Yes, it has been an incredible week for many, and a lot happening is not good! There, I have said it! NOT GOOD! Students are fighting each other and their colleges and universities are being bombarded by negative notoriety. Alumnae across the country are rethinking their financial support, and I fear the nightmare of Kent State may happen if things don’t change soon. Sadly, that is the world in which we live right now.
In my own world, however, this was an amazing week. Traveling to see our family is always wonderful, and we had plans that gave birth to plans. A flow chart would have been helpful! We had a holiday dinner, as well as celebrated our older daughter, Allison’s milestone birthday. Coincidentally, it was “Take Your Child to Work Day” and so Alli took her Mama to work. I had the opportunity to see her in action. She is a school social worker and not only uses her incredible skills and education, she puts on her steps walking the school dozens of times a day. That night, our younger daughter, Emily, and I hosted Alli’s birthday dinner with her friends, many of whom I have known for decades. The passage of time has been quite terrific to these beautiful ladies!
The highlight was our grandchildren, and we were blessed to see three of the four as they are maturing and growing into amazing people. Our granddaughter, Jessica Rose Gollin is an actress who will be attending Coastal Carolina in South Carolina this fall. The entire family had the privilege of watching a production of “THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK” at the Players Club of Swarthmore in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, and Jessica joined an incredible cast in the lead role of Anne Frank. Jessica became Anne, embodied and honored her. Anne delighted the audience with her personality, and we sobbed as she and her family and others who lived with them were captured and led to the concentration camps where all but her father, died. This production was so tasteful and under the directorship of Joel Rosenwasser, was uniquely presented. The diary speaks for itself, reflecting the feelings of a young girl, finding herself, while in the midst of a chaotic world.
Timely? Beyond frightening. I couldn’t help but notice the symmetry in our worlds. If we ever do learn from history, it certainly isn’t happening right now. There were years when “antisemitism” was under the carpet. Today, it is out in the open for all of us to see, hear, feel. Need I say more?
