The Graduate

This is my fantastic niece, Lauren. She just graduated from the 8th grade!

Smart, thoughtful, funny, compassionate, she's one of my favorite people in the world. Last summer she spent six weeks with us, helping me take care of Rudy when I was pregnant. We had so much fun! We cooked together and ate together and wrote poems together and snuggled on the couch a lot. We watched some very sappy movies ("Stay gold, Pony Boy.") and some very gross scary ones that I am still having nightmares about. (thanks a ton, you guys.) I can't wait for her to come back again this summer. (but I'm picking the movies this year.)

Lauren likes music and poetry and is not afraid to speak up for what she believes is right. She has a depth of empathy that is, frankly, astonishing to find in a fourteen-year-old. She's a staunch advocate for the underdog and is, as Paul says, someone who creates (as opposed to depletes) emotional space--an easy peasy house guest and companion. A pleasure. What a treat it was to get to spend that much time with her. The longest since she was a baby and we all lived in Connecticut still.

Well she's not a baby anymore. She's a lovely young woman, my "Niece-Most-Wonderful" and I am her enormously proud, admiring, in-awe-of-her aunt.

Congratulations, Lauren! We all love you so much!