It’s a trip I began planning a few months ago. Taking advantage of the break between my academic quarters, I’m spending ten days in South Dakota. It’s been nearly twenty years since I’ve visited the grassy prairie, the rugged Badlands, and the grand monument to Crazy Horse, the Lakota warrior.… Read More »An Unexpected Loss
I consider myself to be fortunate. While I’ve moved around the country over the years, I’ve been able to maintain a network of close friends whom I value. I’ve known some of my friends for 35 or 40 years. I am thankful for those intimate friends. They enrich my life… Read More »When Letting Go Means Saying Good-bye
It’s the middle of February. A couple of weeks ago, on February 2, a welcome messenger delivered good news: Punxsutawney Phil, a weather predicting groundhog, emerged from his burrow and didn’t see his shadow. This legendary sign is a prediction that there will be an early spring This past week,… Read More »Faith and Hope that There Will Be Spring
I was twelve years old. I was old enough to know what was happening. I have some clear memories of the events that transpired. It was awkward and I wasn’t sure how to take in everything around me. The events of that week were not like the day to day… Read More »Hidden Losses
It was quite unexpected. Her mother fell on a patch of ice the week before Thanksgiving. The broken hip was a concern, but following surgery, she was admitted to rehab. It seemed as though all was well. But then there were complications. She died about a week ago. The family… Read More »So, This Is Christmas …
Dear Mom: It’s been three years since I last spoke to you or was able to see you. That’s a bit difficult for me to comprehend. From my perspective, a day doesn’t pass without me thinking about you or talking to you in my mind. I know that’s just how… Read More »On Mother’s Day: A Letter to the Other Side
I remember the evening very clearly. I arrived home from the airport. I had been away on a trip for about a week. I landed in Pittsburgh, PA to blowing snow and icy temperatures. It would prove to be a particularly bitter night for me. Arriving back home, I began… Read More »Gratitude for Friends Now Gone
The song is part of my early childhood memories. In thinking about it, it’s a strange song to remember from childhood. But then I realized that the hit version was released a short time after my birth. Given that both of my parents always listened to music and my father… Read More »A Blue Christmas