The recognized image of an angel differs throughout the world. Although the smiling blonde-haired beauty with flowing gowns, a halo of gold, and gossamer wings is a common image, it’s not the standard accepted by all cultures. Depending on personal traditions, even the gender, skin tone, and style of dress may be dramatically altered. […]
SKIP-GEN VACATIONS, THE NEW FAMILY HOLIDAY
We have all taken family trips, and upon returning home, sadly realized that there so many things we could have done differently. Attractions we would have skipped, campgrounds that didn’t suit our needs, or even adding to our list of friends who didn’t make good airline companions. Well, what if you could do it […]
FOR THE LOVE OF PETS
I stood in line at the grocery store the other day behind a senior while she silently divided her purchases in half. When the conveyor belt finally inched forward and her items reached the cashier, the store’s employee asked if the customer wanted to be billed separately for the two orders. Shaking her head no, […]
MOVIE SEQUELS ARE BECOMING THE ACCEPTED NORM
When a car used to race off the cliff at the end of a movie, and the body didn’t float to the surface, viewers often speculated whether there might be a sequel. Nowadays, if the movie turns out to be any measure of a financial hit, we can count on the fact that we’re going […]
NETFLIX SCORES BIG WITH TED BUNDY TAPES
With the release of the Netflix 4-part documentary on serial killer Ted Bundy, people have been glued to their screens to catch the original broadcasts, and its no coincidence that the 30th anniversary of Bundy’s execution neatly fell on Netflix’s release date. What I am wondering is why the world is so interested? The man […]
MY FIRST INVITATION TO A GENDER-NEUTRAL ‘THEYBIE’ SHOWER
Last week, my daughter marched into my kitchen and waived an open envelope in front of my face. Assuming that the invitation to her cousin’s baby shower had finally arrived, I stopped to see what she was so excited about. “She’s having a theybie shower and we’re both invited,” my daughter blurted out her surprising […]
OUR CHURCH PERMANENTLY CLOSED ITS DOORS
The possible closing of our church had been whispered about in hushed voices for the last couple of years. Attendance had dropped to an all time low during services, and with the average age of congregants being over 65, it didn’t appear that attendance was going to be increasing anytime soon. This was the very […]
POLYGAMY. IT’S ILLEGAL, BUT DOES IT HAVE ANY MERIT?
The last thing I ever dreamed of was having a second husband making demands on my time, my heart, and ultimately, my body. The idea was totally crazy, never mind being a one-way ticket to jail. Yet when debating the topic with my granddaughter who was writing a paper and needed someone to play devil’s […]
SAYING GOODBYE WHEN YOUR PARENT IS DYING
Anyone could see that the doctor’s mouth was definitely moving, and in response to the difficult message he was tasked with delivering, he shifted his feet as if looking for a more comfortable position. Taking another second to evaluate my lack of verbal response, the doctor tried once again with a more direct approach. “Your […]
COULD YOUR FAMILY ACCEPT A GAY GRANDCHILD?
The revelation didn’t come in the form of a loud proclamation or even a heated family argument, our sixteen year-old granddaughter just took the first steps on her journey by sharing multiple photos of her hugging and holding hands with other teenage girls. At first, I wasn’t exactly sure what to make of the […]