High Winds

Last Wednesday afternoon, a storm packing high wind gusts blew in, downing trees and deck furniture. Our dogs sought comfort from Keith—I was in Charlottesville—and hid in the basement. On my drive home that day, and upon arrival, I found evidence of the storm’s...

Bits of String

One afternoon about ten years ago when I was visiting my mother at her home in Connecticut, we decided to do a little “spring cleaning” in the kitchen. Mother sat at the table and sipped a cup of decaf while I explored. Memories poured from each cabinet and drawer. I...

Anticipation

“You must be excited about your trip to Scotland,” a friend said to me last week. “To tell you the truth, I haven’t thought about it much,” I said, “which is strange because I’ve been wanting to go for years.” Anticipation. The story goes that Carly Simon wrote her...

Character

Parents, teachers, and students gathered in the high school auditorium that Wednesday afternoon, May 14, 1969, for the annual National Honor Society induction ceremony. I’d been inducted as a junior the year before but otherwise didn’t have a clue why I was asked to...