Past

Stress Relief

A friend of mine has been struggling the past couple of months. She and her adult daughter have been living together for a few years and everything was going along pretty well – until the daughter met a new man. The more serious that relationship grew, the worse the mother/daughter relationship became. The couple even […]

The Old Cabin Friend

Today my brother and I talked with an old friend from the cabin. He always called my dad his “Little Buddy”. They were good friends for over 40 years, helping one another with construction projects, just hanging out, and even connecting during vacation. Our families got to know each other and had some fun times […]

250 Years

As our country celebrated it’s 250 years of freedom today, my brother and I enjoyed spending the afternoon with my son, his wife, and her family. It was sad that our area is in a burn ban and no fireworks were allowed. I did watch some on TV that were pretty amazing, though. I heard […]

Safe Photos

I was at my son’s house today as they continue to pack and get ready to move. My grandson came from his room with a stack of pictures that he was looking for a safe place to pack them. A couple of them were photos that my dad took. I didn’t even remember that he […]

Beginning Holy Week Again

Each Palm Sunday offers something new. I’m sure part of it is due to the fact that I’m in a different place of life each year spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. Today at the beginning of Mass, we all went outside where the deacon read the Gospel, then gave the homily. Even though there were so […]

Listening and Laughing

I was talking with an elderly woman today about my job. She said that she once worked for a high-end department store up on the 3rd floor. When the more sophisticated ladies would arrive to do their shopping, they would take the elevator to the 3rd floor where the woman would greet them. She would […]

Long Lost Cousin

My dad started his photography when he was still in high school, doing yearbooks and such. He even  participated in camera clubs, submitting his best photos. We have a beautiful, large framed photo that he took of his “baby sister” in 1949, when she was 17 years old. My dad won an honorable mention for […]

Origin Story

Today at work, an older couple came in to pick up their tax return. We chatted for quite some time and they told me about the husband’s grandfather who immigrated here from Czechoslovakia. After he arrived, he settled in the Western Plains and was a homesteader. The couple was still living on that same property. […]

Every Life is a Story

I listened to a reflection by Fr. Mike Schmitz this morning. The idea that he expanded on was a simple, yet incredibly deep truth. At least, to me it was deep and there were times during the day when I thought of it. He said, “Every life is a story, every person is an author, […]

Generous Founders

Today I went with a group of friends to a museum which was the oldest house in the city. The beautifully preserved brick house was built in 1873 by a former military man. He was good friends with and served under the general who was a founding father of the city. Both of the men […]