Yeah...that's one of the things I so admire about you all, the getting out and the huge amount of courage and self awareness to maybe accept how flawed it all was...and to even include your parents...I'm sure I would have hidden it from them, or tried to at least! But then, if I was so sure that it was the right way, maybe I would have felt obligated to include them???  And I'm also sure, that if my belief system was beaten down, I would have crumbled...could I possibly have been strong enough to start helping others the way you all do?  I don't know...

I'm always amazed at how such obviously intelligent and thoughtful people can be so so so fooled by crazy in power...watching Scientology stuff or worse, the FLDS and Kingston polygamous groups (from "Escaping Polygamy" also on A & E...isn't it funny how escaping cults has suddenly become mainstream entertainment?)...but then I realize...thanks to you...that intelligence and thoughtfulness have very little to do with it.  And what about the people who are born into it...how do they start to see?

My Dad's old premie girlfriend left Denver for San Fransisco, that's where she was when dad died, October 1981...if we should ever meet again, I'll ask her exactly where she was.  I love hearing where in the world you guys are...mind blowing how big this thing really is.  Last time I was in Denver, last year, the old DLM headquarters mansion on Race St. was just a sad sad sight.  The neighborhood is still alive, ever changing yet the same, and the house really stands out as the one that needs the most love.  It's very dark, obviously neglected for years, literally falling apart, roof caving in, once gorgeous trees way overgrown and sad.  The once pretty stone work is painted an awful dark grey blue and the window panes, an even worse dark salmon pink, the front porch is all fenced in with a black security fence.  Clearly someone started repairs once upon a time, but you get the distinct feeling that they ran out of money and it all came to a screeching halt.  It's all boarded and taped up, but even that stuff has been long neglected...I read that it had sold again the previous year...I'll have my friend who lives a few blocks away go check it out for me, see if anythings changed...I'll bet it was just beautiful in it's natural state, hope any new owners would do it justice.  I'll admit though, I liked seeing it that way...it was a direct reflection of the old days in comparison with the now days.  I'm honestly surprised that the City hasn't stepped in, and maybe they have, the rest of the block is well cared for...right in the middle of everything...even the old Shri Hans Publishing house right across the street is still pretty...looks like a one or two family home now.  It was weird for me to be there...I distinctly remember the Festivals that were on that very street 44 years ago...I look around at all the people bustling around, the even bigger stone mansion directly next door that looks like a castle that is a Bed and Breakfast now, the smaller mansion across the street that is a Unity Church, the sweet Victorian family home that is next door on the other side...could any of then possibly know what it was like all those years ago?  

Funnier still...as we settled into a new desert home this year, I came across a little box my mom's mom had kept...since 1951...of condolences, momentous, and funeral notes, for her husband.  She lost him to a car crash when my mom was not yet 2 years old.  She was in Denver, most of her family was in Missouri...the little box was FULL of letters.  I poured over them in one night...every single one.  They were beyond beautiful, gorgeous perfect handwriting, gorgeous perfect words...such a lost art.  Anyway, the funny part is...as I was putting the card away that was so obviously from her best friend, her address gave me pause.  It was the Victorian house that's right next door to the DLM mansion.  Wow...could she possibly foresee what will become of her neighborhood in 20 years?  The boy god who buys the house next door and ruins her best friend's baby girl's future husband?  Probably not.

Sorry for the rambling...you all have a way of opening my mind so far and it all comes pouring out.  Thanks for the trip, G