When I was a kid and would complain to my mom that I was bored, she would threaten to put me to work cleaning the dishes or weeding the garden. She would inevitably tell me to go play outside. If it was raining, her fallback was always the same answer: go play with my brothers... Continue Reading →
Yesterday
In the 2019 romantic comedy, Yesterday, director Danny Boyle imagined what life would be like if magically over night, a struggling musician, that nobody has ever heard of only, is the only person who remembers The Beatles and becomes famous, playing their songs. A crazy premise, yes, but it got me thinking about what would happen... Continue Reading →
Saved by a library
I would ask my mom if she needed the car. Since it was Saturday or Sunday afternoon, she didn’t usually mind. If I had some extra cash, I would stop and grab a soda and maybe a snack and drive to the small county library. I would tell my mom that the library's large tables... Continue Reading →
Living with courage
I hadn’t thought about my coworker in a long time, but her name came up in conversation recently and I saw her vividly in my memories. She died several years ago after a courageous health battle. We had been close work friends for a few years -- we saw each other every day -- but... Continue Reading →
Lucky to get out
I grew up in a beautiful rural area. When I was 17-years-old and felt depressed or claustrophobic growing up in my rural home, I would go for a drive. I would drive past beautiful Amish and non-Amish farms. I would drive past little churches with tall steeples. I would cut through the valley where I... Continue Reading →
Laughing when you want to cry
Image by Cottonbro Studio via Pexels. I love the internet. When we were growing up, if you had a question, a really deep question that no one had thought to ask, you had to go to the library and try and dig for it or you just had to come to grips that you were... Continue Reading →
You’ve got mail!
Before the Internet, email, and texting, there used to be a channel of communication called the U.S. Postal Service. Yea, yea, the only things that come in the mail nowadays are junk mail, advertising flyers, and bills, but back in the day, it played a critical role in modern society. For you young 'uns in... Continue Reading →
The Medicine Man
When we were in our 20s, my wife and I used to have a Halloween Party every year. We’d dress up in costumes. One year I went as Robinhood, another year I dressed up as an old-time western bartender. We’d invite friends over and have plenty of food and drink. Our one-bedroom apartment was tiny,... Continue Reading →
A parent’s nightmare
I was starting to get ready for bed two weeks ago when I looked at my phone and saw the news. Two Black Hawk helicopters had crashed around 10 p.m. on March 29 in southwestern Kentucky, killing nine US service members with the 101st Airborne Division. As soon as I saw the news, I knew I... Continue Reading →

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