Nostalgia

By the time we get to our 60s, there have probably been many ‘What If’ moments. Some may have had little or no impact on our lives, others may have changed the whole course of it. Although we go through life in one body, we mature, learn, gain wisdom and grow emotionally…

When my mother was the age that I am now, I had five children, ages 11 to 3. I was home schooling all of them, making food from scratch, and living my best earth-mother-type life. And, I had a neuro-muscular disease…

If you grew up in the 1970s or raised your children during that era, chances are you spent more than a few evenings watching The Waltons. Set in Depression-era Virginia, this beloved TV show became a cultural touchstone, not just for its down-to-earth characters…

I am the mother of three adult children and six grandchildren. The nurturing part of me wants to protect my family from all evil, wrongdoing, and unsavory individuals. I want them to grow up in a peaceful world where all men and women are created equal…

It was at a yard sale somewhere. That’s where I bought it. Or maybe it was an antique shop someplace. I don’t remember. The portable Royal manual came in its own leather carrying case, the outside stained from someone’s black coffee or spilled wine. When I opened it, the machine’s…

Most people won’t deeply engage with your life story – not because it lacks value, but because they’re preoccupied with their own. Polite nods, vague responses, or distracted glances don’t diminish its significance. The truth is, external indifference is ultimately secondary…

I can’t believe it, just as no one can believe it: the famous 50th high school reunion has cropped up on me. The sentiments have long been expressed: it went so fast. It seems like a cliché, the 50th…

A recipe is more than just directions on a page – it’s a memory, a tradition, a piece of someone’s heart passed down through time. It’s the taste of childhood, the comfort of a loved one’s cooking, the warmth of a meal shared with family. Whether it’s your grandmother’s worn…

I retuned my old acoustic guitar the other day. Not to get too geeky on the music side, but this was not a retuning to the traditional approach, adjusting the tone for each string to the standard E, A, D, G, B, E. This was alternate tuning. It’s referred to as…

I was a clever gatherer of things. Mostly paper. In neat piles. Inside of drawers. Resting innocuously on shelves. Tucked into boxes that lurked in the shadowy recesses of my garage…