Diane

Diane is seven years older than I am so she hung out with the older hippy friends and family, while I was mostly with younger friends. That said, growing up I have distinct memories of Diane.

Diane was a good daughter to Mom and Dad. I daresay that she was the most normal sibling who was a great helper at home. While Mom and Dad both worked, Diane did a lot of the cooking and cleaning for the family. 

I used to say that my parents wanted to create the perfect “Leave it to Beaver Family”, but the ended up with the Adams Family. Well, Diane was the exception and probably would have done well in a “Leave it to Beaver Family”. I do think a lot was expected of her around the house and at the church. I thought maybe it was because Mom had the traditional role of the woman in mind when raising Diane, but that didn't make sense as Mom was a teacher and later a principal.

Anyways Diane was always nice to me, except when I got into my brat years from age 12-15. 

I know Diane went through some tough times in high school during the Detroit riot days. One of her white friends had her hair cut off by black kids at school. Still, Diane had no resentment towards the blacks as many of her friends were black.

Diane idolized her big brother, Robert. Robert was always pushing the envelope of what was acceptable to Mom and Dad, but he was also very loving and considerate. Diane hung out with Robert and the other hippies and I think it gave her a release from having to be the obedient child. Robert and Diane made good siblings. I think Robert's murder at age 24, affected Diane as much as anyone. Not to minimalize the loss of my parents for losing their firstborn, but Diane and Robert had a special relationship and they socialized with the same young people. I think she could write a book about all the crazy things the group did together.

I was closest to Diane the summer that she was the head cook at the Faith Wing Camp. For some reason, they let me be the assistant cook at the young age of eleven. I loved to cook and Diane was so organized in the planning of the meals, all I had to do was cook or bake whatever was required of me, Diane took care of the rest. I know that Diane enjoyed that summer with her brother, Robert, as the camp director and her hippy friends as the counselors. For me, that summer changed my life. There was so much love amongst the young staff and the campers that it redirected my life goals from planning for a selfish and money oriented future. The conversations, the comradery, and the music helped me see the world in a more compassionate light. I would never be the same.

Diane eventually married one of the gang, John Sloan. They were the perfect couple. I'll admit that I pulled John away from her when I could to play catch with me. She didn't seem to mind, even when I would get annoying. John was much more accessible to me as a big brother than Robert because Robert was always involved in things outside of the house and he moved out when I was young.

One of the things that Diane knew was that she wanted something better for her children and would not be bringing them up in the ghetto, where we grew up. I didn't understand it until much later when I had children and felt the same way.

Diane went to college at Saginaw State University followed by a career of service as a school counselor. 

Although our age difference, Diane was one of the people who influenced me, even when I didn't realize it.

I'm so glad we've grown closer over the years. It has been a rich relationship!