lerstand that sentiment. I humor them by 
of the experience. "The teacher made sure 
'ild after the left-wing secularists start 
" I will joke. "I was ok after the de-pro-

:nt amount of my experiences there were 
:her, was nothing like the Fallwellian bible 
;he was a graduate of Columbia Univer­
rer met), she was wickedly sharp, and she 
bout my criticisms of the religion. 

re in her beliefs, highly intelligent and 
e world's evils and confident that she was 
:hing that I was not. 

iding a darker self. She genuinely seemed 
~et through life without any of the usual 
o pep-pills. Whether that was a product of 
but the question seems invalid anyway. 
ecame a kind of template for ideal living. 
even if I thought that our fundamental di f­
rom getting there. 

i grandfather, are just a few of the people I 
:rtain questions. Earlier, I asked if everyone 
1ink I've learned that they do, but it's re­
:veryone has an equal ability to be. 

1bout it like we do. I see that the more we 
e give to thoughts of helplessness. On 
>wledge it, we often take it out on others. 
sually the ones we love. 

or because of, confusing semi-answers 
ink that I have become something resem-
1g (even if it's not in the way that Mrs. D 
·and grandfather were not). 

36 

I would like to think that happy and confident people look in the 
mirror every once and a while and say, "Everything is not ok. Ev­
erything will not get better." I would like to think that maturity has 
changed my mantra's meaning from that of fated doom, into some­
thing more realistic. 

To this day, I still think a lot of things are not ok, and probably never 
will be, but at least I can accept the fact that true happiness will 
always be a rarity for me. I've learned to appreciate the memory of 

brief sunshine, while I skillfully navigate life's darkened rooms. 

Talia Reed Window 

37