Mary and Martha Revisited
Early yesterday morning, I woke thinking about Mary and Martha, a topic about which I had written previously. Why this subject again, I wondered, as I busied myself making breakfast and doing dishes, gathering the trash for drop-off after church, showering and...
Daylight Saving Memories
My memory is a trickster. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s, daylight savings time (DST) meant time to play after supper and endless days of summer ahead - right? Return to standard time in the fall meant the beginning of school, dark and homework after dinner. Or...
On Wind and Trees
Several days ago, friends visited our mountain home Vanaprastha. While admiring views of Virginia’s Three Ridges Wilderness area and Rockfish Valley, they expressed concern about the tall trees near the house being subject to wind. Curious about the relationship...
Stepping into Fear
I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. -From Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s In Memoriam A.H.H., Canto 27 “Would you like to dance?” I asked the nattily dressed gentleman...
Suffering Well
As a child, sometimes I wished that God would send me a lifetime of suffering all at once, a few seconds of horrible pain, and then I’d be happy for the rest of my life. That amount of pain would probably have killed me. And had I survived, I probably would not...
Self-Esteem
1991, carpooling 2 bunheads to after school ballet class: “Hey Jessica, did the self-esteem guy come to your class today?” “Yeah, Vanessa, it was SO funny! The guy picked Kelly to sit on a chair and told her to sit or stand depending on how she felt, then he said...