Writing from the Heart with Brian
Think, Laugh, & Cry Each Day
(A version of this post ran in April 2020.) When life hits back, it can pack a powerful punch. In those moments, I find that I return to a few favorite things: my faith in God; my wife and my family; and my core belief system that goodness, kindness, and hard work will win out.... Continue Reading →
I cranked the red launcher. I revved it as fast and as far as it would go. The seven-inch tall Evel Knievel on his red, white, and blue stunt cycle flew across the porch and onto the ramp. I had created the ramp using an old piece of wood that I had "borrowed" from my... Continue Reading →
The father in front of me look frazzled and was losing his patience. He had given his son a choice of Matchbox cars to buy for a birthday present for a friend. It was almost time to put the toy on the grocery store cash register. "Which is it going to be Max? The red... Continue Reading →
(A version of this post ran on October 2021.) My son stops halfway up our stairs and then turns to come back downstairs. He thanks us for letting him have his friends over for a late-night fire in the yard and chat about music. He lets out a big yawn and comes over to my... Continue Reading →
When I was a kid, my mother was a treasure-trove of folksy sayings. When I failed to make the varsity basketball team, she told me to "stop crying over spilled milk. When I was chomping at the bit for Christmas morning, she told me to "hold my horses." Some of her sayings and colloquialisms came... Continue Reading →
After a long day of work, my dad would set his wallet on our kitchen table. I was amazed by both what was in it and how thick it was. The wallet was worn and sweat stained and looked the size of a small brick. He wasn't the only one. My baseball coach would come... Continue Reading →
In 1991, Gatorade ran an ad featuring Michael Jordan that showed game film of him in midair moving the basketball from his right hand to left to score a difficult layup. The commercial shows him dunking and being, well, classic MJ and then cuts to young men and kids playing on a playground court. They... Continue Reading →
I had an idea in my head. We were going to hold off on having kids. I wanted to be further along in my career and making more money. When we finally had kids, I wanted a big house. I wanted a great job where I was in charge and could come and go as... Continue Reading →
My head fell to my chest. I had a horrible day. My boss liked the proposal that I had spent weeks putting together, but he wanted me to make a sizable addition that was going to take a ton of time. My drive home was extended by an hour because of a heavy downpour and... Continue Reading →
Writing from the Heart with Brian 
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