Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
Shouts. Hoofbeats. Marching feet. Drum and fife. Gunshots. Singing. Tolling bells. Freedom echoes down the portals of time, echoes bouncing off the pages of history into the present. Behind the fireworks, food, and festivities are lost lives, changed lives, tears, and fears. Behind the celebration of freedom is sacrifice. Freedom Leaders As a writer, I’ve […]
Memorial Day is traditionally reserved as a time of mourning and remembrance for those who died while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. However, we are remiss in not also honoring and remembering those who served and survived, those who carry deep mental and emotional scars. Often, when veterans are interviewed, especially older veterans, after […]
Last week, I did a major clean out of three closets. As I worked, I was surprised to discover clothes in a little-used closet that dated back to my college years, almost five decades ago! Although I’m still not finished, I am happy with my progress. Cleaning out isn’t limited to clothing or household items. […]
Have you ever had someone drop a bomb on you about all the ways you’ve offended them? The detailed gut-spill of incidents may go back years, and interestingly, you may not remember the incidents at all. Offense is a strange commodity. Some overcome being offended rapidly and regain forward motion. Others store offense, ruminate on […]
In recent months, I’ve read numerous novels set in World War II and learned a great deal about Adolph Hitler’s reign of terror, the hallmarks of which were fear, uncertainty, control, and loss of freedoms. Hitler’s totalitarian dictatorship from 1933-1945, systematically created an atmosphere of fear and hatred, while invading other countries and taking away […]
With the approach of the 4th of July, liberty, freedom, and independence are the watchwords uppermost in our minds. We enjoy many forms of freedom in America, yet often take those freedoms for granted. While we associate this July holiday with national independence, in a broader sense, freedom also includes personal liberty. Sometimes, we allow […]
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence from Great Britain, and formally adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4th. As a country, we celebrate our independence in many ways, and not just on the 4th of July. But how does independence factor into our personal lives? Is independence always […]
In the mid-1950s, before I was born, my parents went to Europe. My Uncle Wesley was stationed in Germany as part of the post-WWII Allied presence and my parents visited him and Aunt Jean. But my parents also went to Switzerland to see the place where my father was held prisoner after his plane was […]
As I left the gym Saturday, the teen sitting behind the reception desk stifled a yawn while wishing me a good day. “Sorry for yawning,” she said. “I graduated last night and didn’t get much sleep.” After getting in the car, I thought about what it means to be a senior and how seniority has […]
As a writer, I’ve always wondered what it was like to pen something as significant and monumental as the Declaration of Independence. Did Thomas Jefferson welcome the challenge? Did sentences form in his head faster than he could dip quill to ink pot? Or did he sit and ponder, staring at blank parchment as he […]