Stones For My Sister's Birthday
Today would be my sister's 75th birthday. This morning I woke to find a beautiful tribute to her from a dear friend. Still half asleep, I felt flooded with gratitude for all life has held during my own almost 84 years, my beautiful sister Elizabeth (Betsy/Liz), and for such a friend who would wake me on this shining day with remembrance. And, let's say it!, for email that makes such instant communication possible. I miss Liz every day. Our personalities were different, and we counted on each other for that. Just the other day I wanted to call her. I needed her voice--that calming, steady, no-nonsense voice. I remember that we talked a lot after I moved from Minnesota to live along the Pacific Coast. It was my first understanding of how drastically environment can affect perception of both world and self. Liz saw it right away. "You aren't a Minnesotan anymore." But the new people I met in California in the East Bay knew I wasn't one of them either. "Yo...
