Friday Tidings

The eyes looking at me above the surgical mask were reassuring. “Your baby girl is strong. She’s going to be just fine.” Those are the last words I remember hearing before her emergency caesarean birth. This was my daughter Alyse’s tiny beginnings—arriving two months early. I’ve watched her grow and change throughout her seasons of life. And I’ve speculated that her early birth may have developed her abilities to persevere.   In her busy life with two kids and a demanding career, she perseveres to stay healthy too—so she runs, bikes, and swims. She added marathons to her resume, but last Sunday, she upped her game by attempting a Half Ironman—swimming the equivalent of 80 laps in the pool (but in a river wearing a wetsuit), then quickly changing and riding 51 miles on her bike. The race was completed with a 13-mile run to the finish line.   My husband installed the Ironman tracker phone app so we could follow her progress mile by mile. But it was 70 miles to the finish —a...

Having taken spring quarter off to get married, Tom and I enrolled in summer school to keep pace with our graduation goals. Our professor, Sandra Simon, was in her late fifties with a full mane of curly gray ringlets. She wore large, square-shaped purple glasses and her wisdom seemed to flow like the boldly colored muumuus she always wore. While we focused on improving our writing, Sandra was especially fond of seeing us learn more about ourselves. As newlyweds, she saw our exuberance, idealistic expectations, and listened to all our big plans. She smiled knowingly. Towards the end of the quarter, she invited us to meet at her home. It was a bit of a drive from the campus, but she wanted to live in a place where she could “hear” nature. At the end of a winding gravel road, we pulled up to a one-story wood frame home. The door opened and a broad beaming smile and floral muumuu greeted us. We sat in what she called her writing parlor—floor to ceiling bookshelves lined two of the fou...

I’m one of those people who will click through each one my friend’s dozens of vacation pictures posted on Facebook. I love seeing what they experienced. I enjoy the smiles, the selfies, the panoramic views, the mouth-watering plates of food, but I’m most excited to see that summer vacation expression—freedom from work or school, relaxation at its finest. When I was fourteen, my family took a vacation to Colorado—driving over a thousand miles in the hot summer sun (read: no air-conditioned car). Yet, that’s not what I remember most. It was the four of us, suitcases packed, road map in the glove box, route planned, motel stops (with swimming pools) and our final destination in mind.   Back home, a neighborhood kid was watering the plants and feeding the cats.   Most vacations have a purpose—sights to see, often for the first time—and this was no exception. We were traveling to Colorado—specifically to the Air Force Academy. My father was getting what would be his final prom...

When my daughter was young, we always celebrated her half-year birthday. People with birthdays around Christmas understand how underrated your special day can feel when bigger celebrations are happening. So, since my grandmother’s July birthday fell on my daughter’s half-birthday, we celebrated both together. I’m glad we did.   This week, as I turned the calendar to July, my husband reminded me that the year is half over. Indeed, it is. We’re halfway there.   So, I’m celebrating—a half-year of joy. I had reasons to smile every day.   I’m celebrating a half-year of sweet family times—big things like birthday parties and a high school graduation and the weekly times that were ordinary but fulfilling.   I’m  celebrating that I was able to get together for lunch with lifelong friends.    I’m even celebrating Facebook—a place where I can meet with friends anytime.   I like to think that the year isn’t half over, but that there’s a whole half...