Two Steps Backwards
I clearly remember one hot summer day I spent stacking hay with Uncle Quinn, Grandpa Cazier, and a couple of cousins. I was 10 years old and none of us yet realized I was having symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Tourette syndrome. One of my OCD symptoms involved my ability to walk without stepping on…
Read MoreWringer Washer
I once read that washing clothes is as easy as taking them off, throwing them on the floor, waiting a few days for mom to pick them up, then tossing them into a machine, and remembering to push a couple of buttons. Obviously, this is an oversimplification of doing the family laundry. For thousands…
Read MoreTeen Talk
Have you talked with a teen lately? I had the privilege of talking with a wonderful 16-year-old this week. She said, “I won’t be able to vote for the president for four more years, but what happens now has a big impact on me anyway.” Powerful words of wisdom from one so young.…
Read MoreFriend or Foe?
Several years ago, our little granddaughter, Alicia, spent the night with us. When she awoke the next morning, she looked at me and said, “I had the worst nightmare ever last night!” Alicia was seven years old, so I was very interested in what her “worst nightmare ever” could be. She dreamed she was…
Read MoreWhat Can I Do?
We spent a few days camping in the mountains as a family – the great outdoors provides many beautiful ways to be together and still keep the social distance we need in our family due to preexisting medical conditions. Quite understandably, our 3-year-old great-granddaughter, Rebecca, wanted more than anything to pick the lovely wildflowers,…
Read MoreMighty Monsters All
Bergen, a beautiful coastal city, is ringed by seven magnificent mountains and is the gateway to Norway’s famous fjords, including a narrow inlet with steep cliffs on both sides into which whales often wander. For hundreds of years, this inlet was a major source of livelihood for the people living along this unique coastline. Men…
Read MoreGun In My Face
The following experience is perhaps the most frightening and awful experience of my entire life. I kept it to myself and from my family for years, and I thought I would take it to my grave. Then I read some research on family history and our life stories and learned the value of sharing our…
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