Twilight Thoughts

Dearest Rachel – In the twelve hundred plus days since your departure, I’d like to think that I’ve come to terms with my situation. You’re gone, and you aren’t coming back. Nor should I wish to drag you away from the paradise you’ve attained. Likewise, there’s no sign that Megumi is on the horizon, orContinue reading “Twilight Thoughts”

To Fear the Day Ahead

Dearest Rachel – It’s not yet four in the morning; while, being Friday, I have every intention in my mind to head out and exercise, I’m not ready to do so. And it’s not just because the facility won’t be open for an hour an a half, or that I’m dealing with the usual squabblesContinue reading “To Fear the Day Ahead”

The Rut

Dearest Rachel – I know it’s weird for me to comment on the titles of these letters; as far as I’m concerned, it’s weird for letters to have titles in the first place. But when they’re set out in this blog format, it seems they need something to distinguish one from another. This isn’t necessarilyContinue reading “The Rut”

Overlooked Birthday

Dearest Rachel – Happy birthday, honey. I hope you didn’t think I’d forget about you today. I know that you never really liked it when your birthday fell on a Sunday, because it got subsumed into the more general celebrations of Mothers’ Day. And while you didn’t begrudge your mother (or mine, in the yearsContinue reading “Overlooked Birthday”

The Order of the Day is Silence

Dearest Rachel – Although compared to you, almost anyone could be considered a morning person (especially if one has a nine-to-five – or rather, a seven-thirty-to-five-thirty – job to go to), I never tended to think of myself as such. I mean, it’s not as if I wanted to get up at five in theContinue reading “The Order of the Day is Silence”

Tapped Out (for the Moment)

Dearest Rachel – There are days when the slightest thing can trigger a flood of memories for me to write you about. Like Marcel Proust going on for pages about the shape, texture, and mouthfeel of a madeleine cookie, there are days when I could write for ages on the smallest thing, if I feltContinue reading “Tapped Out (for the Moment)”

from Rachel: Unchangeable Labels

Write your fact labels here: “wife, mom, daughter, only child, dog walker, short, bi-ocular, near-sighted, brunette, brain tumor-survivor, caucasian, college graduate.” Describe a time when you experienced a disconnect because of labels. “Lately, several people have been asking/expressing concern about my surgery two years ago. While I still enjoy singing praises to God and aboutContinue reading “from Rachel: Unchangeable Labels”

Floods, Droughts and Equity

Dearest Rachel – There are things you don’t notice when they don’t apply to you. For instance, whenever I go shopping at Meijer, I pretty much ignore everything except for the grocery section; that’s basically dismissing out of hand nearly three-quarters of the store. As far as I’m concerned, the clothing, the housewares, the gardening,Continue reading “Floods, Droughts and Equity”