There are infinitely many kinds of beautiful lives. — Maria Popova The old phrase “great minds think alike” came to mind this morning when Popova’s words appeared in my inbox, beautifully articulating a truth I’ve long held close. Whenever I meet with book clubs or writing groups, I find myself reminding the room that every single…
Summer Begins
Today is June 1, 2026, and although the calendar says the solstice is still weeks away, the heart knows better. For those of us with a bit of silver in our hair, June 1st was always the true, unarguable inauguration of summer. By now, the heavy school doors had slammed shut, throwing open the gates…
Cloud Nine
I’m on Cloud Nine today. Last night, my granddaughter’s high school soccer team won the State Championship. It was a grueling, heart-stopping match. Tied 1–1 at the end of regulation, the teams battled through four separate overtimes before heading to penalty kicks. With my granddaughter playing goalie, the tension in our house was maxed out.…
The Breaking Point
I just read about what happened to the number-one male tennis player in the world at the French Open. He had already captured the first two sets and sat comfortably at 5-1 in the third when the oppressive Paris heat took hold of him. He stayed on the court, pushing through the haze, but the…
Deception and Reality
There are certain phrases that have snuck their way into our language much like the armadillo has found its way from Texas to North Carolina’s highways. The phrases themselves are deceptive: “side effects,” “collateral damage,” and “friendly fire” are but a few examples. They are linguistic anesthesia, designed to make us ignore or minimize consequences…