Bridges
A bridge. That’s how I often think of myself. Connecting people. Not letting anyone go. Never wanting anyone to feel left out. Not wanting to be left out myself. I think it started when I was a kid. I can picture my mother and some of my sisters sitting around the kitchen table in our house on Grayson Road. The same house my mother still lives in, but alone now with 4 spare bedrooms. 
They sat around that table talking, telling stories, laughing and likely drinking and smoking. It was the 70’s. My sisters and their friends were old enough to drink and my mother was more liberal then. Everybody smoked. There were more women in that house than I could count, but I loved it. Sometimes I wasn’t sure who of my sisters’ friends lived with us for a time and who was just visiting.
Today, nearly forty years later I’m still in touch with many of those girls, now women. I have to be careful on facebook not to compliment just one because then the others will chime in that I didn’t say anything about them. I should know better anyway, but sometimes something is so endearing, a smile, a comment, or a memory that I feel the need to reconnect with them and give a compliment. Not ever meaning to exclude the others.
Relationships are like flowers in my garden. Always precious and surprising in their splendor. I feel so grateful for the people that I’ve been lucky enough to have in my life. Each one gives me something different and touches me in ways that last through the years. Sometimes nourishment in times of a drought. Always comforting, even in just reliving memories from around the table.
Frank, What great memories your story brings back. I practically lived at your house and when Cippy would dissapear, she was usually at mine. We had some wonderful times back then. God Bless your mother and you for being able to put up with all of us. Love your whole family!!
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Thanks, Frank, for this reminder of how important our past connections are...and how we must remember to nourish them.
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I have alway's cherished you and even more as today I see your splendor even more keep going hope I did the security # right!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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ok let's see if this work's we'll you have alway's been my adorable brother for- anything you did was great- but your writing is so splendor!!!!!!!!!!! I love you keep going !!!!!!!!!1
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ok I'm trying again I have alway's adorded you!!!!!1 now keep writing an maybe this will get trough!!!!!!!!!! all my love -cip
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Your comment about complimenting one of your sisters on Facebook is hilarious! It reminds me of my family; I come from a family of five girls and one boy-me. I hear the same thing from all of them if I compliment one of them; girls are so funny. Sounds like we have a lot of the same credentials!
Take care,
Jack
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I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting.
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I like the way you write. I visited your blog for the first time and found much information I need. Keep posting!
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Frank,
I just heard the news, oh boy. Just like the Beatles song goes. I know that we should never fear change and we must learn to adapt to it and embrace it. I a miffed by the news, but I hope that it works out well for everyone. As they say when one door closes another one opens.
I simply wanted to leave you this comment, even though I am 10,000 miles away to let you know that someone IS thinking about you and wondering about you, your family, and the everyone's future.
You were always a hard worker. As the German saying goes, "hard work will set you free" so you must be free as a bird. I also know that the biggest problem in the world today is communication and understanding one another. I have a quote that I favor that seems appropriate here perhaps. "If we do not learn to live together as brothers, than we shall surely die alone as fools".
I sincerely wish you well. And I hope that someday soon our paths will cross once again and we will reminisce about the times we shared together.
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