Tuesday, August 25, 2015

My Aunt Barbara and America



I called my aunt Barbara today (Barbara Coit Turner). I knew the call would pick up my day, because at 93 she is a woman of constant goodness who appreciates every day and loves the world around her.
Today we talked about canning tomatoes, some of which she'll take down to the local senior center. Recently she had a chance to share her squash with them.
One of the reasons that she's such a fabulous person goes back to when she was in high school in Syracuse. Back in the 1930s America was a lot more racist than it is today. Her mother had a friend who was African-American and Barbara was brought up to believe that God created everybody equal.
Aunt Barbara doesn't think twice that my wife is Chinese and that I have a daughter whose  grandparents were in the Holocaust. As long as people have good manners she'll open a welcoming door. I'm extremely lucky to know her and her offspring. She still lives on the family farm, although these days only vegetables greet the morning sun. Whenever I despair of all the people who support Donald Trump, I think of her and know that out there in America there are good people who have their heads on straight.

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