4-20

today is 4-20. for most of us, that's either a time or a date. for my sister, it's her birthday. for teenagers, it's just one more reason to light a joint.

the term began as a reference to smoking at a particular time of day -- 4:20. it's also the day that jimi hendrix, jim morrison and janis joplin died -- all of whom were known for being partial to the joint (or worse). supposedly april 20 is also the best day to plant marijuana, and when the Grateful Dead toured, they always stayed in Room 420.

when my girls reminded me of their 'national holiday' yesterday in the car as we foraged through fundraising, i stopped in my tracks with the incriminating fact that: we had planned club on National Weed Day. as youth workers, we had forgotten to be in 'touch' with our little friends and simply stuck to our 'schedule.'

'no one will be at club, emily,' my girls kindly informed me. 'we'll be ripped out of our minds from morning till night.'

i sat there wanting to rip out my mind and asked myself, why again do we think we're qualified?

if only these tiny adults could catch the waft of the spirit; pot would lose its allure and they would come running, intoxicated by the love that had drawn them.