Writing from the Heart with Brian
Think, Laugh, & Cry Each Day
(A version of this story appeared on The Heart of The Matter on December 15, 2023.) My wife and I rolled over at the same time. Our baby daughter was crying from her room. We were both tired, but I offered to go get her. You would have thought I told my wife that she... Continue Reading →
From Evel Knievel stunt bikes and Pong to life-sized monster trucks, 300-foot roller coasters, and 28 mph e-bikes—a look at why today’s hyper-engineered toys make me drool with pure nostalgia envy.
(A version of this story appeared on The Heart of The Matter in November 2023.) The thing I noticed first was his calmness. He wasn’t like the other teachers, coaches, or family friends in my life. He had a soft voice that you sometimes had to strain to hear and he rarely seemed to yell... Continue Reading →
A heart-stopping moment on a crowded beach taught me about panic, but it took becoming a father twenty-five years later to truly understand the ghosts that haunt our parents—and how quickly routine can turn to chaos.
A quick mission to buy a bucket of kettle corn on the Bethany Beach boardwalk turned into an exercise in optical illusions and $35 worth of decision-making regret. Here is how Goldilocks in flip-flops accidentally bought a 10-gallon drum of popcorn—and how nine people finished it in 24 hours.
Think "the parent glare" is strictly a human trait? Think again. From a home office window, one weary mother doe proved that keeping adventurous kids in line is a universal struggle.
(I first ran this story in 2017. My babies are grown now. But, I've never stopped worrying about them.) Last week when I was rifling through a box in our basement, I found an old calendar. I started to push it aside, but something caught my eye. My wife must have had an appointment with... Continue Reading →
(The original version of this story ran in September 2022. I've made several updates.) I walked away with tears streaming down my face. I couldn’t have been more than six or seven years old. I turned around to try my case before the judge and jury one more time, but my mom had enough of... Continue Reading →
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 →
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