Orchid

I first entered Becky’s orbit in high school. Enrolled in a governor’s school that was much closer to their house, Becky and Paul had generously offered to let me board for extracurricular events. However, any image of me as a model student was lightly-seared when I walked into her garden and ate a whole chilipepper, despite being warned about the hellacious fire that awaited me. The path as a teenager is seldom the predictable successful one that we envisioned. Though all through high school I often felt like I was making it up as I went along, I am very grateful for the stability that having a ”second home” provided. Later in college, Becky and I met every year, when her track team was in town for an annual meet. I think we both looked back very fondly of these dinners at the Blue Talon, with warm, free-flowing discussion.

A laser-beam is ordinary light that has been repeatedly reflected against two internal lenses until the beam that comes out is high-intensity and narrowly-focused. Invariably, visits to Becky and Paul had a similar laser focus. Whatever the subject or event (music, wine, Thanksgiving dinner scheduled in 5-minute increments, any subject in the humanities or political science), you were confronted with the humbling reality that this person was more experienced than you. What came next, though, is what mattered: Becky would start you on the “lasing” path to your own improvement. She put me to work in the kitchen (generally something very basic like chopping vegetables). She helped me polish a tricky choir solo for the Mozart Coronation Mass. Even holiday gifts came with intent (turbo-javelins; books on singing Tenor; pans and thermometers to finally take up cooking…). Though these are unique experiences, I know that I am not the only person to receive such focused attention from Becky. Why did she do it? I think it never occurred to her that you might already have reached your apex. To me, Becky demonstrated that it was possible to have it all: smarts, empathy, success. And still embrace the burning curiosity of wanting to learn more.

Stephen

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