The Student Peace Alliance lost a valued and beloved member several days ago. Rob Atkinson, the SPA legislative director, was hit by a car while crossing the road and died almost instantly. He was merely an acquaintance to me (I heard him speak at the 2007 conference and danced with him briefly), but it was widely known that he was a born activist, a hilarious, smart, and spiritual guy, and just a wonderful person to be around. He made everyone he came across feel loved, cared for, and special, and this was what made him all of those things himself. He was and will continue to be a true inspiration for the Student Peace Alliance, the Peace Alliance, and all of its members and supporters. That being said, after his death, one of Rob's friends posted a link on his Facebook wall to a video that reminded her of something he would do. The video itself is a masterpiece, in my honest opinion, but it is doubly great to me because, having met him (even just briefly) and having heard so many positive things about him, it is clear that at least part of Rob's essence is in this video. His spirit lives on.

[link]

If you're interested in reading the poem the song was based off of - I was - here it is:


Stream of Life

The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day
runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.

It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth
in numberless blades of grass
and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birth
and of death, in ebb and in flow.

I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life.
And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment.