As I sat in dead Aunt Rosie’s parlor and waited for the coroner to show up, I glanced around the well-lived-in room. My eyes fell upon a sign I’d never seen. ‘In our family, we don’t hide crazy… we give it a cocktail and sit it on the porch.’ I chuckled despite the circumstances. This ...

After the initial shock of Rita’s cancer diagnosis, several meetings with doctors and specialists were scheduled. A treatment regimen is recommended, followed, and monitored closely. It includes surgeries, chemo, and radiation sessions, but not without difficulties. Rita loses her hair and wears a wig. She is not comfortable and hates the thought of wearing it. ...

My heart. My heart aches and I cry. My heart rejoices and I laugh. Today, I feel my heart aching and rejoicing.   Will it ever know its way to reconciliation?

In the meantime, ensconced in North Dakota, Johnny, and Rita are content. Establishing a routine in their new home takes a while. Johnny is enthusiastic about exploring engineering schools to commence his research. Employed at a junior level, he is eager to move up the ladder. Advanced learning, higher salary, and decision-making power are his ...

Mildred looks up from her reminiscing and her martini – it is almost all gone. It’s been a lingering and fascinating afternoon. We have lost all track of time. The sun is dipping behind the tobogganing hill, its rays slanting into the sunroom. Jason comes downstairs to remind us he is starving.  We are all ...

When I leave work and walk home to join my husband, joy replaces unsolved woes  and I’m happy. On my way back to work I carry an extra shield of love a layer of purity, to unfold hurdles with a smile knowing my husband’s hug awaits.

When Johnny turns sixteen, he and grandpa go car shopping. They are searching for a used one, but it is exciting nonetheless. Johnny sees a set of hot wheels out of grandpa’s price range. He falls in love and pleads to make up the difference by working longer hours at the garage. Grandpa gives in, ...

Mildred is enjoying her newfound freedom after her divorce from Ray. She hits the dating scene and immediately falls in love again. The tall, handsome Gene Gephardt is amiable and ambitious. He dreams of building an upscale nightclub and restaurant on the outskirts of Granite City. The location? Not too far from St. Louis but ...

The radiance on his face shows all. His folded hands say all. He won all negotiations with the One. While alive, he meditated and repeated His name ad nauseam. He entered the One’s universe on his own terms. He merged with One, for the world to see. The world he leaves behind still does not ...

Going to church every Sunday is another ritual Little Johnny enjoys. Grandpa and grandma are not regular church-goers. So, the neighbors offer to take Little Johnny to church with them every Sunday. The music and singing of hymns and songs enthrall Little Johnny. The two churches at the end of the street sit across from ...