“You haven’t been here since 2018,” the receptionist says when I call.  “Have you seen another ophthalmologist since then?” “No. I had other things going on.” She doesn’t need to hear about a cochlear implant in 2019 and she knows about the Covid lockdown, but I feel guilty about not taking better care of my […]

“Want to go outside, Willow?” I asked in a gentle voice. She struggled to her feet, stepped forward, and stretched her painful back legs. Her hind knees had ACL surgery when she was young and they stiffened as she aged. Willow came to live with me in 2009 when she was eight weeks old. A […]

The two of you sent a photo from David’s home in North Carolina last week. You’re 52 and 49 now, but the photo reminds me of a 1974 photo of curly headed four-year-old David holding six-month-old smiling Anthony with tender love. Almost fifty years later, the love remains, although there have been bumps in the […]

February was unusually warm and calm in the New York Finger Lakes, a quiet time for walks with friends on dry forest trails. The birds knew better than to sing love songs that early. I trusted them and knew cold would return. By late February, the Anemoi, Greek Gods of Wind, grew bored with the […]

In late February, my son David who lives in North Carolina sent a text to his brother and me.  “Did you see the sky?” he asked, including a cell phone photo of the evening sky taken in his yard. “I looked an hour ago,” I answered, “but the planets were hidden behind thick clouds.” “Look […]

My dream visitor follows me as I walk up the trail with my dogs. I love the feel of him behind me. “What do you want to do today?” he asks. “I want to watch the sunset.” “Lead the way.” I’ve talked to him often since he appeared in a dream during the summer. When […]