Today I discovered I have topped the 100,000 mark regarding views on my blog. The exact number is 100,117. I have also published 1,307 blog posts and have received 3,661 comments. I want to thank each of you for supporting my writing. It means a lot to me to know that someone is out there reading…
Month: July 2015
Daughter Rachael: Off on Her New Adventure
Dear Rachael, I know you are moving to your new home this weekend and starting law school soon; however, please remember that no matter what you do or how old you get, you’ll always be my baby. The picture below was taken 21 years ago this month. I love how we are giving each other…
Oatmeal Date Bars with Maple Syrup
I love Greg Patent’s cookbook, Baking in America: Traditional and Contemporary Favorites from the Past 200 Years. I made a recipe for maple date bars with lemon zest just a few days ago, but tomorrow I am going to make the recipe below. Not only does it call for the zest of a whole orange,…
Great Television: Better Late Than Never
Ray and I have finished all of Friday Night Lights – yes, that’s like 65 episodes – and now we have begun Six Feet Under. Who knew television could be so good? We watched episode one tonight. We are also watching the second season of True Detective, which is also excellent. One of the main…
Old Photos
Today I found a box of old photos. What a treat. Here are a few to give you a window into my earlier life. My little brother, Sam, and me in the mid-60’s. This is taken in our living room of our family home in Bonham, Texas. Ray Beaty, when he came to Arkansas to…
The Wisdom of Letting Go
I have had the occasion over the past few days to talk to several people who are in pain. In one case, a parent is worried about an adult child who is having serious issues; in another, a friend is worried about another friend who is terminally ill. Worry is the operative word here. Worry…
Repost: A Tribute to My Best Friend, RIP, on Her Birthday
Today is Patricia’s birthday and I think it’s appropriate to repost a blog I wrote about her a while back. To my beloved friend: My best friend growing up was Patricia Butler. I met her when I was three and she was four, when her family moved to my little town and began attending our…
Off to Make a Difference
My daughter, Liz, and her boyfriend, Ron, left today for a ten day vacation to Alaska. The twist on this story is that they are not going to Anchorage to hang out and relax; they’re going to help build a house for Habitat for Humanity. I am proud of these two, who are using their vacation…
On Joy
Yesterday, I presented my thoughts on happiness to the best of my ability for what time I had allotted to that activity. Today’s topic is joy. Please note these are simply my musings, not words I think are written in stone. When I write this, I am aware that there will be many points that…
On Happiness
One of my friends asked if I would write my thoughts about happiness and joy. I have undertaken that task and have discovered that I need to break these topics into two separate essays; otherwise, I’m afraid I will not explore them to the level that will feel satisfying to me or to you, my…
20 Minutes a Day 