Once a friend of mine, visiting in a nursing home for the elderly, said “Merry Christmas” at the bedside of a woman who then began to cry and said, “I didn’t know it was Christmas.” My friend was angry. She had heard Christmas music in the lobby, but there was none on […]
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The First Question Posted on May 25, 2021 by frances0615@att.net July 1, 2021 The obvious first question that must be asked when we are facing the question of where to live when we are old is simple: Where will I be safe? I have known that for a long time. But a few days ago […]
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If you are getting old and know it and thinking to move yourself to an independent living/assisted care home, you are faced with more questions than you faced when planning your fancy wedding. For instance, to drive or not to drive. In other words, to take your car to the retirement home or not. […]
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So much has happened in the short time since I finished Helping Yourself Grow Old. I read the page proofs in defiance of my knowledge that it is nearly impossible for a writer to accurately proof-read her own work. (Our brains tend to see what we meant to say, missing little things like transposed letters.) […]
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On October 19 on the evening newscast, NBC reported these words out of North Korea: “Negotiation is only possible if America’s nuclear weapons are also on the table.” Days later the words are still ringing in my ears, in spite of perpetual static on every other topic imaginable. I have heard over and over […]
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Donald Trump’s belligerent words in the United Nations have made plain our desperate need for a Department of Peace. For months Trump and Kim Jong-un have been exchanging taunts like school-yard bullies over North Korea’s testing of nuclear weapons. And now the president in his first appearance before the United Nations, has told the […]
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(Preacher’s note: this sermon was written for the congregation of Holy Comforter Episcopal Church in Burlington, NC, in response to events in Charlottesville, Virginia, last Saturday, August 12. I had another sermon written, when suddenly the news broke. I had friends, colleagues in Charlottesville, and the news was personal to me as well as completely […]
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This Middle East story is one I have wanted to bring to my readers for a long time. Ramona Sfeir is a person precious to me. I have one of her art objects, bought in the 1980s at an exhibit mentioned in this story, and it is one of my most valued possessions, because it […]
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The first paragraph of the preface to the American version of Radical tells us that Americans misunderstand Islam and Muslims misunderstand America. Consequently Maajid Nawaz feels that his book is an act of diplomacy, disguised as the story of his life. Indeed we learn from his story things very important for us to know. […]
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Omar Mir Seddique Mateen, whoever he was down deep, whatever his motivation, regardless of his legal right to own an assault weapon, has done more than he could have expected to do when he planned to slaughter a roomful of unsuspecting people. He may not have intended to play into the hands of a reckless […]
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