Re: e-mail tutoring

[tjohnso8@wvu.edu]

Bobbie:
Your post moved me in similar ways.  My mother, who was my best friend,
mentor, confidant, guidance counselor, and all else that mothers are, passed
away in August '94.  By the way, her name was Kathryn.  In September of that
year, a dear friend passed of AIDS-related causes; in October, my
brother-in-law of a heart attack.  I took a medical leave in November '94 to
sort out my world.  During that sorting-time, I tried to remember how my mom
influenced me.  I most remember my mother's love of language -- reading,
puns, music.  She never had a chance to go to college, but she was one of
the most worldly people I ever knew. She gave me a gift in her love of
language. I remember how devastated I was when she no longer had the
strength to talk on the phone anymore and how I drove at dangerous speeds to
be by her side.  After I left home at the worldly age of 18, I talked to Mom
every week for almost twenty years -- and then, all that talk ceased. I
never realized the importance of talk, and of language, in my day-to-day
functioning until that time.

Bobbie, thank you for making me think again.  It's painful, but it's also
rejuvenating.  

At 02:27 PM 3/8/97 -0600, Anne Mullin wrote:
>Bobbie -- thank you for the wonderful post about Aunt Kathryn and
>"letting our words be our eyes and ears and all our senses " -- much
>to think about, and I sure need to "think" after a very hectic week
>that was all run, run, run and tend to details.  How we do take life
>from and give life to words -- your words give us all so much!
>
Tracey J. Johnson
tjohnso8@wvu.edu