My mother was a first-grade teacher, and I went to the same school. I remember all the times when school was out, but the teachers still had to be there, and I would explore all the different parts of the school where kids were not normally allowed to go. My favorite place was the basement book room, where all the books not currently in use were kept. The boiler was not far away, and it was always dry, warm and cozy. I loved the smell of all those books, and spent hours in my “private” library. Another great memory is of wanting to be an animal. At about the age of three, I wanted a tail sooooo badly, that eventually my mom attached a long piece of elastic to the back of my pants with a safety pin, which was moved to whatever I wore. I am still enamored of animals and nature. I currently work for an organization that arranges peaceful, at-home euthanasia for pets. It can be heartbreaking, but it so fulfilling and gives meaning to my day. I am grateful to be able to help relieve suffering of both animals and their people.

Hey, Howie, thank you for pointing out something I’ve never considered before: ” … inanimate objects (like overpasses and sidewalks). All means of support.” What a great concept to add to the long list of connected support that each of us has on a continuous basis, without really recognizing it. “Support” doesn’t have to be so narrowly interpreted to mean “people” in our immediate circles, nor limited to the thousands (millions?) who grow our food, build our houses, maintain our electrical grids, treat our water, and keep the world humming. Cheers!