Editor's NoteThe Family in the VanTHE180-MILEDRIVEfromhometotheUniversityofMichiganwasthemost difficult journey of my life.I remember our Chevy van stuffedwith pillows, comforters, and bags of hairproducts from BernieN.Shulman's.AndI can stillfeel theknot of despair (leaving theboyfriend!)and doubt (couldI cut itacademically?)thattwisted in my stomach.Wewere quiet as my dad drove along I-80, stealing tentative smiles in therearviewmirror whileMomunderlined interesting classes formetoconsiderin the well-thumbed course guide.I think ofthevanspulling outofdrivewaysthis August,and I knowthe pride, hope, and even uncertainty that fill them.Inhis essay"Unprepared,Rob Lowedrawsabeautifulpicture ofhisfamily as theypack and take theirolder sontoschool.Ilovethispiecebecause the Lowesplanetriptook me back to my own anguished van ride, and I couldappreciatethe differentwaysmyparents treated thetransition.Momsentmeoffwithaheartyhug and a huge smile, certain Ihad allthe traits and toiletries I needed. Dadmisted up, then mailed me a letter everyotherdaythatfirstsemester.I didn'tknowitwhenmyfamily'svanpulledawayfromSouthQuadandleftmetothenextchapter ofmylife,butthanks toeverythingthey'd done in raisingme and gettingme to thisRmilestone, Iwas indeed prepared.Iinvite you to e-mail me atliz@rd.comandfollowmeatfacebook.com/lizvaccarielloand lizvaccariello on Instagram.09-2015rd.com
4 | 09•2015 | rd.com THE 180-MILE DRIVE from home to the University of Michigan was the most difficult journey of my life. I remember our Chevy van stuffed with pillows, comforters, and bags of hair products from Bernie Shulman’s. And I can still feel the knot of despair (leaving the boyfriend!) and doubt (could I cut it academically?) that twisted in my stomach. We were quiet as my dad drove along I-80, stealing tentative smiles in the rearview mirror while Mom underlined interesting classes for me to consider in the well-thumbed course guide. I think of the vans pulling out of driveways this August, and I know the pride, hope, and even uncertainty that fill them. In his essay “Unprepared,” Rob Lowe draws a beautiful picture of his family as they pack and take their older son to school. I love this piece because the Lowes’ plane trip took me back to my own anguished van ride, and I could appreciate the different ways my parents treated the transition. Mom sent me off with a hearty hug and a huge smile, certain I had all the traits and toiletries I needed. Dad misted up, then mailed me a letter every other day that first semester. I didn’t know it when my family’s van pulled away from South Quad and left me to the next chapter of my life, but thanks to everything they’d done in raising me and getting me to this milestone, I was indeed prepared. Editor’s Note The Family in the Van I invite you to e-mail me at liz@rd.com and follow me at facebook.com/lizvaccariello and lizvaccariello on Instagram. PHOTOGRAPH BY STEVE VACCARIELLO; WARDROBE STYLIST: ELYSHA LENKIN; HAIR AND MAKEUP: AMY KLEWITZ FOR PRO-STYLE-CREW; JEWELRY: WIMBERLY INC
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LettersCOMMENTSONTHEJUNEISSUE50SecretsFoodReader'sManufacturers Won'tTell YoudigestWhilewemayspendarelatively50SECRETSsmallportionofourdisposableFoodincomeonfood,wepaydearlyManutacturersWon'tTell Youinotherways.Iwouldnotmindpayingalittlemoreatthegrocerystore inexchangeforfederalpoli-ciesthatensured healthierpeople,ecosystems,andcommunities.JANICEF.DYER,Madison,AlabameToo muchinformation!TERRI L.HORNE,Shallotte,North CarolindWhen I wasgrowing up,wehad foodEDITOR'SNOTE:Accordingtothegrowersandfoodpreparers; nowhereUSDA'sNationalNutrientDatabasedo Irecall the phrasefoodmanufac-forStandardReference,Atlanticturer.We would all be healthier iffarmed salmon has 1,800mgmorefood waspurchased directlyofomega-3fattyacids perthreefromgrowers andprepared athome.ouncecookedportionversus1,700mgforwildkingsalmonRICHARDPOTENSKI,Woodland,Washington900 mg for wild coho salmon, andWhat informationdoyouhaveto sup800 mgfor wild sockeye salmon.port number 48,which saysfarmedNotWithout MyNeighborsfish have more omega-3s than wildsalmon? We make a livingbyfishingThis is what is missing in our coun-wild salmon,which wefirmlybelievetry!Community and the willingnessis healthier than farmed salmon.to help a neighbor who is in a badSituation.ANNEHUSTED,Paris,KentuckyNANCY E. JONES, Kodiak, Alaska609-2015rd.com
6 | 09•2015 | rd.com When I was growing up, we had food growers and food preparers; nowhere do I recall the phrase food manufacturer. We would all be healthier if more food was purchased directly from growers and prepared at home. RICHARD POTENSKI, Woodland, Washington What information do you have to support number 48, which says farmed fish have more omega-3s than wild salmon? We make a living by fishing wild salmon, which we firmly believe is healthier than farmed salmon. NANCY E. JONES, Kodiak, Alaska EDITOR’S NOTE: According to the USDA’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Atlantic farmed salmon has 1,800 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per threeounce cooked portion versus 1,700 mg for wild king salmon, 900 mg for wild coho salmon, and 800 mg for wild sockeye salmon. Not Without My Neighbors This is what is missing in our country! Community and the willingness to help a neighbor who is in a bad situation. ANNE HUSTED, Paris, Kentucky Letters COMMENTS ON THE JUNE ISSUE 50 Secrets Food Manufacturers Won’t Tell You While we may spend a relatively small portion of our disposable income on food, we pay dearly in other ways. I would not mind paying a little more at the grocery store in exchange for federal policies that ensured healthier people, ecosystems, and communities. JANICE F. DYER, Ma d i s o n , A l a b a m a Too much information! TERRI L. HORNE, Shallotte, North Carolina
TheWorld Is NotBig Shoes to FillFalling ApartTheresa Arnold's 100-word trueThe world may not be falling apart be-story brought tears to my eyes. Mycauseofwar, but it is being consumeddadalways worecowboybootsandand covered ingarbageby sevenput many miles on them. When hebillion inhabitants.passed away,I took those old, wornA. H, via e-mailboots and put them on his grave,"Bee stings and other accidentswhere they remain to this day.kill more Americans than terroristsCONNIE SUKUP, Wayne, Nebraskado."Bees don't hijack aircraft andA SimpleThank-Youfly them into buildings. Trafficaccidents don't cut the heads offAs I sit on a school bus and wait for ainnocents.Nonetheless,wepreparesoftball gameto end, I spend mytimetomitigatebee stings; we spendreading Reader'sDigest.Ienjoy themillionsmaking cars safer.Thesewords of wisdom and the laughter.are unavoidablerisks of life in thisI wasa substitutebusdriver onacountry.Unlesswe'rereadytoacceptroute a few years ago.As the elemendeathbyterrorismasanunavoidabletary schoolers boarded, each tookarisk of life, it should receive thestepbackto lookatthebus numbersame attention to avoidance andagain.All had the same question inpublic safety as bee stings and traffictheir minds:"Does he know whereaccidents.I live?"Iwas nearing the end of myDAVIDCOX,Palmer,Alaskarun and had one kindergartner left.It's refreshing to read an expertI stopped outside his house andopinion that presents a morepositiveopened the doors.BeforeI could say,"Wait for my signal,'he put a dimespin on this topic.B.F, via e-mailin my hand and said,"Thank you forYour Winning Poemsgetting me home."We weren't lostNowIknow that picking four outor late; he was just thankful. Thatof all the entries was a task,/dime sits next tomy watch to remindBut couldn't one of the winners haveme how important my job is. Here'shad some rhyming? I'd like to ask.a dime, RD; thank you for listening.RAY SPECK, Glendale, ArizonaTOM BARTZ,Alexander, New YorkSend letters to letters@rd.com or Letters, Reader's Digest, PO Box 6100, Harlan, lowa 51593-1600.include your fullnameaddress,e-mail and daytime phone number, We may edit letters and use them in all print and electronic media. Contribute Sendusyour1OO-wordtruestories,jokes,andfunny quotes,and ifwepublishoneinaprint edition ofReader'sDigest,well payyosioo.Tosubmitvourioo-wordstories.visitrd.com/storiesTosubmithumoritems.visitrd.com/submitorwntetousatJokeBox 6226, Harlan, lowa 51593-1726. Please include your full name and address in your entry We regret that we cannot acknowi-edge or retum unsolicited work.Do Business Subscriptions,renewals,gits,address changes,payments,account infomationandinguiries:Visitrd.com/help,call877-732-4438,orwritetousatReader'sDigest,POBox6095,Harlan,lowa51593-159509-20157rd.com1
rd.com | 09•2015 | 7 The World Is Not Falling Apart The world may not be falling apart because of war, but it is being consumed and covered in garbage by seven billion inhabitants. A. H., via e-mail “Bee stings and other accidents kill more Americans than terrorists do.” Bees don’t hijack aircraft and fly them into buildings. Traffic accidents don’t cut the heads off innocents. Nonetheless, we prepare to mitigate bee stings; we spend millions making cars safer. These are unavoidable risks of life in this country. Unless we’re ready to accept death by terrorism as an unavoidable risk of life, it should receive the same attention to avoidance and public safety as bee stings and traffic accidents. DAVID COX, Palmer, Alaska It’s refreshing to read an expert opinion that presents a more positive spin on this topic. B. F., via e-mail Your Winning Poems Now I know that picking four out of all the entries was a task,/ But couldn’t one of the winners have had some rhyming? I’d like to ask. RAY SPECK, Glendale, Arizona Big Shoes to Fill Theresa Arnold’s 100-word true story brought tears to my eyes. My dad always wore cowboy boots and put many miles on them. When he passed away, I took those old, worn boots and put them on his grave, where they remain to this day. CONNIE SUKUP, Wayne, Nebraska A Simple Thank-You As I sit on a school bus and wait for a softball game to end, I spend my time reading Reader’s Digest. I enjoy the words of wisdom and the laughter. I was a substitute bus driver on a route a few years ago. As the elementary schoolers boarded, each took a step back to look at the bus number again. All had the same question in their minds: “Does he know where I live?” I was nearing the end of my run and had one kindergartner left. I stopped outside his house and opened the doors. Before I could say, “Wait for my signal,” he put a dime in my hand and said, “Thank you for getting me home.” We weren’t lost or late; he was just thankful. That dime sits next to my watch to remind me how important my job is. Here’s a dime, RD; thank you for listening. TOM BARTZ, Alexander, New York Send letters to letters@rd.com or Letters, Reader’s Digest, PO Box 6100, Harlan, Iowa 51593-1600. Include your full name, address, e-mail, and daytime phone number. We may edit letters and use them in all print and electronic media. Contribute Send us your 100-word true stories, jokes, and funny quotes, and if we publish one in a print edition of Reader’s Digest, we’ll pay you $100. To submit your 100-word stories, visit rd.com/stories. To submit humor items, visit rd.com/submit, or write to us at Jokes, Box 6226, Harlan, Iowa 51593-1726. Please include your full name and address in your entry. We regret that we cannot acknowledge or return unsolicited work. Do Business Subscriptions, renewals, gifts, address changes, payments, account information, and inquiries: Visit rd.com/help, call 877-732-4438, or write to us at Reader’s Digest, PO Box 6095, Harlan, Iowa 51593-1595
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