if only

of the many conversations i wish i'd had with my sibs, two would have to be 1) with mim about the weeks she spent in san francisco in the late '60s, bunking with mike who lived there and 2) with kerry on her brief stint as a nurse in jasper, b.c.

i had a chance to get a taste of mim's experiences in san francisco ~ through her letters to mom (which i forwarded to mim without reading ~ what treasures) ~ but felt/feel they were confidential between the two of them. what an incredible time to be in my beloved city by the bay! but mim had a knack for being at the right place at the right time - in the mid-'60,she spent an entire summer in a summer theater workshop at greenwich village's famous circle in the square. what tales she must have to tell. i visited both, but she lived there. remarkable!

and i kick myself all over the place that i never heard kerry talk in depth about her months in jasper, british columbia. i can recall her saying that her first experience with racism was in b.c. - against the indians - but no memory of her talking about what it was like to live in the heart of the canadian rockies, on perhaps its most beautiful lake, from fall to early spring. the physical grandeur of the place - i had NO idea of its stunning glory.

if only...