Kirsti Sipila

One evening before bedtime, I was watching a Christian program on television when the feed for it was cut off. After trying to fix it, things got worse, and I got only one channel to watch. I was sure that I had messed up the television by … Read more

It was early in my life that I was asked to sing solos in school and community gatherings in Finland. Before World War II, it was intended that I continue to have singing lessons from an opera singer who spent her summers in our village. … Read more

The days of winter seem to hold the darkest hours of the year. Many people leave home for their workplaces in the dark and also return in the dark. In addition, winter mornings are in a deep-freeze. I also think of a large company of … Read more

I am one of those so-called stubborn elderly people holding onto my independence tooth and nail. I have rejected help, saying, "Please, let me do things in my own home." I find people are very helpful anyway, so when I can't get my coat … Read more

Once again, I was not connected to the Internet, and I was in need of assistance. I contacted the service by telephone, and after the usual drill, the technician recommended that I let him walk me through fixing the problem. … Read more

I needed a computer technician to fix my Internet security software. Watching him go from screen to screen, from page to page, with writings and numbers and codes for what to do next, I was taken by all the technology before me and the … Read more

It was my 88th birthday, and I was receiving e-mails, cards, and flowers to my great enjoyment. One more event was coming, when one of my three sons and his wife drove some two hundred kilometres to take me out to lunch. I thought nothing … Read more

One winter long ago, a neighbour of our church phoned to complain that the church was not doing its share of clearing the sidewalks of snow. I had taken the phone call, so later after work, I went to see what had happened. As I saw it, the … Read more

I have been visually impaired for some time now, and today, I want to tell you about my struggle with not being able to see the details. Adjusting to this new normal is like being a first-grader in the school of learning! I am often … Read more

My daily walks include meeting people, and so it was one day, that I asked a lady if I could sit on the other side of an outdoor table at a cafe. After a brief silence, we engaged in conversation about how lovely the day was. We found … Read more