Hello, HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! I was going through my newspaper pile yesterday, in preparation for the arrival of the Recycling truck, and I came across last Sunday's "Parade" magazine from the "Boston Globe." It had an article written by author, speaker, poet - Dr. Maya ANGELOU, who most of us know had some "troubling times" (many of them) in her childhood and young-adult years. But the beginning of the article reminded me of one event which I had forgotten about: The article is entitled: "Let's Thank Those Who Came Before Us." And, it starts out: "While the carolers are tuning up their voices and last year's Christmas bells are being dusted off so that they can chime brightly, I realize there is no time like the holidays in which to give thanks. People live in direct relation to the heroes they have, keep, and admire. If a people have no one to respect or to hold in high regard, they will find little inside themselves to glory and to honor. In the 1930's, agreeing to disagree, my parents separated and divorced. My brother, Bailey, at 5 years old, and I, at 3, were sent from Los Angeles to a hamlet in Arkansas. We had no adult companion for the 2,000-mile journey, but we did have tags on our arms, which informed anyone interested in our destination that 'these children should be passed over to Mrs. Annie Henderson.' Thanks to the good offices of the Pullman car porters and dining car waiters, we actually arrived in Stamps, Ark. Mrs. Henderson was our paternal grandmother and the daughter of a former slave. She had the only black-owned store in the village and had completed only the fourth grade in school. With that rudimentary education, she taught herself arithmetic and some of the intracies of English. Thus, she spoke and understood a language far removed from the plantation dialect. She taught me and Bailey to value English. She said, 'Listen to how people talk and, more importantly, listen to yourself. You must speak so your neighbor can hear you, understand you, and maybe come to your defense in a time of trouble.' ....." I could make many comments, but I will leave you to make your own comments ! One, though, would be how "times have changed" and how "family laws" have changed -- in the last 100 years ! Actually, closer to 75 years ! Parents and/or caregivers - would have been charged with "child endangerment" (in the years we are in now) - if we had placed two children, Ages 5 and 3, on a train .. and sent them on a 2,000-mile journey - without an adult companion - or "an approved train employee" to watch over them ! (I believe you can do this on an airplane; I don't know about on a train.) And, wouldn't it be much more pleasant .. to have "all children" and "all teen-age people" - speaking so we could .. understand.. them ! :o) ENJOY your day ! Betty (near Lowell, MA, USA)