I've never really talked about this. My big brother and I were running errands in Princeton NJ, where we both lived at the time, when the headline hit the radio news.

No names were mentioned. Only that it was a prominent LA eye surgeon and his family. This much we knew about the family of our baby sister's lover. We raced home and figured it out.

He was an amazing man----open-hearted and giving--donating his time to many causes that improved the eyesight of those unable to afford healthcare---all over the world.

The psychotic individual killed dad with his own gun and then lined the rest of the family up on the edge of their pool and executed them. That's dad, mom and two brothers. Two sisters were away at boarding schools. This was in the days of Charlie Manson....

My niece's middle name honors my sister's lover who was the one who eventually (after many unsuccessful attempts) committed suicide....

Days like the last few bring up "old tapes" that haven't been rerun in one's head for a long time......

Blessings.....Judith in Portland