“When You’re Down and Troubled…”: The Essential Support of Friends
When I was directing high school plays, certain students would fawn over me for weeks before auditions. Others were nervous, fearing I’d succumb to the ego boost as many do. … Continue reading
Useful or Being Used? How Can You Tell the Difference?
A dear friend who was dying, took my hand. “People told me I used you,” she said tearfully. “I guess they were right. But I didn’t mean to. I love … Continue reading
Welcome!
All are friends who enter here—the kind who care enough to tell the truth, albeit gently. “Gramma” is an ideal of unconditional good will, an attempt to be brave, kind, … Continue reading
Dog Deprivation
If you want to know what being a dog-friend means, ask someone who has lost hers. When you come home, you can expect to be welcomed. You can always find … Continue reading
Post-War Redemption?
I’ve taught several war vets in my college classes, and they helped me understand a little more about PTSD. My first exposure was to a man who had served in … Continue reading
True Love—The Greatest Valentine
The greatest Valentine’s Day gift is pure love itself. We use love to frame and enrich the blows and joys of living. Romantic love can mature into a multi-faceted relationship … Continue reading
Weird Friends
“You have really weird friends,” my mother told me when I came home to visit as a young professional. I took a moment to consider. “I guess I do,” I … Continue reading
Love Thy Neighbors as They Love You
Long ago when my husband and I were about to purchase our first house, we worried that we might spend all our money to live beside people who would ultimately … Continue reading
My Funny Valentine Working Off-Duty: A Story of True Love
I stood behind the single counter in the small trendy shop where I was working to help pay my way through graduate school. I had to struggle not to giggle … Continue reading
