She plodded down the hall of the rehab hospital with the help of a walker, head bent downward, each step an effort. When she passed me, she looked up with a radiant smile and answered my greeting with a cheery “Good morning! How are you?” As my family would predict,…
Welcome the New Year with a Decluttered Heart
The tall, imposing cabinet would make a wonderful wardrobe passage to Narnia in a stage play of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Our huge cherry entertainment center fought for space with the new sofas we added to the living room; it demanded notice and changed comfortable into crowded.…
The Loving Hands of Christmas
With rounded shoulders, she stooped low to scoop pecans from the leaf-covered ground of the orchard. My maternal grandmother, poor by the world’s standards, shelled pecans with arthritic, age spot speckled hands. She then placed them in dime-store containers and presented them as Christmas gifts. Pain-filled hands laboring to give. …
What’s Hindering Your Gratitude?
Do you buy event or travel tickets early to ensure the best view? Some concert attendees select seating close to the stage, and many frequent fliers prefer a window seat glimpse of the clouds. Years ago, at a rainy college football game, I appreciated the no-umbrellas-in-the-stadium rule because I preferred…
Thanksgiving Ingredients Mixed with Memories
What’s your favorite Thanksgiving food? Mine is a tie between my mother’s apple salad and dressing (which some people refer to as stuffing). In preparation for the holiday, I found her dressing recipe tonight and smiled at the memories of a special day eleven years ago. “The Story of Mema’s…