“Consider it nothing but joy.” – James 1:2 July twelfth is and always will be my parents’ anniversary. In preparation, I asked for a Mass to be said for them at the church where I pray and work -- for the parish office. In the beautiful blue apse above the altar, there are stars that … Continue reading Nothing but Joy
family
A (Belated) Letter Home about Reunions
Dearest Mom and Dad, Didn’t I always say I would never want to live in New Jersey in the summer? Are you laughing now? How many things have I said I would never do, or never want to do, and done them nonetheless? It’s getting hot and humid here, as Dad already knows; he always … Continue reading A (Belated) Letter Home about Reunions
What Happens in Tahoe, Stays in Tahoe
Last weekend I went to Tahoe for a Belden family wedding. It takes me some time to realize I have not been in Northern California, on my own, since 1991, with the exception of three days after Mom died, in 2014. It takes me longer to note that I have let go or walked away … Continue reading What Happens in Tahoe, Stays in Tahoe
The Fire and Home, Take 2
It was about 4:30 PM on Tuesday, January 7, 2025 when a news alert flashed across my screen in Pennsylvania announcing fires threatening the town where we once lived, in southern California. Our first home. To know anything about me is to know how much home means to me. It is a quest, within and … Continue reading The Fire and Home, Take 2
Where I End & She Begins 