Student loans

I remember when I decided I wanted to go to New York University. I applied early decision and had numerous other college applications sitting in a neat pile in my room; none of them were of any interest to me.

It was a Thursday sometime in November and I arrived home to an empty house and opened the mailbox to a large envelope. I walked down the long hill to my front door as the sun set in the distance. I remember thinking clearly how extremely cruel it would be for them to send a rejection letter in such a large envelope.

My heart was up in my throat as I tore through the packet roughly. While maybe I should have, I didn’t read anything but the “Congratulations” on the top of the first page before dropping the acceptance folder and leaping in the air.

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Mired in gas

My wife and I moved up here about fifteen years ago. We were attracted to this area because we had friends up here, it was a beautiful environment and the community was an interesting mix of people—some lifelong residents and some, like ourselves, part-time transplants. Since that time, and since retiring, I have become essentially a fulltime resident. I have gotten to know my neighbors quite well. I have more in common with some than with others, but we all respect each other’s individual rights. I believe that everyone owes something to the community they live in. Given my longstanding interest in the arts and the environment, I have been taking an active role in both the Delaware Valley Opera and the Delaware Highlands Conservancy.

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