I have posted this story about my brother John before, but tomorrow is his birthday, and this story speaks so vividly to me of my deep love for him. For that reason, I am sharing it again since this time of year, John is very much on my mind. Could That Be My Brother? I…
Tag: love
For a Belated International Women’s Day: In Praise of Women
I have had the good fortune to know a myriad of strong women in my life, starting with my grandmother and mother, who were forces in their own right, to my mother’s partner, Dorothy; my sister, Leslie; my three powerful and opinionated daughters, Sarah, Liz, and Rachael; my oldest grandchild, Luna, who is the walking…
Flash Fiction: Somebody’s Girlfriend
I was sixteen when it happened. I didn’t mean to do it, but the police didn’t believe that. Actually, nobody believed me, since I had been bragging earlier that week that if Josh bothered me again, I was going to smack him upside the head. I was talking to a bunch of girls, swaggering around…
The Night I Forgot How to Speak
When I was growing up, there was a Sweetheart Banquet at the 7th and Main Baptist Church every Valentine’s Day. I never had the occasion to attend since I was an Episcopalian, but it was considered quite an event in our little town. When I was in 8th grade, I was invited to go with…
The Geography of Memory
Whenever I drive back to Texas, the minute I hit the border from New Mexico, a calm settles over me. Not that West Texas is my home, but still, I can see the big open sky and the flat plains, and I hear that West Texas closed-mouth drawl when I stop for gas. These are…
The Quiet Language of Touch
I have a strong memory of spending a lot of time when I was a little girl snuggled up in bed next to my mother, her skin warm and her smell comforting. In that memory, my mother is always reading, and her arm is around me so that I am nestled next to her. I…
For Nico, on His Tenth Birthday
Today, my grandson Nico turns ten years old. As his grandma, I want to say a few things about this young man, who is so special to me. I don’t quite know how to express all the love I feel and am already certain that my attempt will not measure up to what’s in my…
A Bond That Came from Keeping Vigil
I had a nice, long talk with my little brother Sam today. Sam is five years my junior, the same age as my husband, Ray, and lives in Nashville with his wife, Jaime. He and I are both busy, and sometimes it takes a while before we figure out a time to connect on the…
Cowboy Exhibit at the Reagan Library Today vs My Experience in Texas as a Kid
Today, Ray and I went with our friends Ronnie, Art, and Joseph to the Reagan Library to see the Cowboys: History and Hollywood exhibit. There, we saw photos of real cowboys, a bona fide chuck wagon, examples of guns, rifles, hats, chaps, and jeans of the cowboy era, a map showing the cattle drives, rodeo…
Sharp Edges, Softened
This blog post was inspired by a college essay question one of my students was required to answer: Give a brief self-interview that will help us get to know you better. Reading the prompt, I realized it invited deep reflection, so I decided to answer the prompt myself. 1) You have clearly done quite a…
20 Minutes a Day 