Last year I did a post on the documentary The Wavy Gravy Movie - Saint Misbehavin' called Help me to be the best Wavy Gravy I can muster. You should go read it.
Beginning with Woodstock ‘99, director Michelle Esrick has spent ten years documenting the life of Wavy Gravy.
Saint Misbehavin’ journeys from the hills of California to the Himalayan Mountains to reveal the life of this one of a kind servant to humanity. The film blends Wavy’s own words with magical stories from an extraordinary array of fellow travelers both cultural and counter-cultural, revealing the man behind the clown’s grin and the fool’s clothing.
In Saint Misbehavin’ Wavy is revealed more than the tie-dyed entertainer and ice-cream flavor namesake that often defines him in the popular imagination. Audiences will come to know the activist, the optimist, and the healer who reaches beyond political, economic, and cultural divisions in his commitment to social change and the alleviation of human suffering.
Wavy’s life is his message, serving as deeply needed inspiration that we can change the world and have fun doing it.
Satirist Paul Krasner describes Wavy as “The illegitimate son of Harpo Marx and Mother Theresa, conceived one starry night on a spiritual whoopie cushion,” to which Wavy has replied, “Some people tell me I’m a saint, I tell them I’m Saint Misbehavin’.”
Featuring: Wavy Gravy, Jahanara Romney, Jordon Romney, Dr. Larry Brilliant, The Grateful Dead, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Odetta, Patch Adams, Lisa Law, Buffy Sainte Marie, Denise Kaufman, Tom Law, Steven Ben Israel, The Hog Farm and more!
I checked out the DVD from my local library, check yours to see if its available. Its also on Netflicks and iTunes,
I followed that up with a post on his 77th birthday, "We Pray for Children who sneak popsicles after supper" - Happy birthday Wavy Gravy.
That was a year ago today and its time to wish him another happy birthday, this time with a request from the clown himself, buy a SEVA Foundation hat.
Back in 1984, I lost my right eye from a failed cataract surgery and the left eye had a 50/50 chance of the same thing happening so I let it go and became legally blind for eight years. In 1992 it was so bad my doctors and I took the plunge and they did a cataract removal and a vitrectomy. Holy crap I've got 20/15 vision now! (with a contact lens).
This is what Wavy and SEVA do.
Tikka Maya was blind and deaf, until her daughter took her to a Seva sight camp happening near their village.
Thus the title of this diary.
About SEVA
Mission
Seva Foundation partners worldwide to create self-sustaining programs that preserve and restore sight.
Vision
A world of healthy and self-reliant communities.
Guiding Principles
Turn compassion into action: We are professionals, volunteers, and donors drawn to this work by the spirit of service.
Value different ways of knowing: We respect both the analytical and intuitive in all our work.
Serve the underserved: We work with communities worldwide to achieve health equity--especially those that are vulnerable and economically marginalized including women, children, and indigenous peoples.
Promote a comprehensive concept of health: We recognize that spiritual and cultural renewal, economic self-sufficiency, environmental wellness, and medical services are important to well-being.
Create long-term partnerships: We are responsive to the changing needs and conditions of the people and programs with whom we work. By developing close relationships with local organizations and community leaders, we build trust, mutual respect, and cultural understanding.
Expand self-reliance: We promote self-reliance and aim to reduce dependence on outside assistance. We seek sustainable solutions that come from within individuals and communities so our partners continue delivering services long after our involvement has ended.