When my son was in middle school, he brought home a book about Edvard Munch, the Norwegian painter known for his emotional use of color. I don’t remember him ever being particularly interested in artists, so it must have been…
As a child, I thought my dad simply liked nice clothes. It wasn’t until years later that I realized his carefully pressed shirts and suits represented something much deeper. They were a quiet reminder of how far he’d come—and they made me wonder about the private markers we all carry.
Last week, I went to a baseball game at Kauffman Stadium, home of my favorite team, the Kansas City Royals. While looking out at the iconic fountains in the outfield, I realized I had been visiting this ballpark for over…
Nothing stirs up nostalgia like visiting your hometown. Whether you love it or dislike it, going home creates a feeling that exists nowhere else.
As I sit on my back deck watching the palms sway in the breeze, I remember the first time I ever saw a palm tree—and the awe that washed over me. I was young, around 8 or 10 years old,…
The Joni Mitchell song Both Sides Now has always been a favorite. For me, it describes how we come to view the world differently as we live longer and our life experiences teach us to see both sides. The good…
Does every generation believe that the time when they grew up was the best? Childhood has a way of allowing us to remain blissfully ignorant of the problematic events that are surrounding us, letting us live a carefree existence. Those…