I'm at local coffee shop waiting for my wife. After about five minutes, I break out into a smile and throw my right hand up in the air. I see my old boss Craig. I haven't seen Craig in at least eight years. When I first entered Corporate America, Craig was a VP and was... Continue Reading →
Going under the knife
The shop manager at my local garage pulls me out of the waiting room. He talks in quick, muffled bursts and carries a clipboard that has billing sheet with an outline of a car. He points to the tires. I make out only a few words, but I definitely hear tire rotation and alignment. For... Continue Reading →
The will of the river
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 →
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 →
Rising after the fall
I had some news that went against me recently. It was important in the short term, but small potatoes in the grand scheme of things. I'm still standing. I'm still alive. My health is good. It was just a disappointment that hit close to home. We all have disappointments. We didn't get the news we... Continue Reading →
Coming in waves
The teacher stands in front of the class and writes down the word "Photosynthesis" on the blackboard. She sounds it out slowly. She explains that it's the process where plants use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to create their own food. In the process, the plant releases oxygen back into the environment. She keeps the... Continue Reading →
Writing for mental health
(A version of this story ran in February 2023) Early in my work career, I walked out of a team meeting with a friend of mine. I had slipped in late and he was giving me the rundown on what I had missed. When we were alone and could talk freely, I asked him about... Continue Reading →
The simple skills we fail to learn in high school
(A version of this story ran on March 20, 2016.) My day had not started well. I forgot that I needed to drop my son at school and I was running late to work. I still needed to make a few tweaks to a presentation I was giving later that morning and I desperately needed... Continue Reading →
‘Life moves pretty fast’ and it’s getting faster
He was ten years older and stood a foot taller than me. We were both on the quiet side. He had two daughters that were around the age of my two oldest kids. When the kids were restless during church, he and I would both stand in the back entrance-way. We would rock our babies... Continue Reading →

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