Many cultures have a tradition of harvest celebration involving a special meal. Remembering the reason for the gathering is what makes it so special. People in the USA celebrate Thanksgiving at the end of November. At this time of year my … Read more

"Awesome," the young server responded as we gave our restaurant order. It made us wonder how our simple order could be that "awesome". Sometimes, it seems like good words are so overused that they lose their impact or meaning. The … Read more

Life — it's impossible without breath. "Breathe!" "Blast!" These commands came from a technician coaching me for a pulmonary function test as I sat inside an air-tight, sealed cylinder watching him through the glass. I felt like he was … Read more

In a recent email, I was listing for a family member a number of current, mundane things related to home maintenance repairs and various family health issues, including waiting for lab reports and appointments. I ended the list with "It's … Read more

Behind a counter inside my local bank stands a huge vault. Behind the open door is another large door with steel bars and a large lock, and inside are walls covered with hundreds of tiny doors, each with a lock that has two spots for … Read more

During the past two years, a water exercise class that I enjoyed was shut down due to the pandemic. Recently, because there were too few certified lifeguards available, its reopening was delayed. Lifeguards are essential to the safe and … Read more

On two earlier occasions, my husband and I had stayed at the same hotel after driving to visit relatives. This time, we opted for travelling by train. From the Amtrak station, we rode on the light rail system to a station within a short … Read more

Did your mother have a mending basket? It was there that things which needed mending were put until there was time to fix them. Some items required carefully working from inside the garment and concealing stitches or weaving threads or … Read more

"I was here first!" It starts so early! This exclamation often ended in some pushing and shoving. The effort to be first in line seems to go way back in my memory. It seemed that to be first in line was some kind of great achievement … Read more

Recently, I've become acquainted with a woman who is rapidly losing her eyesight. She once had full sight, but as the years have advanced, her vision has declined, until now all that she can perceive is brightness and shadow. Her white … Read more

Recently, a friend loaned me a jigsaw puzzle. In the past, I'd considered working jigsaw puzzles to be a waste of valuable time. Finally, during a seemingly aimless part of a day, I decided to tackle it and dumped the pieces on a table. … Read more

Are you ever amazed or surprised at what light reveals to your human eye? There is a small glass prism that sits on my kitchen windowsill. Sometimes, when the afternoon sunlight hits the prism just right, the bending of the light … Read more

Have you ever peeked into a bird's nest to see newly hatched, tiny baby birds? They are so very small and fragile, and so dependent on their parents for protection and nourishment. The parents defend the nest and expend themselves to find … Read more

It was a lovely day with a good breeze blowing, and our seven-year-old son decided to try to fly his new kite. After he got it aloft and felt the tug of the kite, it suddenly broke free and disappeared over the rooftops in our suburban … Read more

After attending a gathering in a remote area on the other side of the city from where I live, it was time for me to drive home. I was alone, and it was late at night. I was in an unfamiliar area. Following a sign that directed me toward … Read more

While working in a large technical library, I so often felt great satisfaction when admiring full library shelves after checking in books and filling the shelves with the returned books. The appearance was so satisfying! Looking so neat … Read more