I was sitting outside, editing, when Zuri opened the door with a petrified look on her face.“Mommy, Zahara burned herself.”I dropped my computer on the chair and ran behind my daughter into the kitchen. The stove was still on and a funky-looking funnel cake was burning in the pot. An orange…
We chose Panama City Beach the way one would if they were to spin a globe, stop it suddenly, and select the first place whose letters were no longer a blur. We rolled the words around our mouths, considered the price we wanted to pay, and searched for vacation properties. For weeks, we sent ideas…
On my way to church to make ten gallons of chili for a cookoff, Markolee asked to stop at this little library. He didn't find anything he wanted but I found The Inner Voice of Love by Henri J.M. Nouwen. In one of the spiritual imperatives - Give Gratuitously - he wrote, "Often love is…
There is so much to fear,
so much to mourn, and
so many burdens to bear.
Global warming, coronavirus, and political unrest are all great cause for lament.Turn off the lights, wash your hands, vote, and cry if you must-
but then clean your face and lookup.
The birds are busy working:
making babies, singing songs, and telling their stories.
The trees are…
No one driving behind me
I pushed down
and the turn signal clicked louder than it ever had.
A crescendo of clicks turned my neck towards my teen daughter sitting in the passenger seat.
She has a learner’s permit now-
but soon, she will be alone in a car driving to dance class, a friend's house, or Sunday school.
A poem…
A few days ago, I was in Jamaica for my grandfather's funeral. As customary with the celebration of life on the island, a funeral is a two-day event. First, there is the Nigh-night, and the day after is the funeral.The Nigh-night is an all-night party.
When we arrived in Cumberland, the party had already begun. A…