All Good Gifts ~ Conclusion by Judith Cullen
© 2015
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| Image: Public Domain |
Some students only wrote to their pen pals for the rest of
the school year, letting the delights and America and Anna in Germany , continued to write for the
next several years. They shared stories
of their studies, their families. Anna
had just her mother, having lost her father and a brother in the war. They talked about the news of the day and
what was popular.
attractions of the summer months
cushion their enthusiasm for overseas correspondence. The two girls, Ann in
Ann began to understand what the teacher had meant by
learning about other cultures and different ways. Most of the time the two girls shared their
thoughts easily. But sometimes her
friend would share thoughts or opinions that she didn't agree with. One time Anna had written about a well known
American actress who had done a film in Europe
with a famous European Director, and was now carrying his child out of
wedlock. She thought it was fantastic
that they had gotten together. Born in
the much less cosmopolitan Midwest , Ann did
not share this enthusiasm. At first it
bothered her that her friend did not see this situation as she herself saw
it. In the end she decided to let it go,
and did not comment on it in her reply.
In short order their correspondence moved on to other stories and other
details and the point of disagreement faded.
It was her first lesson in accepting other people for who they were, and
not who she would have them be.
