As a child we have few personal possessions. Pretty much all of it comes from our parents. Some are gifts but for the most part Mom and Dad are there to make sure we have what we need. Clothes. Some school stuff. Toys. That sums up the personal belongings of a child. I remember the … Continue reading Where did all of this stuff come from? →

It is no secret that I love music. Throughout my life it has brought me joy and sadness. It has helped me through good times and bad. It has been present for all of my highs and lows and it is often a friend when I need one. Music sparks memories and can cause emotions … Continue reading Bob Marley was right you know… →

My son Sam was seven years old when he watched the movie Kundun. It was a film that followed the life of the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. It may not have done well in the theatres but it had a profound affect on my son. The word Kundun itself translates from Tibetan as presence … Continue reading Rime’ →

I am not a feminist. I have never identified with the concept or the movement. In fact I have always believed the statement "Feminism, good idea ... poorly executed!" My children have never heard a good word out of my mouth about Gloria Steinem. The only thing I think I have in common with Betty … Continue reading Feminism… The sequel →

Love is one of those emotions that we are unable to explain. A dictionary can try to define it though words are simply inadequate. The biological responses we have when we are around someone we love are indescribable. Sometimes what we feel is so strong that we can't even handle the feelings. The mixture of … Continue reading Love →

His birthday came and went. Like all of the firsts, its the days leading up to it that cause the most anxiety. The funny thing is we don't even notice the correlation. We just can't sleep. We are in a daze. We think it must be something else. I felt better last week. What happened? … Continue reading The firsts →

The summer of 1973 was a magical time for me. I was twelve years old and we had just moved into our new house. Actually it was a creaky old place built in the early 1900's. But it was new to us. We lived next door and when our neighbours decided to move to a … Continue reading Kindred Spirits →

The other day I was lunching with friends from my teen years. A great deal of time had passed since our last visit and we were busy touching on all the craziness life had recently thrown at us. While everyone knows the danger topics, sometimes we feel secure in our history or past friendship to … Continue reading Dualism →

When my daughter was young she once said what she loved about going to a Lutheran summer camp was not having to explain what a Lutheran was. I completely understood that sentiment. I like to use the following analogy. Lutherans and Catholics have the same relationship as Americans and Canadians. Lutherans are relatively small in … Continue reading A Tale of Two Countries →

I curse. Lots. I don't even realize I am doing it sometimes. Well, most times. I don't take the Lords name in vain nor do I say damn or hell or other words considered taboo by my god fearing card carrying Lutheran parents. I am however quite colourful in other ways. You know what I … Continue reading Choosing our words… →