Gone 4 years today.
I miss my mother’s beautiful soul. Her eagerness to laugh at any joke.
I miss the way she moved with such grace, her joy when dancing, her goodness and kindness, her absolute acceptance of every living being–exactly as they were.
I’m sharing a powerful article by Melissa Fay Greene (author of No Biking in the House Without a Helmet and There is No Me Without You) that follows up with adults who grew up in the Romanian orphanage system. The article’s title is descriptive: “Thirty years ago, Romanian Orphanages Deprived Thousands of Babies of Human Contact. Here’s what’s become of them.”
The essay discusses a subject many in our community know first-hand. That early deprivation and neglect can damage babies and children, and the effects are felt over a person’s lifetime.
A quick summary: Izidor Ruckel had been abandoned as an infant and grew up in a Romanian orphanage. At 11, he was adopted by Marlys and Danny in San Diego. From the article: “Marlys and Danny had hoped to expand the family fun and happiness by bringing in another child. But the newest family member almost never laughed. He didn’t like to be touched. He was vigilant, hurt, proud. ‘By about 14, he was angry about everything,’ [said Marlys].”
Previous articles have been written Romanian orphanages, attachment theory, and the young man Izidor. This one stands out because it provides context and backstory to outcomes that result from unrelentingly harsh treatment of a most vulnerable population.
Link to Izidor Ruckel’s website here.
After a Romanian orphanage Read More »
I’m sharing a powerful article in the Atlantic by Melissa Fay Greene (author of No Bike Riding in the House without a Helmet and There is No Me Without You) that follows up with adults who grew up in the Romanian orphanage system. The article’s title is “Thirty years ago, Romanian Orphanages Deprived Thousands of Babies of Human Contact. Here’s what’s become of them.”
The essay discusses a subject many in our community know first-hand. That early deprivation and neglect can damage babies and children, and the effects are felt over a person’s lifetime.
A quick summary: Izidor Ruckel had been abandoned as an infant and grew up in a Romanian orphanage. At 11, he was adopted by Marlys and Danny in San Diego. From the article: “Marlys and Danny had hoped to expand the family fun and happiness by bringing in another child. But the newest family member almost never laughed. He didn’t like to be touched. He was vigilant, hurt, proud. ‘By about 14, he was angry about everything,’ [said Marlys].”
Previous articles have been written Romanian orphanages, attachment theory, and the young man Izidor Ruckel. This one stands out because it provides context and backstory to outcomes that result from unrelentingly harsh treatment of a most vulnerable population.
After a Romanian orphanage Read More »
We have a new voter in the house! 18-year-old Olivia is officially registered. Hopefully, this election will be the first of many when she exercises her right and privilege as an American citizen.
That right is never to be taken for granted. I’m sharing here a powerful, moving 20-minute documentary about the fight for the vote in Alabama. The first frame reads: “The people in this film fought segregation firsthand. Most were teenagers.”
In 1961, about 15,000 Black Americans lived in Dallas County, Alabama. And only 130 had been able to register to vote. The documentary features interviews with adults who were teens in 1961, when they and others mobilized to protest the system. Their brave, collective actions culminated in the historic Selma to Montgomery marches and eventual passage of the Voting Rights Act.
Sentences from the video I love: “We spoke up. We spoke out.” And “You don’t have to be extraordinary to change the world.”
Our first week of distance learning was a success. I’m proud of my HS sophomore and senior–(sophomore! senior!!! what?!?)–for their good attitudes and adaptability. (Not sure I would do so well, actually.) No first day of school pix this year–they’re 18 and 15, enough said. But I found this gem from 12 years ago. xoxo
