95 years old. Double cancer survivor. Faithful Sunday School teacher. Long history of public service, both military and civic. Navy veteran and Annapolis graduate. Fell and blackened an eye, required stitches, and yet he showed up to work on building a house for someone trying to make a better life. Jimmy Carter is a man … Continue reading Carter’s Character
“Just follow the yellow line—it will take you right to it.” This was a common thing to hear at Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville, Kentucky. People had asked so many times that the cemetery finally just painted a line on the road to take you to there. The place in question was the grave of … Continue reading Fitting Memorials
It was not a normal birthday. Often birthdays are filled with cakes and parties and music and gatherings of family and friends. I was going to be in a small darkened room, with only my sister in attendance and a couple of medical staff. Instead of dancing and mingling, I would lying almost completely still. … Continue reading Age of Generosity
I recently saw a story online that caught my interest. Someone was out in Amish country and came upon an elderly gentleman. There is more curiosity about the Simple People than answers for most of us. The Amish are not usually quick to engage in public conversation about matters of faith or politics, and their … Continue reading Ask my Neighbor
Not yet. Pretty soon. Almost there. You just have to wait a little bit longer. Sooner rather than later. Be patient. We have all kinds of time stamps in our conversations. We are people bound by time and space and the time factor weighs heavily in how we live from day to day. It … Continue reading Largeness of Soul
I awoke before the alarm—not an uncommon or surprising occurrence. I headed toward the kitchen to see if the coffee was perking yet; it’s on a timer so that it can be ready when I am. The wind was surprising this morning. It was still quite dark out, but I could hear the sounds of … Continue reading Standing in the Storm
I was a mess. At least, that’s what it felt like to me. I had had high hopes and here I was in the midst of the depths. I had thought I had some of life figured out, but I was struggling to keep my head above water. Breath and a pulse were about the … Continue reading Many Excellent Mistakes
Thursday afternoon she was lucid. She was tired, but that has been the norm for quite some time now. She was aching some all over. But she knew who she was and where she was and who was with her. She understood that we were talking with a social worker from hospice. She did not … Continue reading Hester the Great
Character in the Making 