markie d: : The Surprising and Incredible Shock in the Movie Theater

Thursday, January 29, 2015

The Surprising and Incredible Shock in the Movie Theater

I was so proud that my buttons almost burst off my shirt. A moment that sent a scream of jubilation in a movie Theater last Tuesday night.

A moment that I hope that Dahlins, Blasers, Lennons, Tripps, Nargies, McClains, Cheryl Arnold Moseley, everyone on Harding Avenue, those from Venice - Chrys Atwood and those with roots in Santa Monica will also feel proud and might join together with me in a special moment of celebration.

But first this...

I don't exactly know where I was on March 21, 1965 as a 9-year-old at Saint Mark's grammar school in Venice Ca. It could have been I was being shot by my older brothers with needle-tipped arrows, shoved in a hamper, buried in a pit in the backyard or the day I accidentally discovered the alligator in the bath tub - I don't know. I don't know if it was one of the days I was dancing with my squishy black angel from Watts. I do know it was the year I was left behind at Salton Sea by my family and even more importantly than all of that - it was the first day of the Selma March in Alabama.

Martin Luther King had put out the call to clergy to join the March from Selma to Montgomery for the rights of black Americans to exercise their constitutional right to vote. Six nuns from the Midwest responded to King's call and joined the Martin Luther King in the march. It was the first time that vowed Catholic women had made so public a political statement, that changed the tide of public opinion. My Aunt Mary was one of those nuns who were later referred to as Sisters of Selma featured in a PBS special documentary. I am proud to say that my Aunt, Sister Mary Leoline, (native of Santa Monica - graduate of Saint Monica High School - who, during retirement lived in Venice at the Harding House) was the only nun to walk the entire March. YES, SHE WAS THE ONLY NUN to march the entire way... THIS BRINGS ME TO THE JUBILATION SCREECH that disrupted the MOVIE THEATER... last Tuesday night!

A contingent group of my family in Southern California were watching "Selma" last Tuesday night, when at the end of the movie, a large cameo of original footage of Sister Mary Leoline -i.e. Aunt Mary - walks across the screen at the finish line of the Selma March in a single shot!

Pictured to the left is older brother, Kurt Dahlin, President and founder of Water Wells for Africa (http://waterwellsforafrica.org) bringing the gift of water and life to 200,000 people every single day in Malawi.

This same excited gasp exuded from the four of us in Northern California who went to see the film the day before on Monday (with my mother-in-law, Sharon, who walked in the James Meredith march in 1966).

The same thing happened in Carmel California when my big sister, Mary Leoline (named after Aunt Mary), was watching the movie and also again in Las Cruses, New Mexico, when my little sister, Karin, was likewise shocked by the wonderful surprise of seeing this larger than life footage of our Aunt Mary "Bearing Witness for Change."

VENICE - SANTA MONICA we have something to cheer about and can celebrate our rich heritage that made a significant impact in the world.

Here is the link to my Blog post that tells the Story of Aunt Mary.

Stop racism: be an agent of change!

Irene, my large squishy angel for nearly 20 years - also worked on Harding avenue at the Blasers, the McClains, and at the Lennon house.

Good things can indeed come from Venice!

4 comments:

UnknownJanuary 30, 2015 at 5:17 PM
That is so nice that she was shown in the movie. I haven't seen it yet.
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VirgieFebruary 18, 2015 at 10:22 AM
I had the pleasure of visiting with here at Harding Avenue.
I typed a long, additional comment and it disappeared. ;o( so this is a test before I try again.
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VirgieFebruary 18, 2015 at 10:31 AM
Aha!…so…Thanks Mark for another wonderful read…..I just wanted to comment on the fact that even with all of the dysFUNctional elements in our childhoods we had some incredible role models in our parents, grandparents and AUNTS and UNCLES. VENICE and specifically…. Harding Avenue. The 'kids' in these adventures grew up to be active locally AND globally. They became carpenters, fishermen, artists, adventurers, musicians, ministers, teachers, doctors, athletes, coaches, and more. They are dedicated parents and grandparents. NOW….I need to see SELMA!
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Markie dApril 24, 2019 at 6:05 PM
So true such a great perspective
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No Other Family Like Ours - seriously

WHAT OTHER FAMILY IN THE WORLD let all of the monkeys out of the Zoo, been pranked by the sitting President of the United States in a rouge encounter, chased in cities, chased out of cities and chased down by the cops. Who in their right mind voluntarily electrocute themselves just for fun and dared to electrify the nuns around the corner—who neither volunteered nor had fun? WHAT OTHER FAMILY has had more broken bones, pulled more pranks, have had a plethora of runaway rattlesnakes and other large reptiles terrorize their neighborhood. WHAT OTHER FAMILY grew Mexican Tomato plants that never grew tomatoes and had leaky boats that refuse to float or Escaped death more times? Who had cars on blocks, trucks as trash barges and flowerbeds sprouting rusted bikes, mislaid sparkplugs and abandoned carburetors instead of flowers? Meet the DAHLINS

And to think we survived and came out normal—well, mostly.

The Truimph of Overcoming

I use the word dysfunction with deliberate intention and with great respect in serving the main point of this blog. In the wild ramblings of a kid I ruminate on the idea that my family was not just dysfunctional but was the “most dysfunctional family” on the planet—that’s the set up.

As I look to the other “normal” plain-wrap families next door and across the street that had tidy yards and flowerbeds believing that the grass is greener on the other side (well the grass was greener), it shouldn’t shock anyone to realize that there is dysfunction in all of us—often times masked by tidy lawns and clean exteriors. Along with joy, success and adventure, life is filled with disappointment, failure, pain, and betrayal from those who have let us down. This is what it means to be human. I admit that I faced some disappointment in trying to fit in and longed for acceptance as the youngest boy of our wolf pack, but in large part I can honestly say that I had more fun and more adventure, in what I would call a happy childhood—despite the numerous broken bones. Yet, I would be remiss if I did not brag a bit and say, “Yeah, but...Look at all the great stories.”

Though, I dig deep into the mind and explore the full range of emotions of this young kid who felt detached, wondered about his existence, about his place in the family and his connection to the universe—He came out okay.

The older Markie D loves his brothers and sisters and holds no grudges.

Markie D has found this elusive connection to the universe and is well adjusted—and yes, still a little bit crazy. He has been married for 34 years to an amazing artist, Kerry, and has four incredibly gifted and talented adult children.

Oh, BTW… He mows his lawn, parks a car in the garage and has flowers in the flowerbeds and desires boats that float and less adventure in every outing and more "plain-wrap."

May you find your connection to the universe that brings healing, wholeness, forgiveness and a sense of hope as you look to your future.

Not too long ago on a pale blue dot, third from the sun, people and events converged in the space/time continuum that would forever change the course of history. The setting is a huge Victorian home that slightly leaned on its crumbling foundation, groaning under the weight of unruly kids and hoards of junk. In the era of Ozzie and Harriet and Father’s Knows Best, I was born into a family dysfunction of epic proportions. This decrepit masterpiece in Venice would rival the Addams Family’s house, and the cast of characters would prove to be more incredible and wacky than The Munsters. The big problem was that I was the seventh born, the youngest boy and the runt of the litter.

To have 10 in a family in our catholic neighborhood was underachieving. To compete with the larger families, my mom gladly took in strays. The official-nonofficial count was more in the neighborhood of 14 ―mostly boys and all older than me.

All sibling rivalry and mischief flowed downhill and ended up on my platter, whether I had any say in the matter or not. For fun, we held on to the live wires that were left hanging out of a wall from a unfinished remodel. We were the only family I knew who voluntarily electrocuted themselves with 110 volt household current, and are the only family in the history of the world to single-handedly let all of the monkeys out of the LA zoo. We got chased out of cities; pursued by the Highway Patrol; and sought after by the entire Needles California Police force. Wherever we went, we made a spectacular splash which usually ended up on the front page of the local newspaper.

After being buried in pits, caged, hunted, left behind and electrocuted, I somehow managed to survive my childhood but felt numb, disconnected and alone although part of a big family. In college while searching for acceptance and connection, I experienced an event that would alter the course of my life. I graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Communications. I coached water polo and swimming at Saint Monica’s my High School Alma Mater and enjoyed major success in investment real estate. After a financial crisis, I committed myself to serving in ministry, working with Youth and Family, as an associate pastor of a large church in Southern California. I graduated with a Masters at the top of my class from Azusa Pacific Graduate School of Theology and was ordained a licensed Pastor.

I am married to an avid artist and have four children: three boys and a girl who takes after her mother’s creativity.

Currently, I am a senior Pastor of a church in Roseville, CA, and adjunct Professor of Biblical Studies at a Bible college, and live in Sacramento with my wife and daughter.

markie d:

'72 swim team

Thursday, January 29, 2015

The Surprising and Incredible Shock in the Movie Theater

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