When April comes around each year, I find myself naturally thinking about great pranks in history. One theory on the origin of April Fools' Day states that it came about in the 1500s. When France switched from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Day was moved from late March to January 1. People... Continue Reading →
Stopping time
The Spaceship Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members. I turned the TV on just as the spaceship exploded. I was home from school. I'm not sure why. I suspect I was home sick. Who knows? Maybe I was taking a mental health day. I... Continue Reading →
Soulful food!
I walked out of the doctor's office and got into my car. I can't tell you the last time I've eaten McDonald's or Wendy's. I try to eat healthy. However, I found myself suddenly fighting the urge to stop. The urge was like a magnet pulling on me. I nearly turned my car in the... Continue Reading →
Christmas Hope
When I was a kid and late November turned into December, my sleeping patterns took a turn for the worse. I would go to bed and toss and turn thinking about Christmas. The big day would still be weeks away, it didn't matter. I would dream of the joy of Christmas morning. I imagined playing... Continue Reading →
Live like you’re dying
(I first wrote this piece in November 2019. It still applies today.) The dentist came into the room with a copy of my x-ray in his hand. He gave me a big smile, that actually made me more nervous than calm, and went out of his way to promote the benefits of the practice’s 360-degree... Continue Reading →
Making it home
I'm happy this time of year. Oh, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, but it's more than that. I love families coming together. I love that college students start coming back to the nest today and later next week. My son, our youngest, will arrive home later this evening. I probably won't see him... Continue Reading →
A few hairs off the top
(I first ran this post in October 2020. No bald-faced lies here!) Let’s talk hair. When I was a kid, I had wild, wavy hair that had a mind of its own. I’d be in our tiny little bathroom and I’d comb it one way and by the time I’d walk out to the kitchen... 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 →
The best costume ever!
I grunted "no." I didn't dare speak any clearer under my disguise or I would give away my identity. When I was ten or eleven, a local church had a Halloween party. You got dressed up in your Halloween costume and some of the older kids had to guess who was who. The last kid... Continue Reading →

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