There are betrayals of flesh and blood and they are the worst betrayals. I am not alright: My sleeping is pocked and marred again and not by dreams but by insufficiency. The result is a veil that positions itself between my deepest thinking self and the formation of words, the processing of numbers and their […]
Courage
Sometimes our children surprise us. Really surprise us. I remember my older son defending his much littler brother against a bully, a kid who was beefier than both of them put together. But my first-born threw himself into the fray without hesitation, and got the bully to back off. Flash forward nine years. That bully […]
Why do people cheat?
Do you cheat? Let me be more specific. After all – there’s cheating and then there’s fudging a little, right? Did you ever cheat in school? Did you ever cheat at a game? Do you rationalize cutting corners? Did you ever cheat in a relationship, and how “far” is cheating? How do you define cheating? […]
Lucid Dreaming
My younger son leans back in his chair at the dinner table and reaches over to the bookcase. He slips out a glossy paperback and begins flipping through it. “Why do you have a book on dream analysis?” he asks. My son doesn’t normally initiate a discussion. This is a pleasant change. Oh that, I […]
Sleeping Sagas, Restless Legs
I feel great. I mean really great. I haven’t felt this well in some time. I’ve had three consecutive nights of 7 hours of sleep. I realize that many people sleep six or seven hours each night and think nothing of it. For me, this is a feat, and vital. It’s the difference between a […]
Metro Tickets in My Pocket, Black Cat, Mashed Potatoes
Metro tickets in my pocket I finally drop my weary body onto the bed. It’s nearly 9 at night and my son pops into my room and wants to go out. It’s Thanksgiving break. He’s 16. Of course he wants to go out. Where? To a nearby pizza joint, about two miles away where friends […]
Now a Word About Quality…
Choosing quality over quantity or quantity over quality? Issues in quality relationships, customer service, consumer behavior.
What Makes You Cry?
Weepy. That was me, yesterday. Tears of joy, and yes – sentimentality. Remembering poignant moments when my sons were younger, and realizing that my second little bird will fly the nest before I know it. Tears, tears, and more tears. All good – because afterward, I felt better. What makes you cry? Men and Tears […]
Joy Part 3: Phone, Mail, Doorbell: All Teens Accounted For
Season of joy? Any time, any place. Now go peek at Joy Part 1, and Joy Part 2, if you haven’t. This is (for now) the last of today’s trilogy of tiny moments filled with the best sort of joy. Phone call About an hour ago I received an unexpected phone call from a West […]
Joy Part 1: Red Balloon on the Ceiling
Sometimes, joy comes in a red balloon.