Sharon Lundquist and I married brothers and have been dear friends for most of our adult lives. I sometimes say that we are sisters-in-love as well as sisters-in-law. For many years, we have lived in the same greater metropolitan area, but … Read more
The word "ritual" often carries an aura of mysticism, conjuring up a negative vibe. But a ritual can be simply defined as an action repeatedly done in the same way. A ritual needn't require hocus-pocus or incantations, but can simply be a … Read more
"Where on earth can my jacket be?" I wondered. Uncharacteristically, I had mislaid my favourite jacket. Though it has seen plenty of wear, I like it for its suitability to most weather conditions. Many of us love an old, familiar garment … Read more
Have you ever found yourself carrying on a private conversation — with yourself? Such internal dialogue is normal and often quite productive. My own thought life may sometimes seem to be aimless and fragmented, but I've also solved many a … Read more
My sister-in-law and I are classical music aficionados. For a number of years, we had season tickets to the Oregon Symphony and greatly enjoyed meeting in downtown Portland for each of the concerts in our season's package. This long-time … Read more
Who would have thought that I would welcome the pounding and thudding up on my roof? Yet, at last, the long-anticipated and dreaded day had arrived! Our condo association board had been preparing us for several months for this reality. It … Read more
A universe opens to me when I sit down with a good book. I especially like reading something about which I know little or nothing. A recent example was a book called The Perfect Mile by Neal Bascomb. I learned that during the early … Read more
The past three years have been like no other period of my life. As a younger person, I worked full-time while also juggling care of my home and family. I have been deeply involved in church and community work over the years. I also love … Read more
Do you ever feel as though your life is an endless cycle of one step forward, two steps back, despite your greatest efforts? To be sure, there are stretches when things run smoothly for a while, but then, there inevitably comes a bump in … Read more
It was a cold January morning — and one of those rare ones in the Pacific Northwest of the USA when we waken to a fresh blanket of snow covering the ground. It was also garbage pickup morning, which meant that I had to have the garbage … Read more