Mickey was one of the first people my wife, Laura, told about my being selected as a PolarTREC teacher. Laura picks Mickey up most Sundays on her way to church. It's about a 20 minute drive with Mickey each way and you are always mesmerized by the topics of conversation. The day Laura told Mickey about my pending trip, Mickey came up to me, hugged me, and while holding my forearms and looking in my eyes told me how proud she was of me. She then asked me if she could go in my suitcase. I thought she was joking. For you students out there I hope being told by someone that they're proud of you is a daily occurrence, but for a 46 year old man, well, that does not happen very often. I'm the adult here that's what I say to others. (Reminder to self and others: DON'T FORGET TO TELL PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE PROUD OF THEM, WHEN YOU ARE.)
That afternoon I received a phone call from Mickey. She said, "I was just wanting to tell you how excited I am for this trip of yours. I can't think of anything more exciting than this. You are so perfect for this, and that family of yours must be so proud." There was the "P" word again. Even typing it right now it makes my heart swell. Mickey wanted to know the details, "Now, Laura told me in the car, but when do you go exactly?" I told her about the upcoming trip to Alaska and that I wouldn't be leaving for Antarctica until sometime in December. She exclaimed, "Well, that's just great. I've been to Alaska. It's just beautiful. You're going to love it. Well, I'll see you next week." Now that I think back, I believe she wanted to know if the dates would work out for her schedule. I believe she was planning to stowaway and didn't want to be double booked.
I picked up Mickey the next week and her excitement about the expedition was equal to mine. She had so many great questions; questions that propelled me into the experience. I had to know the answers. These were questions others would ask later. She was asking questions I hadn't even thought about. I couldn't wait even a week more. I began searching for answers. A week or so before training in Alaska Laura came home from taking Mickey home, and told me that Mickey would be going on her own "excursion". Cancer had returned and she would be in hospital while I was in Alaska.
While I was in Alaska Laura visited Mickey in the hospital. Mickey spent most of the visit asking about me and my trip. Laura emailed me this, and I told her where I had posters and pictures of Alaska. For the next trip to the hospital Laura became the living journal answering Mickey's questions, hearing her wonderful stories, and basking in her excitement.
A few days after I got home I loaded up my PolarTREC computer, new books from Alaska, baby mammoth molar and headed to Mickey's house for a show and tell. She knew I was coming and she was ready. We sat side by side on the sofa and talked about Alaska. She held the molar and marveled that she couldn't get her mind around the fact that this was 40,000 years old. Usually when you return from a fabulous trip your family is really interested, but your friends ask, "How was your trip?" expecting to get a one word answer like, "Great!" Not Mickey, she was ready to begin "our" preparations for Antarctica.
Mickey has told Laura that she has health decisions she needs to make. Decisions that no one ever wishes to make, yet her zeal for knowledge continues. Last night we went to dinner with her. It was such fun, but when the conversation at the far end of the table became too hard to hear Mickey and I would run off to Antarctica at our end. Last night she told me she was almost finished reading "those wonderful books," but she had had to slow down to give her eyes a rest. I bet she's finished by the end of the week. What she really was pondering was the mind's ability to comprehend. How do you get your mind around the fact that there is ice three miles thick? How do you understand the size of a piece of an ice shelf that is compared to the size of a state?
Mickey has a scientific mind. She wants to know, understand, and discover. Mickey is a teacher's dream pupil. She propels this teacher to keep one step ahead of her. She doesn't let me stray from the goal. She won't let other circumstances stand in the way of her learning.
Let me introduce you to my pupil, Mickey.
Gary or Mickey, whose the teacher? Whose the student?
I hope everyone reading this journal entry finds the thirst for knowledge that Mickey has. At 96 years old she continues to be a lifelong learner. Let's all learn with her.
Meanwhile I'm pretty sure Mickey won't fit in my suitcase, just in my heart!
Learning for a lifetime,
Gary