During my preschool years, I spent a great deal of time with my maternal grandparents. My grandfather, who had a fondness for trains, put together a detailed model railroad in one of their spare rooms. In addition, he would walk me down to the corner each day to watch freight trains cross a bridge, several blocks away.
To this day, I appreciate that kindness as well as his interest in the wildlife on his property, which, over time, spawned my naturalist philosophy and commitment to conservation
Seventy years later, the sound of a distant freight train, especially during the night, has a soothing effect on me. It takes me back to that period of innocence, when the toll of loss, sorrow and death had not yet been experienced.
See: Soul Mate
