On Gratitude

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...” So Charles Dickens begins A Tale of Two Cities, published in 1859. As I look back on my life, I discover the same thing. Each phase is made up of both good and bad experiences, and what we take from both becomes our…

To See the Sea

I have always been fascinated by water.  When I was three, my sisters and I would put on our bathing suits, go outside, and dance in the rain.  A little older, we’d walk many blocks to the city swimming pool, where for a quarter we could swim all day.  I loved going to Pine Lake,…

To a Friend

I recently read Salvation, by Anne Osterlund. I really enjoyed this book. The story was beautifully told and gave me a lot to think about. She deals sensitively with the hardships of being an immigrant family, loyalty, friendship, and the dream of having a better life, of being more and achieving more than those around…