Admirable Women

 Linda's comment on yesterday's post got me thinking.  As I replied to her, I often think about the grown ups I admired as a kid.

Mrs. Kleiner, my 4th grade teacher, who was on her fourth career when we met.  She was a scientist.  She was engaging and funny and thoughtful and kind.  Mostly, I remember that I wanted to be her when I grew up.  

I wanted to be a person who did many things and who loved them all.  I wanted to learn something new every day.  I wanted to be happy in my work.  She was all of those things.  They felt right to me then and still do, today.  

There was Patty's mom, the Playground Lady.  That was her title.  For me, she was a sanctuary.  Kids were not nice to me sometimes.  There was no place to hide.  I'd have been happy in a corner with a book, but that wasn't an option.  A big piece of Grandma's Garden springs from that feeling.  No one will bother you if you want to sit and think, or draw, or read.  

And, like the Playground Lady, I'm always glad to see you, and I'm happy to have you talk to me as she made sure the girls stayed on the girls' side and the boys stayed on the boys' side (it was the 1950's) or now, as I keep the gardening tools from causing havoc.  

I wish I had told them all of that.  Linda's lucky that her Campfire Girl did.