Wedding Gift Madonna: 62 years ago
Like 42.5 million other Americans I traveled more than 50 miles “home” for Thanksgiving, and like so many, our gathering was in a different house than the one I grew up in. My mother sold the big family home and now lives comfortably in a sunny condo. Luckily, many of the artifacts from my childhood settled in as well as she has, including her collection of Madonnas.
Recently we were visited by a very sweet little one and her adoring parents. Between the four of us we rocked 
and walked, fed and dressed the delightful six-week old and did little else over the long weekend. The old African proverb made popular by Hillary Clinton, “It Takes a Village” certainly comes to mind when in the presence of a new being whose immediate needs are vital to her survival… Her demands are simple: Food. Warmth. Love.
When you imagine harbors do you think commerce, trade, travel, or the changing landscapes of our waterfronts? The elegant white sails of the Sydney Opera House or the sturdy fishing boats along the Boston seacoast might come to mind… Port cities provide a rich history, complete with dock workers, sea captains, and a rough and tumble crew that have navigated the mysterious deep waters for decades, bringing us to and from our destinations, delivering exotic goods, or facing whatever the currents demand.
My familiar harbor surrounds New York City, the East River drifting under the Brooklyn Bridge then gliding toward the Statue of Liberty and cruising along the Hudson River. Watching the lights pop all over the city with its 8+ million population is a magnificent sight… and on this night I witnessed all that and more…
Nine Cent Girl 