The year is 1972, the month is February, and this is three days before my father would die from lung cancer. This was our last family photo, commemorating the last time I saw my dad alive since I left later that day to return to Austin, where I was a freshman at the University of…
Tag: family
Happy Birthday, Rachael: Here’s Your Birth Story (Our Family Tradition)
I post my daughters’ birth stories pretty much every year on their birthdays, so if you’ve read this one, feel free to skip it. However, for me, it is a special ritual to commemorate the events that occurred on the day all three of my girls arrived on this earth. It makes me happy to…
Happy Return of my Lost Phone
Last Thursday, Ray and I took the Amtrak train into LA from Ventura to work at the church, clearing out and cleaning the kitchen. The caterer, Scott, who had been renting the kitchen, fell on hard times due to a literal fall, a trip to the hospital, and the contraction of a life-threatening infection while…
Life on the Quirky Side
When my husband is bored or ready to leave or fed up with what someone is saying, he whistles. It is the same tune every time – a series of notes that go up and then go down – and he is not particularly aware that he is sending off this signal. When I comment…
To My Late Brother John on His Birthday Tomorrow
Tomorrow is my late brother John’s birthday—the Ides of March. The flash memoir piece below is something I wrote a while back, but it feels fitting to repost it now. My oldest brother was a very good friend of mine. He had a wicked sense of humor and a way of saying precisely what I…
Twirling, Mr. Nugent, and Lessons in Excellence
I wrote this a while back, but I’ve been thinking about Mr. Nugent today and wanted to share it again. After all these years, he still holds a special place in my heart. He moved on to other towns and bigger bands, leaving a lasting impact wherever he went. He passed away a few months…
Flash Fiction: An Unexpected Destination
Sarah James hailed a taxi after finding herself in an unexpected rainstorm in New York City. Her clothes and hair were sopping wet when she climbed into the back seat of the yellow and black, and after giving the driver the address of her boyfriend’s apartment, she heaved a deep sigh. What a day. Who…
Then and Now: 50 Memories That Still Shine
Family & Parenting Childhood & Youthful Memories Education & Career Writing & Creativity Music & Singing Faith & Service Adventures & Travel Home, Heritage & Restoration Business & Entrepreneurship Love & Marriage Life’s Challenges & Deep Connections
Letting Life Get Messy
I have always hated what comes first when contemplating change: the ruin of what is, the demolition of the status quo, and the process of undoing in order to redo. This has caused me great discomfort as a person with a strong need for tidiness and order. “Let’s knock down that wall,” my husband might…
Flash Fiction: Family Legacy
She wasn’t happy, no she wasn’t. All this time trying to cope with the family problem – that’s what they called Randy’s addiction to coke these days – and at the same time, trying to study enough not to flunk the chemistry quizzes that came every day, relentless and unyielding, like a black boxing glove…
20 Minutes a Day 