Aging Gracefully

My friend Alexis Buss turned 40 today. I've known her since she was 17, and for many years we were almost inseparable, with more shared activities than I could ever count. She is an integral part of a huge number of my best memories of activism and also of this little world that is West Philly. In no uncertain terms she is one of our brightest lights.

There was a gathering at the local yoga studio, overflowing with little kids. I saw many people there for the first time in ages and met a few new faces too.

Afterward we all walked a few blocks to the park for the launching of lamps. I took pictures and shivered as the torches burned and lovely paper lamps floated up to join the Moon in the winter sky. I had never seen that done before.

The image at lower right captured Alexis' smile best, and the way she waves her hand when she talks. Here she is in debate, and Here she's a blippable Mom along the avenue.

One could not dream up a better friend or a finer person than Alexis.