What's bigger than gratitude? Gratitudest

I have gratitudest today, because I don't know the word to express more gratitude.  I could list all of the emotions I felt today at the Muhammad Ali Center; love, zest, humor, spirituality, more love, social intelligence (brilliance!), more humor.  I laughed out loud, with tears streaming down my cheeks. Louisville has some fun things to do, but y'all should drive on down here (remember: no animals on foot on the highways) JUST to pay homage to Ali.  What. A. Man.  Where do I start?  Do I write a list of all the things he said and did?  The two things that put me over the top:

*his refusal to be drafted into the Vietnam War, even though he was at the prime of his career and stripped of his title and license.  He held so strong, and spoke so eloquently; he should be in every history lesson about Vietnam and Civil Rights, every single one.

*his humility! He is so open about his flaws.  There are interviews about what a womanizer he used to be, how angry he was in his youth, and how he grew. He has video of himself being a total a-hole to his first wife, just to show what an a-hole he was!  God bless him.  Alhumdulilai.

Our five hours at the museum was a perfect way to end our stint here in Louisville, and I realize we still owe you info about Cincy (ahem…G?  wasn't there a pretty great museum there as well?  And I had an amazing visit at the VIA Institute on Character and the Mayerson Academy!~more on that later) but the blog had to go out of order, because tomorrow is…

November 22nd.  50 years ago John F Kennedy was assassinated, so that's been on the news a lot.  But more importantly for me, that was Mary Lee Bartle (Pearmine)'s 17th birthday.  As I walked around the Muhammad Ali Museum today, I tried to think of anyone who has moved me to action or made me puff up my chest like Ali.  And I am so grateful--the gratefulest!--that it was my mom.  The woman who I found out at her service that she was a long-time card carrying member of the NAACP.  The woman who wore a clown nose at commissioner meetings if need be, and more than once told people, "I'm going to cry, but don't stop listening to me.  It's just what I do when I care very much."  She had big things to do too.

To love, and be loved, is the supreme emotion, IMHO.  And I am so very grateful to have both.

With love, Sarah

“Live everyday as if it were your last because someday you're going to be right.” 
― Muhammad Ali