CONNECTING HEARTS THROUGH WORDS
After I repeated the expression, you told me it brought you to tears. “All of God’s grace in one tiny face.” We'd talked on the phone for an hour that afternoon—me swatting bees on the deck of our rental house in Indiana and you back home in Illinois in your cozy recliner, looking at birds... Continue Reading →
“I can’t smell my coffee” was followed later in the day by “This ketchup tastes awful!” No, please let it not be so! We’d been lucky enough to avoid COVID this whole year—Why now? Why just days before Christmas with plans for a beautiful gathering with our family and surprise visitors, our daughter-in-law’s parents from... Continue Reading →
She gave me a wry grin and shook her head. "Is that getting old?" I asked. "Yes," she said, but then her laughter told me she (sorta) liked my little comedy routine. Now that my daughter, husband, and most of us are doing school and work at home, I say, "Drive safe!" and "See you... Continue Reading →
Trying to wing the toast at my son’s wedding last May was a horrible idea. Once I had the microphone and looked out at that lakefront ballroom full of cherished family and friends, I felt an uncomfortable lump forming in my throat. When I turned to address the bride and groom, the swelling moved up... Continue Reading →
There's a fine line between joy and despair, laughter and tears, the truth and a lie, life and even death. We should've seen it coming—we already knew we were on very thin ice. Especially after our agency was shut down by the U.S. State Department in December, but, still, we had hope. Looking back now,... Continue Reading →