Boo Houses

Boo Houses rise up during Halloween night to my delight. The state fair came to town each year but for the life of me, I cannot remember what was there when it wasn’t   Hatching Praying Mantises Baton practice and softball games Cracking pecans and snapping beans The Voices of Joy and fishing with Daddy

The Good and Perfect Life

Waiting to leave everything she knew for the second time, an 11-year-old sat on a tiny plane at Logan Airport and cried on her mother’s shoulder. “Why did you have to leave Boston, Mom? “, she said softly in between sobs. “We had a perfect life. We had a good life”, she pleaded as she

What is trapped inside of memories?

I am frustrated by the fact that memories of my childhood largely escape me. I only have access to only a few scraps that I replay over and over in my mind. Other memories, are the byproduct of second-hand stories told during holidays to explain a photo saved in an old book; ‘remember the Christmas

The Forever Scar

(by Danielle) In 2008, I was at my neighbors birthday party. I was having so much fun until I cut my knee on a brick but I’ll start from the beginning. First, I woke up and saw that my room was covered in sunlight and the joyous sound of birds chirping and flowers blooming. After

Reflections on School

25 years after being put on a plane with a casual, ‘“please watch out for my daughter” to a total stranger in the security line, I find myself back home among family.  Although my life had been a series of strategic maneuverings between parents, broken promises on the softball field and adult experiences that no

Independence

How does a fiercely independent daughter support a fiercely independent father who has temporarily lost some of his independence? Yes, I know- the textbook answer and maybe even the answer in the Bible is to be selfless and accommodating.  Yes, put his needs above your own. Yes, yes, I know and I agree. Yet, this

How would you live in 92 years

Aunt Flossie was one of the most beautiful women around; fiercely independent and ‘mean as a snake’ (in a good way). She was the kind of woman who dressed up, put on red lipstick, a fur coat (yes, fur coat) and just lived life to the fullest. Lots of laughter and fun. I think I

the art of being a parent and an educator

so, I go into to school a few weeks ago to get a better sense of what the curriculum is for my 6th grader. To my surprise, well-not really, the teachers invited the assistant principal to the meeting. Maybe my emails were intimidating. I don’t know. However, I do try to maneuver between being a

White man & Black lady-both with signs

Well, this is an interesting pic of the white guy with a sign, which I’m sure-generated some lively discussion in the world of social media. My own friends were talking about it and wondering ‘what is this man’s problem’. Maybe he’s not a good networker. Maybe he doesn’t have teaching experience? There are plenty of

My mom is a real pain in the ass

“My mom is a real pain in the ass” is probably the first thing Danielle said to her friends when she got on the bus. I did the very thing that teachers hate—sent her off to school angry and upset. My apologies in advance to all of her teachers. BUT, I am soooo tired of Danielle’s casualness and lackadaisical