I was fourteen and in the car with my father when we heard on the news that through Roe v. Wade, abortion had become legalized. My father was a gruff, imposing man and I was usually too scared to talk to him, especially about anything "adult," but my understanding, somehow, of the importance of this washed away my fear, and I said, quite forcefully I remember, "That is such good news," and he said without hesitating, "Good for you, Pen; no one should tell a woman what to do with her body and it's about time this has been recognized. No one should take that away, and believe me, in your lifetime they'll try, and you have to be part of it, part of that fight, and stand up for that."
That one instance was the extent of my father's political and social advice to me in our life together, and I have always been grateful that this was what he chose to share.
