Ann’s daughter, Sheila, was getting married, and there were a million things to do before the wedding. There was a wedding cake to order, catering to set up, and lots of bridesmaid dresses to sew. The list went on and on, and there was only a week left to do it. So when Sheila approached her one morning with a simple request, it was almost overwhelming.
Personal Voice
More Personal Voice Features
What to Look For In a College
My daughter was finishing her high school senior year when she expressed her desire to attend a certain university. I knew that the programs for which it was known would not be of interest to her, so I was confused at her choice. “Why do you plan to go there?” I asked.
What Opera Can Teach Us About the Mortal Experience
My first experience with opera was a disaster. My wife and I joined the godparents of our oldest child at the Metropolitan Opera, America’s greatest stage for this exuberant and pretentious art form. I was bored and mystified. Barely visible humanoids shouted at each other at the bottom of an open pit mine. We were perched at the mine’s upper rim, trying to decipher the red supertitles that flickered on the backs of most seats.
Driving Home: At the Deathbed of a Loved One
My father was a driven, high intensity trial attorney. He loved to drive cars, hard bargains, and outcomes. On occasion, he drove his adoring family up a wall. But very advanced age eventually made driving an issue. Even he had to face the winding down scenes that all of us do.
I’ve Seen Worse
My daughter asked me if I would judge at a debate tournament. “I’ve never even been to a debate tournament,” I replied. “It’s okay,” she said. “They’ll train you. Besides, the most important part of judging is to give the students information about what you feel they can do better. If you just give them points and don’t say why you scored them the way you did, it will mean nothing.”
Of Good Cheer: When You’re Dealt a Proverbial Cow Pie
I had the chance to go on Trek this past week…as a pa! We had 11 kids assigned to our family and we only knew 2 of them. Those young people taught me some amazing things over the course of those three days. The most valuable lesson came after a really tough day.
Hiding My Own Easter Eggs
“You think you can find some good places to hide them?” John asked me. “Not only can I find some great places to hide the eggs,” I joked, “but with my memory the way it is, I could hide my own Easter eggs and never be able to find them all.”