A Tale of Two Aunts-F

Growing up, I had one maternal and several paternal aunts. There was one paternal great aunt who did not have a permanent residence of her own. All the aunts lived within a 50 mile radius of us, but the great aunt roamed from town to town from one nephew and nieces to the other, year after year. I learned valuable lessons from both my great aunt Rena and one of my paternal aunts name Roberta. I was associated with them both for the first 13 years of my life, and I remember that Aunt Rena 'UNINTENTIONALLY' taught me great lessons about acceptance and approval, and the difference between the two. Aunt Roberta taught me, 'INTENTIONALLY', the meaning of 'letting go'*. In the truest sense of the word, I would describe my aunt Rena as 'a religious eccentric'. She was very indignant toward others for their failures and imperfections but virtually blind to her own shortcomings. The life-lessons she taught me were OPPOSITE of the life she projected. For example, she was not accepting nor approving of others, but she came from a family stock that was accepting of her. They did not approve of her religious and contradictory behavior, but they loved her and always made room for her whenever she showed up. Thus, from her predictable and selfish life-style, and from her family's acceptance of her, I learned the difference between 'acceptance and approval'. 121421PS * See, A Tale Of Two Aunts 2