Stella

There is a wonderful old movie, called Stella Dallas. Stella raised her daughter by herself. When it came time for daughter to marry a rich young man from a cultured family, Stella stood outside in the snow, watching her daughter get married. Stella acted sorta like a floozy and didn't want to embarrass her daughter or spoil things for her. My mother and I watched it together. I will never forget thinking how painful it was for Stella and yet understanding, she wanted her daughter to have what Stella herself had never had. I felt uneasy with that and even though my mother got on my nerves and sometimes embarrassed me, I could not let her stand outside in the snow and peek in the windows. She came to our parties and my friends were glad to see her. They loved my Dad. He was a great mixer. She wasn't but I didn't leave her outside.