/2024
The Power of Touch
02/27/2024
Villages as a New Approach to Aging
02/27/2024
Addressing Gang Violence in Pasadena-Altadena
02/21/2024
Rumor of Humor Issue 2407
02/19/2024
Thank You For Caring.
02/12/2024
Rumor of Humor 2405
02/11/2024
Curve Balls
02/10/2024
Sylvan Lane
02/10/2024
Rumor of Humor 2404
02/09/2024
Larry Duplechan, Blacks in Film
02/03/2024
January 2024
Pasadena Village Joins Community Partners in Vaccination Campaign
01/29/2024
Rumor of Humor #2403
01/28/2024
Pasadena Village Joins Two Healthy Aging Resource Projects
01/25/2024
Decluttering: Do It Now
01/24/2024
Village Volunteers Contribute to the Huntington Magic
01/24/2024
Villagers Creating Community
01/24/2024
Villagers Reflect on Black History Month
01/24/2024
Walk With Ease, 2024
01/24/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Wide Ranging Discussion on Current Issues
01/22/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2402
01/21/2024
Rumor of Humor # 2401
01/15/2024
Re- Entry Programs, a Personal Experience
01/08/2024
A Covid Poem
By Susan KujawaPosted: 12/10/2020
From Sue Kajawa
I recently attended, via Zoom, a reunion of Durfee Foundation sabbatical recipients. I was one of the oldest people there. It was heartwarming to be among a group of passionate, dedicated young activists and to share with them our hopes and dreams for the future. At the close of the event, this lovely poem was read. It is written by Frances Phillips, a poet and program officer at the Haas Fund in SF.
For people my age, the second verse was not anything that sounded the least bit appealing to me! But it made me think about younger people and all of the parts of their lives that they are missing during this pandemic time. Maybe for older adults like me, the slowing down and drawing in are more natural reactions than for younger people who are meant to be out and about. At any rate, I wanted to share this poem that is so suited to our times.
The author explains that “ramai” is an Indonesian word that means busy, crowded, noisy -- in a
good way - a Ramai: of people (many) (a crowd).
One day, we will be ramai again, we
will elbow our way onto the 30 Stockton
snake through the rain-soaked crowd under awnings
excuse our way up to the coffee bar
tighten the squeeze of the ladies’ room line
‘Excuse me, excuse me,’ through the theater seats
moments after the lights have gone down.
One day we will be ramai again, we’ll
hoist the crowd surfer over our heads
and slip on the beer-slick floor, elbowing the
girl who knows the lyrics, we’ll
dodge bicycles, running down the block
with lucky numbers on a slip of paper
we’ll crush five of us across the back seat
designed for three. If necessary,
someone can sit on the parking brake.
One day we will be ramai again, we’ll
inhale something other than our own breath,
we’ll wait on line at the most popular restaurant
use the bathroom at the movie theater
pile on and crawl over,
bump shoulders, hug and shake;
we’ll be as slobbery as basset hounds
joyful as retrievers.
Maybe we can even be those small toads
covering the asphalt on a summer night--
body-to-body, voice-to-voice.
Did I say we’ll sing? Yes, we’ll be singing.