A river charts its own path. Like the wind whipping through a valley, rivers go where they want to go. I couldn’t help but notice that the river I was admiring the other took hard right turn. It seemed to almost backtrack. I thought right away of the folksy movie Fried Green Tomatoes. In the movie, Buddy... Continue Reading →
All in a day’s work
When I think back on my dad's heart attack in 1980, I see everything happening in slow motion. My father in a flannel work shirt lying down on the sofa for a nap. My oldest brother rushing to call the local ambulance. My heart pounding with fear of the unknown. The thing that sticks out... Continue Reading →
Standing up to a bully
When I was in middle school, my friends and I were on the football team and raced from class at the other end of the hall to the locker room. We had to get into our football equipment and out onto the field. Our coaches wanted us on time. They didn't want us to be... Continue Reading →
The walk
I want to stay warm. I want to keep sitting at my desk. My heart isn't into it. Gray skies have moved in, the wind has picked up, and the temperature has dipped over the past hour. My heart questions, "Do we have to do this? Is now really the best time?" My brain tells... Continue Reading →
Rocky and raw eggs leave an impression!
I leaned in close to hear over the noisy bus. The driver kept shifting gears and it made especially hard to hear. Dana sat in his seat and let out a little smile. He knew that he had everyone's attention. He waited for the longest time and then started up again. “And then he ate... Continue Reading →
Wiping away the tears
When Dick Vermeil took over coaching the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976, he ran one of the toughest training camps in the league. This was back in the day when NFL coaches ran football training camps like boot camp. The Eagles would practice in pads and equipment for hours at a time two or three times... Continue Reading →
C’mon Lady Luck
My week started on an ominous note. I took a walk early on Monday. A good habit, right? That's what I thought, until out of nowhere, a black cat crossed my path. Every culture is different, but in Western cultures, black cats are often associated with bad luck. In some other places in the world,... Continue Reading →
Throwing up a Hail Mary!
(I ran a version of this story in September 2018.) I rolled down my window and let the afternoon sun and wind whip through the car. My day had started miserable and now out of the blue it had turned for the better. As soon as I left my house in the morning, I spilled... Continue Reading →
Greener pastures!
The beauty of being part-time empty nesters is that my wife and I can occasionally pack up and see what kind of trouble we can get into without a whole lot of effort. For example, last Saturday we spent some time at a small winery that my wife likes, Franklin Hill Vineyards, near Nazareth, Pennsylvania.... Continue Reading →

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