What a tremendous outpouring of support and kindness has flowed my way since I shared the transcript of my "elephants" talk. I could not have asked for a better salve for old wounds or a better inspiration for future work, however long a span that word "future" names for me. (All remains terribly precarious, but I am doing almost bizarrely well for this moment. I have lost my poor hair for the third time in a year, but am now sporting a shock of "Zippy the Pinhead" hair colored deep purple for the delight of my niece Maya. The baldness is startling, and the steroids give me that JFK "cushoid" swelling of the face, but you would not think to look at me that I was in any danger of keeling over suddenly. There it is, though. Surreal.)
To all of you who listened as I hoped you would, with a generous faith in my intention toward good (which is not the same thing, of course, as forgetting to salt with a very free hand what I'm saying), thank you. To all of you who primed my waterworks afresh with unlooked-for but ever so thirstily received words of encouragement, humor, and "simple" empathy, thank you. Big thanks in particular to Jane Killion, Leslie McDevitt, Deena Morando, Jaak Panksepp, and Ken Ramirez for the great warmth of your responses and the strong personal gratification I feel in having connected with you so richly and I hope not too briefly.
Bouquets to you all!
Forza!
Gretchen
