I love the month of May. Not because of my birthday  :o)  but because I love the spring greens and wildflowers and birdsongs. And because of the memories of “Discovery.” “Discovery” is the name of the wilderness learning course for college students that Jake led every spring before we moved overseas. That program has challenged, … Continue reading Discovery →

Perhaps you have noticed that I have not posted a blog in six weeks.  You would think with all this time stuck at home a writer would write more, but I have been blank. That has bothered me. Until this morning . . . because I just figured it out:  Much of writing is thinking, … Continue reading This Balloon →

I’ve only been on one cruise and it was miserable. Years ago my parents invited our whole family for a short cruise to the Bahamas to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. We boarded—excited!—in sunny Florida. It was a huge ship: people and swimming pools and elevators everywhere. All-day free ice cream and activities to do. … Continue reading Getting Through →

Is anyone out there like me waking up each day with sadness? Is anyone else feeling discouraged every morning? Thinking about the empty streets . . . the empty parks . . . the empty calendar. Thinking about restaurant owners and everyone who’s lost their jobs. Thinking about universities closed, like Daughter #1's workplace in … Continue reading In the Mornings →

I was thinking about one of my first memories, a day of fear and confusion when I was about 7 years old. I didn't know what was going on, but I knew it was something bad. I remember jumping around our house like a scared rabbit, shaking my arms and feeling alone. My father was … Continue reading Still . . . →

Have you noticed a new mandate going around these days? Due to the spreading virus of public rudeness and spite, there is an uprising of reminders to be kind. You hear it everywhere.  Be kind.  Do random acts of kindness. Be kind to animals. Be kind to yourself.  Actually it's not new. I remember as … Continue reading Tenderheart →

I am sitting at a desk in a hotel room in Philadelphia. Jake and I are mid-trip, heading home after a wonderful, never-a-dull-moment-visit with our daughter’s young family in Spain. The 9-hour flight from Madrid yesterday was one of the hardest ones I’ve had to endure. I won’t bore you with my complaints but one … Continue reading Aloft →