Summer's Last Year In Europe

When I Was A Kid...
I remember when I was in middle school hearing my English teacher talk about this quote, "Time waits for no man." Over thirty years later, I still think about what that means.Summer Jacobson - graduate, Mannheim High School - Mannheim, Germany The older I get, the more often that quote comes to my mind.

It's never been more true in my life than now. I can't believe that our daughter, Summer, will be going off to college in nine months! Where did the time go? I want to say, "Wait, wait, slow down! Let me enjoy this time and be present to everything that it has to offer!" But that quote creeps back in and reminds me that once it's gone, it's gone.

We are very proud of Summer. She's been the most wonderful child and will be an asset to world as an adult. She's smart, beautiful and extremely talented. As parents, Jean and I couldn't be more happy. We've been blessed!

What School?
She's chosen to attend my alma mater, Weber State University. I say that she's "chosen" this university loosely. It's the one we've been paying taxes to for years - so we get a break financially for tuition. However, Summer scored high enough on her tests that it looks like she's got a full ride - tuition, books, dorm, etc. for the entire four years! How wonderful is that? So the college fund we've set aside, and continue to contribute to, will now be hers to live on for the four years, allowing her to focus completely on her studies - no part time or full time job to distract her! Exactly what we wanted for her. On top of all of that, she has family there - that's very important to us, too.

Summer Jacobson What is she going to study?
Right now, she's planning on doing a bachelor of integrated studies degree (B.I.S.). This allows her to pick three majors to study - she's selected: English (Writing), Photography, and Psychology. I think these are excellent choices. She's a wonderful writer, a creative photographer and has infinite curiosity about human behavior and the twisted human mind. She'll do well in all of these areas.

These nine months will go by fast. I'll do my best to remember to enjoy every moment - remember, time waits for no man!

We love you Summer!!! Also, when we "Tweet" you, remember to reply as quickly as possible, we worry!

Summer Sings National Anthems

Summer was asked to sing at the Mannheim High School graduation ceremony Saturday (June 7, 2008).

She did a wonderful job! She sang both the German National Anthem (without the "Deutschland Uber Alles" part) and the American National Anthem.

Here's a video (not such a great video, it was shot from my still camera - but you get the point) - a big crowd and Summer was on the GIANT screen - great job Sweetie! We love you!!!

Kristallnacht Lecture: Mannheim High School

On Monday, April 28, I was invited (by Summer's teacher) to be a guest speaker in two honor history classes. Summer had told her about my project. I was happy to oblige. If you know me, you know that I rarely turn down an opportunity to have people listen to what I say and look at what I make. Needless to say, I accepted.

The classes, one with about 10 students and the other with about 18, just started reading Elie Wiesel’s, “Night”.  This is a powerful and disturbing account of the Wiesel family’s torture and suffering in the concentration camps of Germany and Poland. Although my project is directly related to the Holocaust, it’s (Kristallnacht) more obscure and less known.

I started by asking definition of words like “anti-Semitism” and “pogrom”. I talked about what I believe caused the world to turn against the Jews and to allow the near annihilation of them. For me, it was important to stress that living in Germany and understanding this history changed how I viewed the world. How living here made an abstract idea, a real life “concrete” event for me.

I quoted Martin Luther King, Jr., "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." I talked about "indifference" and silence - or turning your head when bad things are happening to other people. I referenced this poem by Pastor Martin Niemöller too.

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When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
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I showed a 6 minute presentation I put together of my work so far and then took questions. It was very rewarding and I look forward to doing it again.