Dear Reader:

Lin-Emmanuel Miranda’s wildly popular ” Hamilton ” Broadway show has many memorable songs throughout the production but Miranda’s ( and my) favorite is ” The Room Where It Happens.” He said he thought it was the best song he has ever written.

It has a crazy upbeat tempo that makes you want to jump up and start snapping your fingers to the swaying energy of the rhythm.

But it is the well-thought-out lyrics that grab an old history teacher’s (like me) academic interest immediately. The song reminds us that political ” wheeling-dealing” has had its roots in our country from the on-set.

In this case Jefferson, Madison, and Hamilton secretly meet for dinner and end up trading an acceptance of Hamilton’s national tax plan for the location of the national capital being located on the Potomac in the two Virginians’s ” backyards” instead of Pennsylvania as an earlier consideration. A handshake, dessert, and the deed was done.

It got me thinking about the different rooms in our lives that stand out in our memories. In fact… when I googled ” The Room Where it Happens” a picture of a beautiful kitchen popped up with the title plaque covering one wall. The owner stated that she hoped the plaque would daily remind her that she wanted her love of cooking to be remembered by family and friends alike as ” the room where it happened” -where she brought satisfaction, contentment, and enjoyment to others. A ” Balm in Gilead.”

Take a minute to think of all the memorable rooms in your life… some happy rooms… perhaps some sad … still memorable just the same. Rooms play an important role in our lives.

No doubt Lee and Vikki remember the birthing room of little Rhea’s recent delivery… a room filled with a myriad of emotions-excitement, anticipation, along with some trepidation. Joy mingled with pain… in fact… isn’t childbirth a precursor to life itself? All the future up’s and down’s of the journey ahead play out in childbirth.

Later will come classrooms, apartment rooms, first home rooms, hospital rooms, rehab rooms or assisted living rooms and final resting place rooms-yes rooms act as compass markers along our individual paths.

So until tomorrow… I think we need to remember to ” think outside the room” and instead make room in our lives to contribute our God-given talents to others… we should always remember we live for others… not just ourselves!

Today is my favorite day! Winnie the Pooh

I went over to Tommy and Kaitlyn’s ” new once again ” home-it looks terrific and they are planning on adding a new room to the front to give the flat roof some oomph and height-plans still on the drawing board. starting with some decorative changes

Eloise came to spend time with Boo and her. cousins-we had fun while the boys got dropped off at Camp Ridgecrest! Thanks Eva Cate for helping and braiding.

Camp Ridgecrest! Have fun everyone!

Don’t forget to say ” Rabbit Rabbit” … the first day of August … for good luck! ! I hope a month of fun and freedom before school routines start back.