I am awed at the depth of discussion. You are all so wise and wonderful. All of us have experienced joy and sorrow. There is so much to respond to that I don't know where to start. Here is the last thing I wrote about my sister Heather; I think this applies to all of our hearts: ****“Love is never lost. Heather was here long enough to teach the lesson of unconditional love. The exchange of love experienced with her will never leave your heart.”****I forgot something else: when I thought I was pregnant at 38, I thought it was a now or never decision. After finding out that I was not, I had to go through a series of gynecological procedures. It was determined that I had had endometriosis festering for years. Furthermore, if I were to get pregnant, the chances of carrying to term were not very good. How painful would that be? I was glad to have this knowledge. Humlan, your comment about someone caring to call, daring to converse, is not way off. I think it is better to make an effort to care and console than to avoid and deny another's pain. Anne, I had the same fears as you in regards to the Cuban Missle Crisis, and our "duck and cover" excersises. My goodness, what what we learning? Indeed that there may be no future. Dotsie, Lola, Mountain, Di, and all of you, I am tearful and grateful that we are talking about this. L, PL