Dear IF readers,

There is much good response to our January and February issues. People are getting involved in the dialogue and that is the dream of IF Mag come true. Stories from every household and voices of every heart, so that in the end, we are very much the same, not very different at all.

I received a comment from February 5th’s blog, “Editor’s Note”

“Dear Cat,

I had also read the latest posting on the blog…. very thought provoking indeed.
I also pray that hopes never die and at the same time they all become reality very soon.Very timely and great mag. SP, India”

And Grandma Ellen has been getting feedback as well,

“Dear Ellen,

Thanks for a thoughtful global survey. My parents had the means to make their own arrangements. Their experiences caring for their own parents influenced their thinking and choices. My father wanted to stay in their home. He died before my mother, so she was able to manage hospice care in their home, This liberated her to follow her own inclination, to move to a retirement community, where she let go of thinking about the water in the basement and the snow on the street, the sidewalk, and her car. She died peacefully there several years later. Both of my parents were in generally good health until the last few months of their lives.

All of this worked especially well because my brothers, my sisters, and I lived nearby. We were available not only during their last illnesses, but also for fun, for family gatherings, for casual hanging out. My mother and I liked to visit museums together. My father was a passionate gardener.

I live in what seems to be a naturally occurring retirement community. Grocery, bookstore, post office, pharmacy, library, hardware store, restaurant, places of worship are all within a few blocks of my home. More amenities are a short drive away. My oldest neighbor died a year ago, at 94. His family made sure that he was where he wanted to be, as safe as possible, in as much control of his life as possible. Maintaining his home was a problem. They were determined that it would not fall down on his head, and he was determined that they would not intrude on his personal domain. It worked out, and this neighborhood, very connected, was able to help.

I could stay here. I could choose among several fine retirement communities, all of which unfortunately are in the suburbs. I’m a city person. If they would give me Georgia O’Keeffe’s home in Abiquiu, NM, I would go there cheerfully.

Baltimore, MD, USA”

And now to turn to our February issue and get some thoughts and dialogue going on youth. Has anyone experienced prejudice over a large family or a small family? Has anyone had trouble with their teens and drugs?? Has anyone experienced the frustration of the college process?

Write to us, tell us your thoughts. Gratefully, Cat Wayland

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