How's THIS for surreal. Saturday was to have been the Race Against Racism, for which I had joined the Islamic Society's team to get to know and learn about THEIR culture. They welcomed me warmly to the team... I worked on getting sponsors.... but the Race got postponed to June, due to flooding at the venue.

Then we were away from TV/papers for a few days, and only learned of the purported hit on Bin Laden, when we were driving yesterday to an event. We learned it accidentally via cell from the contact we'd called for parking info-- she said that the venue had been closed and evacuated the night before due to an Islamic bomb threat because of Bin Laden! She wasn't sure we could even get into the city it was to be held in! And there WE were, worrying that the GPS might or might not work to find their new convention center!

It was an anti-racism event about the Underground Railroad, and on the way home-- as I reflected on the presentation, the consultation I picked up, and the issues of the people we'd just met-- all I could think about was the new friend I'd made for that Race, at the Islamic Society... and the awareness that I know NOTHING about how his life has changed since the weekend, but that it must have! And that it's on me to let him know that he is in my thoughts!

Bin Laden, BTW? We'll never "really" know, any more than we can ever be sure what really happened in Dallas. Too many layers of story-spinning, by real perfessionals. I'm keeping MY eye on the ball in MY court-- new Islamic friends to (hopefully) continue to get to know.

~Susan