Bundles of love
Our neighbor, Mr. Chen, enthusiastically returned my “Good morning,” adding a heartfelt, “Isn't the weather great today!” As I watched him walk on with a spring in his st... »
Personal Accounts
Anti-stressant
The year had been full of events, deadlines, accomplishments. I was working hard teaching English in a private school, as well as tutoring from home. Simultaneously I was... »
Smooth sailing on stormy seas
For a good bit of my life, I’ve been a worrier. My take on the “power of positive thinking” / “look on the bright side” philosophy was, “Bah, humbug! That kind of advice... »
A perfect day
Today was perfect! It wasn’t a perfectly lazy day, or perfect in terms of accomplishments, or without problems. Still, it was so perfect from start to finish that I now f... »
Death of horseshoes
I vividly recall the men in our neighborhood gathering every evening after work in a vacant lot next to my house for a game of horseshoes. The pace of life was more relax... »
Anti-fear therapy
I was cleaning up my brushes and paint cans after some volunteers and I finished painting a large mural for the local Sunday school when Maxim passed me a note: I was rea... »
Laughing with abandon
How easy it is to listen to the advice of others and change ourselves into something we are not. To quit being our unique and wonderfully made selves. To base our worth o... »
Creative silence
India, where I live, is a country of wide, sweeping farmlands; huge mountains jutting their peaks into the sky; broad rivers lazily moving over rocks. The land is as peac... »
A stray mushroom
Chopping vegetables for dinner, I twice caught a stray mushroom before it rolled from the cutting board off the counter. You’re so good to me, God! I thought. Somewhere e... »
Salted cucumbers
A friend of mine was showing me the large number of old cucumbers she was planning to preserve in salt. “Are old cucumbers all right to eat?” I asked. “These are quite dr... »
Eat, pray, stay together
Not so long ago, the various members of our family had different schedules, and as a result, we were seldom able to eat together. I couldn’t help feeling that our family... »
The King’s banquet
My mother often cooked something special on Sundays. I can still remember the big open window in the living room, the unfolded table spread in the center, the delicious f... »
Thanksgiving takeaway
The day before Thanksgiving, I saw an article about a “Turkey Operation” here in Austin, Texas. The organization was calling for volunteers to help serve and pack meals f... »