Cynthia Sanford:
CLASS OF 1974
Taconic High SchoolClass of 1974
Pittsfield, MA
Cynthia's Story
Life
I spent the first ten years after high school trying to find myself, get a life. I'm sure I drank too much and wasted a lot of time. I try not to let it get me down but sometimes it does and it's hard to let go. In 1985, I met and married my husband, Tom. He was a dancer in Sesame Street Live, I was a hotel manager. We lived in St. Louis for a while, then returned to Massachusetts. The next summer, I almost lost Tom to a dissected aorta. He has Marfan's Syndrome. His career was ended and we were living with my parents. About four years later, Tom was working the "Back to the Future the Ride" project in Housatonic. From there we moved to Arizona, Galveston, Texas and New Orleans, LA. Tom was opening IMAX theatres. He had two more bouts with marfan's and underwent marathon surgery in Texas. He was fortunate enough to be worked on by one of the top surgeons in the world and had his aorta replaced with a dacron graph. We had three boys along the way. Thomas, Andrew and Matthew. They are the bomb! My oldest is in college now. It doesn't seem possible. We returned to MA after ten years in the south, only to have me be diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998. Yes it was devastating, but I think God was testing me to see how much I could take before he gave me the biggest job of my life...taking care of my parents. It is a strange day when you realize that you no longer can depend on your parents but they must depend on you and although my parents live in their own home, they must have round the clock care and it was not easy to get them approved for personal care attendants through medicaid. Elder services was a big help. I can't bear to see my dad cry and it is a constant job keeping him happy and upbeat. He is afraid, lonely, has lost the use of his legs and his mind is failing him daily. My mom is awesome, even though her body is failing she is still sharp as a tack and has a great sense of humor. I am responsible for all their bills, their groceries, their health and in the end, i will be the one who settles their affairs. It's not an easy job. I am also a ccd teacher (9th and 10th grades) a member of our church choir (alto) and I bring communion to the hospital. I also love skating, cross country skiing, tennis and thought I d...Expand for more
ied and went to heaven when the red sox won this fall! Tom and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary this March. Hard to believe. We have also had our ups and downs but for now, seem stable. As always, we take things one day at a time and try to appreciate the joy and beauty of each life experience. We have been very lucky.
School
My fondest memories of high school were the games and events that I attended as a cheerleader. Even in tenth grade, I went to every game. We had such a sense of school spirit! It was awesome! I am now trying to instill that same spirit in my children.
I can hardly remember any teachers except Coach Lucaroni and Coach Bard. I was absolutely amazed that my kids had the same teachers!!!
When I left school, I had no idea where I was going. I had wanted to go to college, but there was no money and I didn't have the sense to look into scholarships. I did go back for individual courses, (paralegal, real estate and spanish) but I really envy my oldest son who has just begun his first year in college in Long Island.
I always thought I would marry and have children, which I did, but I think deep down, I am a frustrated lawyer wannabe. I worked in a law office after school for three years and my heart still lies there.
In closing, I guess everyone wishes that they had the experience of life in high school, that they have now and I'm no different!!
Workplace
I was very lucky and was in the right place at the right time when my current job came along. I have had many jobs over the years, which may not have been the case if I had attended college (my biggest regret). I have worked for lawyers, managed apartment complexes, worked for the sales department in a hotel, tended bar, waited tables and worked as a paraprofessional. I am currently a private housekeeper in Lenox at an estate which is owned by two people from New York. When they are here, I am their chauffer, their server, their housekeeper, their animal caretaker, their gardener, their landscaper, their cook, their problem solver, their party organizer, their friend. When they are not here, I am the preserver and caretaker of all they hold precious, inside and out. It is a job made in heaven and they treat me very well. I am very lucky.
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