Robert Murphy:  

l. I always wanted to be a minister when I grew up. My family and friends thought that was a crazy idea. As it turns out, they were part right and part wrong.. I was inspired by Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, and Cesar Chavez during the 1960s. I'm inspired by Pope Francis and his work for economic justice and environmental protection. I still read Alan Watts books. How do I dress? Hey, it's the Gulf Coast of Florida. I dress like Jimmy Buffet. I share my home with two cats, which I find helpful. Lizards explore the patio and there are some pelicans who fish in my neighborhood. I'm reminded that the world doesn't exist for humans alone. Other species have their own needs and their own opinions. However, it's true that some of my best friends are human, so I've stayed active in human rights work, despite some disappointments. I'm an advocate for elder rights. Our generation will need all of the help that it can get during its senior years. I'm going to get by with the help of my friends. (Thank, you, Beatles, for some great lyrics.) Memories? I've lived in a lot of places. Looking back, I realize that we were all very fortunate to have lived in Marin County during the 1960s. Tamalpais High School was a great school with some very good teachers and some wonderful opportunities. We were blessed. Although, like many young people, we may not have appreciated our good fortune. Let us hope that future generations will enjoy some of the opportunities that we knew.