Susan Nelson

is honored with a Brick from Antonya Nelson.

When I misbehaved as a child, my mother used to pose an irritating philosophical question before punishing me. She would ask what I thought the world would be like if everyone did what I had just done? Litter, lie, steal, plagiarize: the question remained the same. What if everyone were like me?

Sometimes, you'd rather be spanked.

In her honor, I'd like to propose a corollary. What if everyone were like her? That is, believed in personal responsibility? Had faith in peace? Took children seriously? Valued education? Felt hope rather than cynicism or despair or contempt when confronted with a roomful of the ill-prepared? Loved animals? Put her money where her mouth was? Voted? Maintained high expectations? Questioned authority? Honored history? Wrote thank you notes? Read poetry? Bought hardbacks? Kept in touch with the family's black sheep? Remembered birthdays? Made art? Tolerated slapstick? Threw parties? Cleaned up after herself? Tended the feverish? Told stories? Repaired, rather than replaced? Forgave, instead of forsaking?

When I was a child, her message to me was this: an individual makes all the difference. I think it's safe to say, she's living testimony.

Submitted by Antonya Nelson

July 28, 1998 (for Susan Nelson)