Hikes are usually inspiring for all the expected reasons: the stretch of muscle, the expansion of breath, the delight at the end when the pinnacle is reached and all the hard work is rewarded with nature’s beauty. But sometimes the prize is unbridled and well-earned fear. And a little perspective of the world upside down….
Life brings a variety of blessings. But of the more precious ones is encountering That Teacher. You know the one. That teacher who inspires, encourages, sees something in you that you never knew existed. You believe you are the smartest or most talented or most charming kid in the class when that teacher pours their…
This is the view from James Madison’s desk in his home, Montpelier, located in Orange County, Virginia. This desk is in the middle of his second-floor library that houses over 1500 books. On my recent visit, I arrived at this room after visiting the dining room where the guide spoke of the many guests and…
The two hundred and twenty-four steps introducing the Seven Falls hike at the Broadmoor kicked my butt. But not at first. I tackled this staircase with the energy and confidence of an Olympian, passing a guy in a NY Giants t-shirt with a curt “excuse me” as I ascended up the cliffside. He warned me…
This photo of my mother and me was found in my father’s wallet after he died at the age of thirty-three from lung cancer. I must be around two years old in the photo and my mother, twenty-one. At first, I regretted its wrinkles and creases and then admired them for what they revealed—the wear…
Have you ever lost a twenty-dollar bill and wondered where it ended up? A few months ago, I lost a $20. A crisp, green Benjamin – gone. I had found it only hours before in a pocket of a coat I hadn’t worn since I was commuting on a train – pre-COVID! Found money! So,…
