You Never Know

I was really happy to meet Isabel Raether. She’s a lively, active and alert 80-year-old in Columbus, Wisconsin. Just a fine person. Lifelong nurse.

She went to high school with my father, Jack. They continued good buddies and he wrote her often from his travels to Germany as an enlisted soldier (1946 or so). So she shared some pictures of my dad as a teenager and early 20-something. Cool. We also went by the two places they lived in Columbus. It was precious to have her show us around.

Isabel also went to nursing school at Madison General Hospital with my Mom, Jean. Three years of school and then they and two others rented a place in Chicago while interning at various hospitals. Great to see pictures of my carefree, single Mom belting out show tunes with Isabel.

So, of course, Isabel introduced Jean to Jack. Without Isabel, my little corner of existence would be … well I don’t know. I’m just happy things worked out just this way. And grateful to have spent a little time with Isabel, to have gotten a bit more family history and to have made a small connection. After all, those small connections can turn out to be important.