The Red Dress Comments

Miriam Neiditch, a former English teacher from Philadelphia, chose this poem to be read at her funeral. Here is an excerpt from her eulogy about why she chose this particular poem. 'Being a mensch—that’s what life was about for Miriam. It wasn’t about things. Miriam asked that we read the poem called the Red Dress that you heard a moment ago. Miriam told me that there was a red evening gown she had so coveted as a young girl and later when she could afford one, it just hung in her closet. “ The things we want” she said “ do not turn out to be the same as what we thought we wanted.” This was an important piece of wisdom she learned in her life that she wanted to share with you today. '