Standing in the checkout line, I overheard the young cashier tell a customer that she was soon going home, which would thrill her three-year-old son. Earlier that morning, her little boy begged her not to leave. She said, “I asked him, ‘Do you want Christmas to come or not?’ He said yes. So I told him, ‘Then I have to… Read More
Rosie walked into the house carrying her famous apple pie. Everyone was happy to see her — and the pie — but also cautious. Rosie’s husband, Simon, died two years ago, and holiday family gatherings have never been the same. No one is sure what to say. They do not want to make Rosie cry by mentioning Simon. Rosie does… Read More
Forcing her feet to step out of the car, Susan dried her eyes before walking into the country dance hall. No one there knew that the reason she wanted to dance was also why her tears fell so easily. Her love for dancing started with the house dances from her childhood. Susan beamed, “I was not any older than five… Read More
Some winters can be long. This has been one of those winters. As with all seasons, there is beauty to be found in winter. However, the cold, ice, snow, and gray days can get long. And the nights can feel longer. Some years, the snow covers the ground for months. So when the snow starts to melt in March, the… Read More
One time when away from my office for four weeks, I failed to have anyone water the plants. When I came back, the plants were brown, shriveled up, and almost dead. I did not know if I could bring them back to their former vibrant selves, but I had to try. Having a tender heart for living things on the… Read More
We face much heartache in life. No one wants to willingly walk into painful times. But since you will at some point find yourself facing a difficult situation, look around and see what beauty you can find. You may be surprised. Sometimes you go through thistles before finding the beauty. You can find beauty in the midst of hard times,… Read More
Today is the fifth anniversary of when my father-in-law, Don Schweingruber, died. I think of him often and know he’d have a lot of wisdom to share with us all during these chaotic times. We shared many conversations about life and death. I treasure those moments. As I reflect on his life, I wanted to share an earlier podcast I… Read More
My daughters fill the room with laughter as one of them hangs a big rubber band from her ear. To understand why, you have to know more about their PopPop Don. One day, their PopPop told them about a time when he was Dean of Students. Don conducted a serious meeting with a student only to find out afterwards that… Read More
