May You Flourish

Dear Heidi,

Monday is my father’s birthday. If he were still on earth, he would be 95. It somehow seems fitting that Monday is also the day you begin at your new school. If you have any of my dad’s genes, I think they include his liberal outlook. I know he would really like who you are.

Dad was born into a Republican family, but switched parties. He used to smile on Election Day and talk about how he and his brothers would go to the polls and cancel their parents’ votes; but because there were three boys, the Democrats always claimed a victory in the Stocking household. Dad voted a straight party ticket, voting not for people but for a system of values. He made sure I had a working knowledge of US government from an early age—the branches of government and balance of power as well as both parties’ ideals and politics.

Dad would love the diversity of students at Crossroads School. He taught at Cooley High School in Detroit during the race riots. He would often tell of the day he was healed of lingering racial prejudice. A favorite student learned that he was a Christian Scientist and invited Dad to meet his grandfather, a Christian Science practitioner. When Dad met the gentleman, he was taken aback by the man’s deep black skin. Only then did Dad look at his lighter-skinned student and began to notice some of the boy’s African-American features. In their conversation, the man told Dad that, although he was a Christian Science practitioner, he wasn’t listed in our Journal’s directory of practitioners because he didn’t want the word “colored” to appear after his name. This boy and his grandfather forever changed how my dad looked at mankind. Dad’s special interest as a social studies teacher became black history. He collected quite a library of books to share with his students and colleagues. In our home, we celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday for years before it became a national holiday. King’s “I have a dream” is a sound bite permanently etched into my memory.

Dad would also like Crossroads’ efforts to be a green campus. When I was in elementary school in the 70’s, we used to walk a few blocks up the street to an alternative sources of energy store and help put labels on mailings. It was as much a headquarters for environmental activists as it was a shop. I laugh now to think of what an unlikely location it was—a busy street corner in the middle of Detroit. Yet there you could find electricity generated by the wind, feel toasty in a building heated by solar panels, and join pioneers as they sipped sun tea and discussed the latest issue of “Mother Earth News.” Dad would admire your desires and efforts to make a difference in the world.

I hope that while you are at Crossroads you will take many different electives. Dad’s brother Uncle Fred is a self-proclaimed dabbler. When he retired from being a college English teacher, he took up painting and playing the recorder. At the age of 84, his wife Carol gave her first vocal recital. I admire Stocking family members for not being afraid to try new things. Uncle Fred happens to be pretty good at his hobbies, but perfection isn’t a goal. His joy is in the process, the sheer joy of trying and doing. My dad’s favorite hobby was ham radio. He talked in Morse code to people all over the world. He built his own equipment, taught adult education classes to help people get ham radio licenses, and wrote articles on antenna design for “73 Magazine.” He and his friends talked over the radio waves in Morse code long before “chat rooms” became a household word. But Dad also loved gardening and playing the piano. At different times in his life, he dabbled in painting, model airplanes and photography. He built is own photo-processing equipment and a dark room in the basement. Occasionally as a child I got to help him carefully move photos from one developing tray to the next. I have happy memories of sharing in his projects.

I will think of my mom and dad as I drive you to and from Crossroads. Dad was born and raised in Detroit, but just before I entered 7th grade, he left his home and moved to Missouri for my education. He and Mom wanted me to go to school in an environment where they felt I could best flourish. For the same reason your dad and I look towards your next adventure with hearts filled with hope. We are excited about the opportunities you will have at Crossroads to learn, to meet new people, to give and to love.

Have fun on Monday! Take my Dad’s twinkle in your eyes to school; and maybe when you get home, we can celebrate in Dad’s favorite way. Ice cream anyone?

I love you,
Mom