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 My Yellow Irises started to bloom early this year, in April. Theirs is an expanding area near the wild roses. Normally they show up in mid-May reminding me of my father’s death day – May 14, 1992. My heart is beating softly with admiration & tenderness when gazing at them. 
 

Today, I continued again to research exoneration cases and the individuals’ stories. As before with my research on the victims of police violence, this research is extremely upsetting. So much indifference, racism and cruelty in the justice system is overwhelming and dispiriting. But at the same time, for decades such incredibly dedicated work has been done by lawyers and organizations like Centurion – Seeking Freedom for the Innocent in Prison  https://centurion.org/  and many other Innocence Projects all over the country. Most famously Bryan Stevenson’s Equal Justice Initiative  https://eji.org/issues/wrongful-convictions/  which I have written about here before. So many of the exonerated people were and are sitting innocently on death row – imagine, America has been killing many, many innocent people – out of sight. Robbing them of their rightful freedom. Sometimes I watch a short video of a person's release from prison after decades, being greeted by family members outside the gates. For sure no one needs to watch a sentimental Hollywood movie if they are in need of shedding tears… Release, oh my goodness… 


Why am I researching the names and cases of those whose lives were stolen? Lives destroyed by being wrongfully convicted of murder, rape, burglary etc, and innocently incarcerated for decades. Their families’ lives destroyed as well. Then released often without compensation. I am itching to paint, and fill a few more empty panels, but I need to find a good way of including these names on my Garage Memorial Mural. In a visual presentation that will expand the meaning of this Wall. I am almost there, almost… 

Meanwhile, after selectively pulling weeds, I cut a couple of the tall regal irises for my living room… and practice my cello. Each Tuesday, I return home from my cello lesson so inspired. Full of hope to discover new possibilities and insights when working on the things pointed out in the session. How lucky I am to be studying with a great teacher, it keeps amazing me endlessly.... How lucky I am to be free.... Yellow Irises – Hope – Freedom…. may we all find it.

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