what a really great comment @stef1, thank you! 
Bev really *is* family to me, something like an older sister or best friend for sure.  And you are SO right that "we are all teachers and students" was an important one and really does take an open person to live by it. I think of back in 1988 when I was 20 and she was 46 and how boring she must have found most of my words/ideas, but she never treated me as if I knew less or was too young, only with respect. This really made all the difference for me as a young woman! Still today this is the case, she is 76 and I am 50 and again she is so wise but I feel completely valued and respected. 

Thanks for your insight and I thought I'd share her response to this post, she just wrote me an email 10 minutes ago. She's not on steemit but reads my blog sometimes.

>Ruthie -
I read your blog just now.
What a wonderful post!
Communication goes two ways and the more open, sincere, and curious both parties are, the deeper and more trustful the connection. You and I have always approached life with open hearts (for better or worse) and I think that's why we've grown together. Right from the start you struck me as someone who works hard, who questions existence, and who has the desire to dig deeper - and with a distance on things that allows for objectivity and humor.
I'm glad our visit was meaningful to you. It surely was for me. 

>Love you dearly.❤❤