For about a decade, her feet never touched the ground.. She was here. She was there. She was gone. Adventure seeking, flying from man to man, even women… trying every strange she could find.
She wasn’t alone. Hundreds of thousands of them were breaking taboos, crossing lines, reaching for stars and planets in the Age of Aquarius. Their minds flowed freely to accept new philosophies, new mores.
They were at the forefront of the sexual revolution, the peace process, fostering understanding and change. Busting loose from the old tired morals of the Fifties, these Boomers had to stage their rebellion loud enough to be heard. They protested. The whole world protested.
They abandoned society’s dictates, dropped out of college and society and traveled the world exchanging culture and ideas. They made the world smaller and larger at the same time. Smaller in the actual ability to travel easily from one place to another. Larger through the ideals and cultural experiences they brought home with them when they returned.
Boundaries were crossed and reset. New standards were born: Recycle, Compost, Save Water, Hare Krishna, Protect the Environment, Fuck the Draft, Women’s Rights, Black Power, Gay Rights, Animal Rights, Eat More Vegetables, Reduce Carbon, Free Love…
They let their hair grow out of crew cuts and bouffant do’s. The men grew beards, threw out the slim grey pants, short-sleeved white dress shirt, and skinny ties for tie dye and draw string pants. The women gave up girdles, nylons, heels, bras, slips, and dresses in exchange for no make-up, cut-off jeans and a tank top. Everyone wore Buffalo sandals, hiking boots, or bare feet.
They have to say what they think. They have to speak the truth as they see it, even if people disagree. They are the outliers, the dissenting vote, the loud protest. They want to close the reservations, they want an open society that tolerates many different people living together in peace. Society needs these outliers on both ends to provide innovation and balance.
They will continue to protest, quietly pushing, continually pushing, reaching out beyond man made boundaries expanding just like the universe. They are all old enough to know that soon, someone may push them into a corner, a closet, or out into the middle of a room… But still they will speak.
She continues to make snappy, slightly offensive comments that some will think funny, strange, or amusing. She laughs out loud , cheers, and then sings song, and does a silly dance. A poet speaks. There are flags and bull horns.
Someone tells a joke. You can’t help it, you laugh too. It’s funny. You tell your friends and yet gossip so ruthlessly about those who are filled only with love for every living thing on the planet – even the rocks in nature…
(First published 8/8/13)
