Just Because
Sunday Musings
A new website means a new way of doing things. Which isn’t what this habitual person likes to think about. New ways? I might only be in my forties, but honestly, I’ve been set in my standard protocols since I was born. Okay, there might have been that period of time right after the doctor…
Read MoreA Sound Full of Promise and Hope
A drive down the street proves the point: uncharacteristic darkness within businesses and schools and traffic is lighter even at rush hour. The state has shut down. People have been commanded to stay inside their houses, and if they walk outside, they need to keep six feet away from anyone who passes. The only place…
Read MoreThank You for Your Service
My sister works for the VA, so I’ve become accustomed to thanking members of the military for their service when I see them. Just a quick word or two at the grocery store or bank usually does the trick. My reward? A return “thank you” or a small smile. Telling these folks thank you is…
Read MoreWhat She Learned
I: That dark, glittery eyes often held the deepest secrets, only one of which was that he didn’t truly care. That brutalities of life scattered across every landscape, every dream, every nightmare she’d ever had, and paying attention to that voice inside grew more difficult to do every day. Battling demons—those mostly within herself—took far…
Read MoreSunscreen, Shinguards, and Cleats, Oh My!
Aaron is playing on the junior varsity high school soccer team this year. I can’t remember how many years he’s been playing soccer. Maybe ten? I think his soccer days date back to when he was four and first entered the little recreation leagues we have out here. Since then, he’s moved onto more competitive…
Read MoreAll’s Well That Ends Well
Almost a week ago now, our local paper featured a feel-good story on one of the city’s public high school graduates. It’s been shared all over social media, and the school system has been proud to showcase it on Facebook and Twitter. The story begins like this: “Eighteen years ago, Cate O’Malley was a helpless…
Read MoreWhat I Realized
While I’m grateful that 2019 is behind us, I’m also grateful for the realizations I gained over the prior year. I’m listing them in no particular order. Acquaintance circles might stretch for miles, but the number of true friends a person has is very few. Using people is something that much of humanity…
Read MoreEven More Words for the New Year 4
Each new year, I try to focus on a set of words to guide me through the next fifty-two weeks. Last year, I identified these words. What is not started today is never finished tomorrow. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Sadly, I promptly forgot those words. That’s not to say that I didn’t start new…
Read MoreThankful, II
1 : conscious of benefit received* Eleanor bowed her head and clasped her hands together. She shut her eyes and concentrated on Larry’s voice—too loud, too boisterous, too everything for this occasion. “For what we are about to receive, let us be thankful,” he said, and if he said anything else, which he probably did—something…
Read MoreThe One About the Reindeer
This post isn’t for the wee little beasts, unless you want to answer a few questions that deal with a somewhat more mature subject matter. Two Christmases ago, we bought Zoe and Talia a pair of swants. University of Michigan-themed swants to be exact. What are swants exactly? Pants made of sweater material. Apparently these…
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