Jeff and Nancy are dear friends of mine. We’ve been friends for nearly a decade. We met as co-workers and have become closer in the years after my leaving our mutual employer. But, friendship isn’t easy. I’m not easy. A while back, I invited Jeff and Nancy over for dinner. They decided they’d bring Chinese takeout and meet me at my place the next night around 6:00. The next day, I’m between clients and I get a text from Jeff. He and Nancy are at my house, and wondering how far away I ...read more
An Open Letter to My Perpetrator
The voice and face of one of my childhood perpetrators had popped into my head a number of times. It was as if he had a guest-starring role in the film of my mind, but I had not been given notice of his most recent casting. Curiosity (and a need to appease the old fears) got the best of me. I hesitantly Googled his name. After 5 or 6 clicks I found that he had died less than two weeks earlier. Something in my spirit already knew, I suppose. It has been decades since seeing him, but many fears ...read more
Your How-To Guide for Life’s Do-Overs
The way I write tends to be different than how I talk. I generally talk in long-winded rants that may or may not end up anywhere close to where I initially intended. I talk and then my brain plays catch up. A good friend often says, “I never have to guess what you’re thinking.” When I talk, I just go. My thinking tends to run in the same direction as my words, but about three strides behind. I don’t realize what’s come out of my mouth until I’m a sentence and a half down the track. This is ...read more