Eleven years ago this month, I took my family to Ireland for a ten-day excursion. After only four days into the trip, we got word that Karen’s dad had passed away. We were in Galway when the news reached us, so we had to say goodbye to the Emerald Isle and return home. I always …
A neurosurgeon is experienced in the science and study of how the brain works, but no one has ever opened up the cranium and found the thoughts held by that patient. No one knows the thoughts of a person, except that person themselves. This makes each of us unique in a very peculiar way. I …
I struck up a conversation with a woman standing with the expectant crowd in front of the stage as we waited on Tanya Tucker to perform. Among the chit chat we exchanged, the subject of past concerts came up. I told her one reason I was down front like this was in solidarity with my …
I lived more years with her than without. There was a time I didn’t have her in my life. Now I’m back to where I started. Marriage is a process of dying to self. It won’t work if both partners are not willing to set aside certain personal preferences and predispositions for the sake of …
I opened my home to friends last night. It felt good to cook again. It felt even better to set the table. She left her earth suit on the rented hospital bed in the side bedroom four months ago today, shedding it for something new and more fitting and suitable to her true nature. I …
One of my many cherished memories with my family when my kids were young is traveling together. We visited England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales on two different occasions. In dad form, I forced everyone to simplify and reduce all possessions to three items; Coat. Backpack. Suitcase. Any time we left a hotel or train, the …
About a year ago, when I was seriously considering writing the history about my restaurant, a fellow author gave me this advice. She said, “If you’re gonna write a memoir, write it all. People can tell if you’re holding back.” I took that counsel and wrote the story as best I could recall. I’m glad …
Grief is such an illogical expression. Thoughts, feelings and experiences don’t always make sense, but that doesn’t make them any less important to understand. That’s why I’ve chosen not to approach my grief from a rational mindset. The heart knows reasons that reason doesn’t know. A contrarian thought that I’m currently exploring is to not …
There was no greater source of anticipation for me as a child than the days leading up to Christmas. I eagerly awaited the arrival of the Sears Wish Book and JC Penney Christmas catalogs that were delivered in the mail. These publications provided hours of daydreaming to me as a young lad. But one year, …
Last night I got to step in to avert a near fistfight between two women in front of me after the Tanya Tucker show I attended. They were literally nose to nose and the stare-down quickly escalated into a shoving match. I’ve seen that look before. It’s not pretty. I saw what had happened to …