‘Jimmy Dunne Says’

The Palisadian-Post presents an homage to Will Rogers’ column, “Will Rogers Says,” with a column by Palisadian Jimmy Dunne—on life in the “greatest town in America.

Last Saturday, two events happened in town that reminded us of something …

Our Palisades Village

As the sun slipped behind the mountains, our Palisades Village came alive.

The streets were bustling with families and friends, many seeing each other for the first time in almost a year. Some who have moved back, many who just came back to feel this.

Friends from schools, and from churches and synagogues, from sports teams, from clubs, store owners, and many pals from just around town.

For an evening, it was a winter wonderland. The town Christmas tree stood as the backdrop. Everything was on the house—from Sunset Smash and ice cream trucks to endless booths and fun, generous surprises for kids of every age.

Kids from town—from the Village School, St. Matthew’s, Adderley School and Eloise Geller—were the couldn’t-be-more-perfect stars of the show.

As snow magically began to fall, I had the honor of leading 2,000 unshakable Palisades voices, of every age imaginable, singing their hearts out to “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas.”

It wasn’t a concert. It was communion.

The American Legion

Cut to an hour later, across Sunset at the American Legion.

It was absolutely transformed into an elegant, cozy winter lodge, packed to the brim with wonderful Palisadians. Many were from our bocce leagues. Many were just … us.

Our Co-Honorary Mayors, Ted McGinley and Gigi Rice, were part of the fun. And Traci Park. And Rick Caruso. The band was led by our own maestro, Jai Winding. Three adorable, powerhouse “Jingle Bellas” singers lifted the roof.

The world-renowned Jason McGee Gospel Choir huddled around each other in the hallway before the show. They put their hands together in the middle, and Jason led them in a prayer—asking that they bring joy and comfort with their gift of song.

That, my friends, they did. Oh, they did.

But the real show wasn’t on the stage.

The real show was the audience.

Laughing together, singing together, and for a couple of hours, 200 hearts breathing in rhythm. They held and hugged each other, and stood as one—belting out our town song.

Palisades “Reindeer Awards” were given to extraordinary neighbors—people who have quietly hitched themselves to the front of our sleigh this year … and pulled.

Because that’s what a reindeer does.

They bring you home.

To Tracey Price, for passionately watering our trees and parkways. To Maryam Zar, for gathering people, resources and courage when we needed all three. To Sue Kohl, for tirelessly captaining the ship of our town council. To Sue Pascoe, our town crier, who has spent years telling myriad stories of everyone and everything in our town.

And to our beloved Traci Park—for fearlessly standing up to the city to do their job.

Five Reindeer.

They reminded each of us to think about the “reindeer” in our own lives this past year. Those dearest to us who have selflessly helped pull us through chaos toward something like order and grace.

The Tree

But there was one more moment I can’t shake.

Earlier that evening, back at the Village, as the sun had set beneath the mountains, we were all asked to look at something.

A tree.

A stunning, living tree—right in front of all of us.

In that moment, it stood for something far bigger than itself.

As we stood there together, that tree came alive.

Twenty-four thousand lights.

Lights of joy. Of happy. Of kindness. Of goodness.

And in that moment, we didn’t see a tree at all. We saw ourselves.

Each of us, in one of those lights.

The tree spoke to us.

Reminding us of that night in January when a fire came to burn down our town.

When 24,000 of us grabbed what we could, buckled our kids into cars and drove away.

It raged through our neighborhoods—through homes and condos, apartments and mobile homes. It gutted many of our schools, our churches and synagogues, and the stores that had always felt like living rooms.

But standing there, looking at that tree, we all realized something.

The town was never the buildings.

The town was standing right there … staring up at that tree.

We were the lights.

The parents and grandparents.

The kids on scooters and in strollers.

The families in temporary rentals.

The couples sleeping on friends’ couches.

The ones staying with relatives across town.

Our neighbors who have already found their way back home.

Every heartbeat in that crowd was a light.

And those lights—our lights—are what make the Palisades the Palisades.

Not the places. Not even the views.

The Palisades is the way we show up for one another when everything feels broken.

It’s the Traceys and Maryams and Sues and Tracis of our lives.

It’s a band, a choir and a room full of neighbors who will stand up and sing until their throats are raw.

It’s 24,000 lights, still shining, even after the flames.

That’s why the Palisades was, and is and will be a place that honors integrity. Honors family. Honors belonging. Honors the treasure, the absolute treasure, of this amazing shot we have at the gift of life.

Twenty-four thousand lights.

One town.

One absolutely beautiful town.

Jimmy Dunne is a modern-day Renaissance Man; a hit songwriter (28 million hit records), screenwriter/producer of hit television series, award-winning author, an entrepreneur—and a Palisadian “Citizen of the Year.” You can reach him at j@jimmydunne.com or jimmydunne.substack.com.