While on retreat with members of my spirituality group, we celebrated the courage and commitment of Mary Magdalene. The gospel of John (20:1-18) tells this story: Following the crucifixion, Mary Magdalene went to Jesus’ tomb and saw it was empty. She ran back and told the other disciples, who headed to the burial ground. The…
How many times did we, as kids, trapped in the back seat of cars, ask this question? And how many times have we heard it from our kids? America is saying “Vacation Time – yay!” again, as those brave enough to get vaccinated make the country safe for vacation travel. After a year of going…
This past weekend, we celebrated Independence Day. July 4th is when the United States commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Declaration was signed by representatives of all thirteen American colonies justifying and announcing independence from British rule. The most famous signature was that of…
Beach parties – a popular way to celebrate for at least 100 years- might be a tricky challenge in the U.S. Northeast this weekend. The threatening rainy weather may not be conducive to a day of fun in the sun. A few essential elements have always been a part of Independence Day celebrations – a…
“Not everything that counts can be counted.”[i] Cindy was pregnant when she was diagnosed with cancer. Her child was a toddler when she died. When she realized that the hoped-for miracle was unlikely, Cindy set a goal: to make sure her children remembered her. She chose hospice care for the last months of her life…
Of course, Saturdays and Sundays aren’t a new invention, but the concept of ‘weekend’ as we know it in the United States did not originate until the rise of the labor movement in the early 1900s. Unions formed and demanded shorter hours and more time off for workers to recuperate from their physically demanding jobs.…
I’m a fan of books and libraries. When compared to the severe impacts of Covid which affected almost everyone and everything, losing access to the library sounds petty. But for me, books have provided an oasis from the bad news — medical crises, economic devastation, and hopes & dreams quashed or postponed. The proliferation of…
My appearance on Wayne G. Barber Author Hour Podcast is now available online. Just click the link, and hear my take on the writing process, peppered with the history and legends which spurred me to write. Both nerve-wracking and fun, the live interview on the radio pushed me way out of my comfort zone.…
My grandson lives in Florida. When the family moved in 2020, the new house had a pool. Bonus! — given that public pools were closed due to COVID. Last summer, 4-year-old Patrick hated if his face even got wet. He would stand on tiptoes to make sure that his head was above the water line.…
On Tuesday (May 25th) I will be the guest author on AUTHOR’S HOUR with Wayne Barber. Tune into 1380 on the AM dial or 99.9FM at 9:00am EDT to hear me talk about my award winning (!) books and author related Intellectual Property issues like obtaining copyright protection for your works of art. Don’t just…
