12 May 22

This is the third time I've worn this tie for International Nurses' Day, celebrated annually on the birthday of Florence Nightingale (1820-1910). Its red and silver crossing stripes remind me of the symbol often seen on nurses' caps (historically). In my own family history, my mother's brother Wayne and his wife Marion were both nurses in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Next year I may need to find a different way to honor nurses, because the familiar "cap" has become a controversial, problematic symbol.