I thought elephants danced in the car
as my aunt clasped me, age two with pneumonia
and mom drove to hospital – I screamed when they
left so the doctors forbade future visits.
I was alone with nurses and needles
for two long white weeks.
Pat left me tied, age five, to a phone pole.
She didn’t do it. Gerard and his buddies did
but my sister, my protector, walked away
left me bound ‘til dinnertime alone
next to the street, a kindergartener
in suspenders and red Keds.
In 9th grade, Sandi broke up with Tom.
He asked me out – the blond boy of my dreams!
Sandi coached me for a week on
dancing, clothes and French kissing.
Then, outside Grunnings, his friends laughed,
teased me – the date was a joke. Didn’t I get it?
Jamie had a sister – institutionalized.
I had no brother. We were siblings for each other.
I felt safer with him than anyplace I know.
He married young, grandson by 52. A mole grew.
Jamie, who could corral whole rooms with laughter,
called one afternoon to say he did not feel
like he was dying. But he did.
Glenn “with two n’s, like Glenn Miller”
had wave blue eyes I swam in.
Knew me better than I knew myself.
Is married now to someone else.
He called to make amends –
apologize for choices he knew better than.
Said he loves me still – he always will.
I saw the color fall from mom’s face.
“She’s going!” I said.
Pat and I grasped her hands.
“Our Father, who art in Heaven
Hallowed be Thy name.”
This is it. So gentle.
Then gone. Her final gift to us.
Death, fearless, light as air.
A WELL TRAVELED HEART 
This is lovely, Cynthia…memory-provoking, heartbreaking and hopeful, all at once.
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Thank you.
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So real; full of feeling and depth… just like you Cindy❤️
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You are so kind! Thank you, Kathy.
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Hi! I’ve been reading your site for a long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Humble Tx! Just wanted to say keep up the great job!
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This is a fantastic web site, would you be interested in doing an interview regarding how you created it? If so e-mail me!
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Ariel,
Lovely name. I would be happy to talk to you about how I created the site. I am delighted that you
enjoy it.
Cindy
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Augustine,
Thank you for the shout out. (I am just a grandmother, no one special.) I am delighted that you like my
website and it is wonderful to hear that someone is enjoying it. You might do me a favor and tell me if you like the new format. I recently changed it from the black, multi-image to a white single image presentation and I have no idea which is better. I would love your opinion.
All the best,
Cindy
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You are so kind.
Cindy
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