On becoming an octogenarian

Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice steering committee.

UPDATE REGARDING DEWAYNE TOWNSEND AND MARCEA MARIANNI'S NEW REALITY
Text message from Marcea July 3. DeWayne passed away around 10 p.m. July 2. An important voice and significant presence is no more in Greater Longfellow. He was always willing to serve in whatever way he could. So, dear reader, what are your DeWayne Townsend memories? What are you celebrating? Tell yourself, tell others or tell me via tesha@tmcpub.com.
Messenger readers Candyce and Carolyn have reached out to let me know that they look forward to reading Stories and Journeys each month and that they appreciate what I have written regarding DeWayne and Marcea.

ON TURNING 80
It's Saturday, June 29. It's literally 4:10 a.m. in the morning as I am writing these words. I was born at 4:10 a.m. June 29, 1944. It is now 4:11 a.m. It's official; I am now an octogenarian. I had to check the spelling in my Merriam-Webster Dictionary.
At a recent meeting of the Minneapolis Regional Retirees Council (AFL-CIO) Housing Committee I asked, "What can a person do when they turn 80?" Someone answered, "Run for President." For some reason I didn't resonate with that idea. That got a few laughs.
I never plan formal celebrations around my birthdays. I leave that to others. I am extending my birthday observance for at least a month probably until the next meeting ot Elder Voices at Turtle Bread July 26.

MAKE MINNEAPOLIS GREAT AGAIN?
It's June 28, 2024. I'm at Turtle Bread. I'm sitting at a table with the Elder Voices sign contemplating the prospect of becoming an octogenarian the next day and reading in the Messenger, "Don't Fall for 'The Fall of Minneapolis'" by Jill Boogren. Seemingly out of nowhere I imagine that someone who buys into the "The Fall of Minneapolis" documentary by Liz Collin, someone who is interested in promoting a narrative regardless of the facts, could run for Mayor of Minneapolis under the banner Make Minneapolis Great Again. I have a hunch that there are people out there who, facts be damned, really do buy into the narrative of "The Fall of Minneapolis."I figure you can run for president, facts be damned, as long as you believe the narrative. Why not mayor? A morbid thought, perhaps, but the thought did occur to me.
And if you have read this far you have taken the plunge into the river(flow) of life experiences which is Stories and Journeys.

NOT MY MOTHER'S REPUBLICAN PARTY
It is the 1950s. My mother has pulled my brother and me out of school. We get on a Des Moines city bus which takes us to downtown Des Moines where we find a spot at curbside. Dwight David Eisenhower is running for president and his campaign is running through downtown. Many people are lining the streets so they can get a view of Ike. I remember I did get a view. My mother liked Ike. That all changed when Ronald Reagan became president. Suffice it to say, she was not a fan. She knew him when they both were living and working in Des Moines. They both participated in the young adult fellowship group at First Methodist Church in downtown Des Moines. When he became president that was the beginning of NOT MY MOTHER'S REPUBLICAN PARTY. She liked Ike.
Fast forward. My mother is deceased. NOT MY MOTHER'S REPUBLICAN PARTY has been remade in the image of Donald Trump. For that story, I'm reading "Tired of Winning: Donald Trump and the End of the Grand Old Party" by Jonathan Karl.
From a distance, I have been listening to Donald Trump's words and watching his behavior. Here's what I see. I see a scared little boy who has spent a life time creating a tough guy winner facade. Unable to feel his feelings, own his feelings and experience the strength of being vulnerable. How do I know this? I am a scared little boy who spent part of my life unwittingly creating a facade made of words and my intellect. In my case a traumatic life experience brought me to my knees literally. I was forced to feel my feelings, own my feelings and experience the strength of being vulnerable.
So much for NOT MY MOTHER'S REPUBLICAN PARTY.

ELDER VOICES (TELLING OUR STORIES/SHARING OUR JOURNEYS) will meet July 26 and Aug. 23 (not the last Friday of this month), 10 -11 a.m. at Turtle Bread, 4205-E.34th Street. Look for the table with the All Elders sign. It you want to celebrate anything do show up. In gratitude always.
Donald L. Hammen is a longtime south Minneapolis resident, and serves on the All Elders United for Justice Board of Directors.