Happy Birthday

Walter is his neighbor; he lives a few doors down. There are two others in between them and even more in the general vicinity, but Walter has always been my favorite because they share the same birthday. It certainly isn’t because they knew each other (they didn’t), nor because they passed away on the same […]

One year later.

It’s been a year. A year since our world changed forever, a year since he left. In so many ways it feels like it was just yesterday, so the fact that it’s been 365 days frequently boggles my mind. It was the 18th day of his hospital stay, and I think we all figured he’d […]

The Beauty in Loss

One month ago, a relatively routine trip to the vet took a difficult turn. I dropped Tayo off for bloodwork and headed into the office. That same evening, I said goodbye to him. Exactly one year earlier, he’d gotten his tail kicked in what must’ve been the cat fight to end all cat fights. Ever […]

Gusto.

I was reminded tonight that whatever I put in to something needs to give the same in return. Specifically, I was told that I’m deserving of gusto. Gusto. Great enjoyment, energy and enthusiasm. I agree. It’s so easy to wake up each day and put your heart into that which matters to you. So long as […]

Movie Magic

Anyone been watching Hallmark Channel this season? If you have, maybe it’s because you’ve watched it before. Me, this is my first season. Newsflash (or maybe not so much): I’m a crier. Therefore, my newfound channel is, in fact, made for me. Tonight’s feature, Christmas in Conway, has it all: a story that tugs at […]

The Yardstick

My mom used to sew when I was little. I remember her sewing machine, its color, the smell, the sound. I tried a couple of times and can’t say my efforts were a complete failure, but I much preferred sewing small things by hand: scrunchies (it was, after all, the ’80s), maybe a doll dress […]

Light.

“In all our searching, the only thing we’ve found that makes the emptiness bearable is each other.” More TV quotes tonight, the above courtesy of Contact. Beyond its relation to the movie, the first thing this line made me think of is my frequent feeling of sadness and disinterest in the world — thanks to […]

Goodwill.

When something is gone, we often mourn its loss: friend, a spouse, a prized possession, maybe something we had only for a short while but which made an impact upon us. I was thinking recently that I need to take stock of what’s in my closet, maybe some storage areas in the house. Time to […]

Touch anywhere.

I boarded the plane, and the seat-back TV was staring at me. “Touch anywhere to begin.” It seemed straightforward enough, but the command made me think of my long-running streak of singledom. I snickered a little as I turned the words around in my head. I’d never before known instructions to seem both risqué and […]