A friend of mine is an avid reader. I am fascinated by the fact that she reads about a hundred books a year. What I find even more fascinating is that she owns very few books herself. One reason is that she downsized not long ago to a smaller living space. She had to be ruthless in getting rid of things, and extremely selective in what she kept. Another reason is that she lives near a library, which she considers her second home. At any [...]
As the weather starts to turn chilly, and talk turns to forecasts of frost and the winter to come, it again calls to mind the old joke about there being two seasons in Minnesota: winter and road construction. And since this past summer’s construction season was especially brutal, the coming winter may be more welcome than usual. I’ve been as vocal as everyone else in complaining about the heavier-than-normal road construction this summer, and the delays and disruptions it’s caused. On more than one occasion, [...]
A friend of mine has a new nickname: “Naughty Barb.” This is especially funny to the people who know her, since she is probably one of the nicest people on the planet. She is caring and compassionate, strong and supportive, with a genuine concern for others and a willingness to share her own painful stories and experiences if they will be of benefit to others in any way. She is also a “connector” and loves to put people who can help each other in touch [...]
I did something recently that I don’t think I’ve ever done before. For dinner one day last week, I fixed a meal that I usually prepare just two or three times a year, and only on a weekend when we’re celebrating a special occasion and have other family members or friends over. Except this time, I did it in the middle of the week, for no one but my husband and me, and for no particular reason – other than the fact that the pork [...]
I spent the better part of a day at the hospital last week, and had several encounters that made me feel like I was playing one of those “six degrees of separation” games. They also made me realize how closely connected we all can be. The reason I was in the hospital was to be with a friend who was having day surgery. She asked if I could drop her off in the morning and pick her up after her surgery, but I decided not [...]
I’ve decided to go back to school. Not for a Masters or Doctorate degree, and not by attending classes along with other students, or by taking classes online and working independently. Instead, I’m designing and following my own curriculum. The reason I’m doing this is that it occurred to me recently that there are a number of activities and events I’m involved in – both personal and professional – that I am having trouble accomplishing for various reasons. My big revelation was that many of [...]
I remember a time, back in my late 20’s, when I was out with some friends from college. We had stayed close after graduation, and were celebrating the 29th birthday of one of the members of our group. She was a bit quiet and withdrawn that night, and we asked her if anything was wrong. She said she was a little depressed about turning 29, because now she was within a year of her 30th birthday – and 30 meant she was getting old. Even [...]
Before last Sunday, I had never been to Lake Elmo. I also had never been to a Lutheran church service. Later in the day, back at home in my own church, I was chatting briefly with one of the deacons about the religious, racial, and cultural differences many of us can find not only in our communities, but among our friends and even within our own extended families. “Our differences shouldn’t just be tolerated,” he said. “They should be celebrated.” His words were music to [...]