We’ve all experienced it: that moment when you receive news that a dear friend is gone, and time stops. We got the call on Thursday and instantly couldn’t think of anything else. Work stress, household issues, achy knees and a hurting world all fell away. Since that time, we’ve texted photos and relived memories with… Continue reading Stopping Time
Un-seeing
When my youngest daughter was a child, she was afraid of drive-through carwashes. It’s really my fault: One day when, as a toddler, she was sound asleep in her carseat, I took the opportunity to go through a carwash. I never imagined how frightening it would be for her to awaken to noise and lights… Continue reading Un-seeing
The Visit
I believe it’s a universal truth that the holidays are the time that everyone misses their parents the most. It’s certainly true for me, and I find daily reminders that transport me back to childhood Christmases. For instance, my dad had the most beautiful voice; if he was singing in the other room, you would… Continue reading The Visit
Filling the Holes
Earlier this year I had to have an infected tooth pulled. This created a hole in my mouth that became a constant source of fascination to my wandering tongue. I discovered that, in times of stress or anger, instead of biting my tongue, I could simply slip it into that crevice. The hole became familiar,… Continue reading Filling the Holes
Broken
All summer I have been captivated by the swarms of butterflies dancing amongst my zinnias and celosias. Their fragile wings and luscious colors are enchanting parts of summer magic that I forget until the season comes around again. Recently, I noticed that one of the butterflies’ wings was broken. She (he?) was still able to… Continue reading Broken
The Bench
It was just a bench. And not an attractive one. Recently, in the name of progress, a long-standing strip shopping center, Belle Meade Plaza, was torn down here in Nashville. A new commercial development is to be built in that prime spot. Gone is the grocery store in my parents’ neighborhood; wiped away by the… Continue reading The Bench
Tropical Grafting
In early June, my husband and I spent two weeks in Italy. I was astonished at the antique worlds I found myself in. We visited Herculaneum and Pompeii, Rome’s Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum and Forum. We walked through Pompeii, marveling in the shops and houses and streets that once housed a citizenry. We saw… Continue reading Tropical Grafting
Bringing the Light
The chancel in my church sanctuary is extremely vertical— soaring to a cathedral pitch more than 40 feet in the air. Over the altar hangs a cross, ostensibly suspended, but actually held in place by wire. Above that cross are 15 recessed eyeball lights that brighten the crest. Below them, two lights shine directly on… Continue reading Bringing the Light
The Summons
What a week to be an American. How many of us have crumbled under fear of the unknown and gut-wrenching grief at the loss of lives in the Potomac and Philadelphia. And what a week to work in an academic medical center, as funding freezes and impending cut-backs bring the wheels of research to a… Continue reading The Summons
Straight Edges
For Christmas, our daughter gave my husband and me a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle. With the freezing temperatures outside and late afternoon darkness descending upon us, a puzzle seemed the perfect winter activity. Several evenings, with glasses of wine and James Taylor providing ambience, we worked. While we’re working the puzzle, we seldom chat; sometimes… Continue reading Straight Edges
IN THE MIDDLE 