Category: Life Lessons

Back in 2009, I marveled at the talent a forty-seven-year-old lady, Susan Boyle, displayed on Britain’s Got Talent.  It was her first chance to sing in front of a large audience.  It was the sassy lady’s big break.  Even though she came in second that year, she’s worth about forty million dollars today. Susan Boyle …

I decided to self-publish the blogs I’ve written.  I’ve been planning this since the beginning but got hung up on a format.  I hoped that my kids, their kids, and maybe their kids, would like to see the world through Ruth and my eyes.  We’d done some things worth sharing and I have family stories …

Everyone knows there’s a difference between boys and girls.  If you’ve not been a parent to both, you may not appreciate their unique idiosyncrasies.  They can come from the same place and be two different beasts.  My two sisters and I are great examples.  We’re very different. I stand in the middle of two extremes. …

Just before heading south last October, our condo association held an open house at one of the condo owners’ homes.  About eighty people were invited, an RSVP was requested, and after giving it some thought, I accepted the invitation. The party planner said she was happy I was attending.  On the surface I took her …

I have a Facebook friend, Obadiah, who posted this cartoon a few days ago.  It’s a visual representation of how people handle problems.  Two men, stuck in the same position, take two different paths.  One sits and ponders his misfortune, while the other tries something new, working to improve his lot in life.  It reminded …

I’d heard the word but never really thought seriously about it until Ruth died.  I didn’t understand how you came to be affected by such a demon, and now I am.  It just crept up.  I didn’t know I had it, until I did.  It’s not like getting a cold or the flu.  If there …

When my grandson, Brady, was old enough to comprehend simple conversations, we stressed the concept of “safety first”.  You know the drill, look both ways before crossing the street, always hold hands, watch the red, yellow, green lights, wear a life jacket near the water, don’t go with strangers, and on and on.  There are …

I’ve learned a few things while living on my own these past four months.  I picked up a few tips before Ruth passed, but I’ve thrown them in the mix just the same.  Here’s some things to keep in mind. Ruth and I had a system for loading the dishwasher.  If the door wasn’t closed …

When I was a kid, the first widow I learned about was a spider.  I knew black widows could be deadly and for several months I thought we had one living in our fruit cellar.  The fruit cellar was the former coal bin of our house at 500 N. Edgeworth.  It was a repurposed spot …

I had lunch the other day with three friends. After we spoke, I thought about our conversation and determined we’re four losers. I don’t mean that disrespectfully, but we’ve each lost someone in the past several months and share the common bond of loss. Kathy’s husband woke up one Monday morning and announced he was …