Life’s Getting Ruff

You know how people say that long-time married couples start to look alike as the years go by? I think that’s happening with my dog and me. It’s not just appearances—we share mannerisms, habits, even likes and dislikes. Weird, right? I rescued Aspen, my half Siberian Husky, half Golden Retriever mix, 12 years ago when he was about a year old. Now at 13, he still looks great! People stop me on walks, surprised when they hear his age, impressed by his good looks, attitude, pep, and strength. At 61, I feel much the same—peppy, strong, and (mostly) positive. I…

What If You’re Not 100% Right?

Lately I’ve noticed how quickly conversations snap into right/wrong. Certainty feels safe, and it rarely moves us forward. Progress usually happens in the humble space of “what if.” What if your way of thinking is just that—your way of thinking?What if other people approach the same thing differently—and validly?What if you’re absolutely convinced you’re right?What if you agree there are moral absolutes and still see gray areas where reasonable people disagree?What if considering viewpoints beyond your own makes you anxious because you “know” you’re right?What if you try—really try—to step into someone else’s shoes?What if you start to see their…

A Symphony of Death

My husband is a huge history buff, especially when it comes to World War II. He knows all the players, battles, aircraft, troop movements, and statistics like the back of his hand. For years, one of his bucket list dreams was to visit the Normandy Beaches — the very site of the D-Day invasion — to finally see the battlegrounds he’s long pictured in his mind and seen in countless movies and documentaries. While I share a curiosity about history, my interest is more tentative. I enjoy museums and stories, but sometimes, history gets too close for comfort. We’ve visited…