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…
Category: Writing as a Discipline
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…
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…
Rich Versus Poor, What Makes the Real Difference?
Sometimes money is not what it’s cracked up to be. I have met some of the poorest rich people and some of the richest poor people. The key seems to be to have an external focus. Self absorption does not a lovely person make. An example of a poverty-stricken rich man was someone I had…
Bach, Rain and Luna: 3 Of My Favorite Things
I am sitting in my living room, listening to J.S. Bach’s Oboe Concerto in F featuring F. Heinz Holliger. The air is cool wafting in from the open French door since we had a good steady rain a couple of hours ago. The road out front is quiet. A Sunday evening with most people around…
Beethoven at the Hollywood Bowl
We were lucky enough to be invited by our neighbor, Linda Homer, to the Hollywood Bowl tonight for a picnic and then a whole evening of Beethoven performed by the LA Phil. Linda had three extra tickets so we invited our daughter Rachael to join us, as well. The seats were close to the front…
Failure and Success
I thought by the time I was in my early 60’s, I would have accomplished all sorts of impressive things. Surely, I’d have made lots of money, seen the world, had a successful career, raised lovely children, had a successful marriage and published at least three books. Here I am at 62 and I can…
A Reprieve from Near Death
A few years back, my husband and I were traveling from California to Texas, and I was pulling a 1958 Buick on a trailer behind our 15-passenger Ford Van. This was my husband’s idea of love at first sight – that ’58 Buick – a car from his birth year that he hoped to restore…
20 Minutes a Day 