Hope Chest

Not that long ago, a hope chest was a piece of furniture used by an unmarried young woman to store clothing and household items to be used after she got married. Presumably, the chest and its contents represented her hope for the future. All the good people of Westville ever wanted was a better life. … Continue reading Hope Chest →

Beautiful

“It’s a beautiful day in Pennsylvania!” Thus spoke Pete Wambach on his daily radio program for over 20 years. I grew up in Pennsylvania, so I remember it well. Fred Rogers used to sing his title song, “It’s a Beautiful day in the Neighborhood” for his children’s show. “The night is beautiful, so the faces … Continue reading Beautiful →

Notes on The Journey

An old friend called me a few days ago to tell me he was diagnosed with dementia. We are about the same age, so it was not hard to imagine myself in his shoes. Except he is a cancer survivor. 15 years ago he underwent a horrendous array of treatments – chemo therapy, a bone … Continue reading Notes on The Journey →

Kids’ Stuff

Let’s review a few rules many of us used to learn. Most of these are in the tradition of my parents and fellow Pennsylvanians. I’m concerned that the instant gratification and solipsism of our time might have already taken their toll on what was once considered common knowledge. I also worry about what might happen … Continue reading Kids’ Stuff →

The Unthinkable

Back in college, when we discussed the influences of “nature and nurture,” genetics and upbringing, inevitably the notion of a child “raised by wolves” came up. Fictional stories like Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan or Mowgli from Kipling’s The Jungle Book made us wonder what would happen if a child was left alone in the wild. … Continue reading The Unthinkable →

Loss

My Dad came from a generation that rarely shared emotions. I don’t recall him ever telling me, “I love you.” I remember he cried on three occasions – when his mother died, when Mom died, and when my brother had a stroke. His emotions did become more apparent in the last decade or so of … Continue reading Loss →

Simplicity

For many years I became depressed during the holidays. At a time when many seemed merry and bright, I felt sad and alone, as if the message of Christmas hadn’t quite reached me. Often, I felt like a Yuletide Sisyphus, trying to push a gigantic snowball up a wintery hill only to have it roll … Continue reading Simplicity →