The Importance of Margie by Lisa Wysocky

When we were growing up on Long Island, my mother remained close with Aunt Marion. My memories as a child of Aunt Margie aren’t as clear, I’m assuming because the Lewis’s were all in California.

As an adult, talking with her was a joy. She showed me a bohemian spirit that I felt I had and had been told that I possessed. Where sometimes I felt disconnected with my own family, I did not with her.

When we were at Split Rock, the first organized reunion, they must have taken professional photos of all of us. They were laid out neatly on a table, and everyone was taking a look at them. At one point, it was just myself and Margie at the table, and she pointed to a photo of me and said…

“Look at you!!! YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!!! YOU LOOK LIKE A MOVIE STAR!!!”

I never thanked her, ever, for telling me that. So thank you Aunt Margie, for telling me that and creating words in my head that I never forgot. It’s almost a mantra in my head, her voice. Self esteem is a vicious villain, and to have a super hero like that in my head, well, I will forever be grateful.