I climbed out of bed at eight this morning and headed straight for the kitchen. Four hours later, I had finally finished cleaning up after preparing several gallons of bottled lemonade, tea, and water; making two pounds of macaroni salad; two dozen deviled eggs; cutting up an enormous, juicy watermelon; assembling paper products, condiments, table coverings; and gathering an assortment … Read More
Ever After…
Eternity. Forever. Always. Never. As early as our first foray into the imagination, those words take a front seat. The timeless fairy tales our loved ones read to us, almost always end with “And they lived happily ever after…” For eternity. Forever. Always. The story must end, must have a conclusion. For children–humans–there must also be hope, love, laughter…promise… What we don’t see … Read More
When Life Gives You Lemons: Cut Open an Onion
Yes. You read the title correctly: When life gives you lemons, cut open an onion. This thought came to me a couple of weeks ago, after I thought of the well-known expression, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” This optimisim has been passed down for generations, a cliche recognized by nearly everyone. The assumption being that we can turn … Read More
Saying Goodbye
Many years ago, I began closing my written correspondences with “Soon.” How many times have you or those close to you said, “Later,” as you parted. How many times have you or those you’d love to see more often lamented, “It’s been far too long since we’ve seen each other!,” “How long has it been?” “We must get together soon!” How … Read More
Do-Overs
I had nearly completed a post earlier today, when I accidentally deleted the text, while typing a new word. As I watched the letter “r” appear in the blank box, I saw the “saving…” notice at the bottom. My index finger dove for the escape key. Success was not to be mine. I have enjoyed the automatic save feature because I become so … Read More
Oliver’s Story Retold
“What would God want with a twenty-four-year old? A young man that has—had—his whole life in front of him?” A man sitting next to me at a committee meeting posed the question to the woman in front of me. The boy he referred to recently died in an accident that involved a recreational vehicle. Preliminary police reports purport that alcohol … Read More
Re-Sweetening Sixteen
Sixteenth birthdays are important milestones in our lives. As teenagers, we spend months, if not years, dreaming (often obsessing) about the day we are officially allowed to drive. Freedom!! In my area, girls are having sweet sixteen parties that tend to be lavish events where parents rent halls and hire caterers. I don’t recall such parties during my high school … Read More
At the Helm of a Shooting Star
My oldest son turned twenty yesterday. My, oh, my; that doesn’t seem possible. Twenty years ago we experienced his joyous birth; twenty years since the painful separation brought about in his death. Twenty years… And now I celebrate his life once again. We went to the cemetery on Mother’s Day, dug out the few weeds that had surfaced since Easter, removed the Easter … Read More
Fortitude
I cannot begin to convey how amazed and humbled I am by the vast response to the last post. Clearly I touched something in many as the post counter is rapidly rising. I hope you are enjoying my words, and, possibly, finding some message that benefits you. I have a deep belief that some of the stagnation that occurs in our healing process … Read More
Welcome to The Five Facets
I purchased these flowers about a month ago. Winter’s long fingers seemed to be digging deeper into the soil and I needed some sunlight! Yellow. The color of cheer. I almost didn’t purchase the bundle of hope but finally decided the $15 price tag for the color it would bring to my life was definitely worth the cost. I perched … Read More