Renewed faith in humanity today: people read newspapers, and they’re kind! The reaction to my article, just in one day, has been heartening. At 8 a.m. a group email came in from a Y friend, who sent word to our whole group that they should read the piece. So they did, and they wrote. I heard from Halifax, France, England, Vancouver, the U.S.; from two former university presidents who’d known Dad, one of them writing, “What I remember especially was his advice and kindness to me, twenty-five years younger and a beginner in his world. A nice guy in every respect. A mensch.”
They wrote that he would be proud of me. What that means!
Especially appreciated this note from Anna’s neighbour, a retired schoolteacher who’s been tutoring Eli every day for an hour and a half since the spring, for free. He told me my essay made him cry, and then, Your wonderful Eli has been a gift to me. He gives me a laugh every day. He’s smart, earnest and kind. All attributes that will serve him well in life. When I challenge him on something he will often say…”true enough.” He is giving me the “grandfather” experience I never thought I would have… and that is a great joy to me. Thank you Covid for that gift.
Many gifts, and I’m grateful for each one. But “smart, earnest and kind” – that means most.
And another gift — Mary sent word about the memoir: Loose Woman is marvellous! A beautiful story with its honesty and self reflection. I am sad to have finished it. You, my friend, are in a roll. Stay nimble!
Good advice, dear Mary, though I’m not sure how to do that. But thank you.
Xmas is over; everything is taken down. In the old days, I’d remove the Xmas lights and shove them with relief into a box; the following year, my husband would have to disentangle a mess of lights, and we’d argue about my carelessness, which drove him insane. I took this photograph of yesterday’s work, the lights neatly rolled and tied with ribbon, and sent it to him, saying, “I think I’ve grown up.”
It’s about time.
