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Reflections

What We Don’t Know

A friend of mine recently used an annoying psychological test to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses.  Most of the results could have been predicted by anyone who knows me.  Although we all like to think that we are deeper than deep, that we have more gifts than common folk, and that we hide our weaknesses well, we are fooling ourselves. One thing really did surprise me – that my need for independence was exceptionally, off the charts, high. Would it surprise […]

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Loss

Courage

On January 31, 2012,  Jon Shehane drew his last earthly breath.  His heart stopped;  his cancer surrendered-  its ravenous appetite having been the instrument of its demise.  The difficult labor ended,  and he was delivered from chemotherapy, radiation, and pain meds.  I wish I could have seen his spirit escape its broken shell.  It occurs to me now that I should have smiled and waved goodbye, but I didn’t think of that then.  I did know he was headed for a

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Loss

Tripping

A friend of mine told me I was too old to have a dog.  Although there are days, like today, when I almost agree with her, this morning’s misadventure began with my cats.  Boss and Charger are affectionate, dignified creatures, but they don’t like to be sequestered in the bedroom.  Charger, in particular, resists this procedure.  And so, when I  reached  down to capture his fat butt,  he scooted between my legs and I tripped, fell, and swore.  No bones

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Life Stories

Think with a Pencil

Each semester, I sympathize with students who have to take my biology course.  Instead of just accepting their fate, and settling down in  the land of Eukaryota, they fidget in their seats, hoping to survive the battle without troublesome preparation,  anxious for the ordeal to end.  I feel their pain: that’s exactly the way I used to view algebra word problems.  You know the ones:  If Sukey leaves point A at 9:00 a.m. and walks at a rate of 5

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Loss

The New Creature

When a loved one dies, the world is quick to respond with well-intentioned, comfortless remarks.  Just last week, the piano tuner assured me that Jon’s spirit was still in the house watching over us.  Besides being a downright creepy idea, I think that would be kind of a bummer for Jon, who expected to see Jesus, but got to watch me vacuum and do laundry instead.  And what about those movies where the bereaved is told that the loved one

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Loss

When We Sing

When Jon and I were dating, and attending graduate school at Auburn, we used to take weekend trips home.  Whether we went south to Clio, or northwest to Birmingham, one thing remained constant.  Jon  sang along the way.  Left elbow out the window, brown hair blowing in the breeze, he belted it out.  Sometimes I would try to join him, but the result didn’t satisfy me.  Better to listen. He didn’t much care what he sang.  He sang “There’s a

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Loss

Gratitude

Sometimes I feel dry as dust, as empty as an abandoned house.  Inspiration is far from me – even though I pray  for ideas – they just don’t come.  Hollow, useless, and lonely,  I want some kind of epiphany that will transform and refresh me.  But….”I got plenty o nuttin’”.  Only in my case, unlike the fictitious Porgy’s, it “ain’t plenty for me”. Life is a collage of experiences that we race through to reach “better” and “more significant ones”. 

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Life Stories

Deb’s Birthday Adventure

Holidays don’t usually live up to their reputations.  Ask the dateless teenager on Valentine’s Day, or the young wife who finally realizes that hubby has forgotten that “day of days”- their anniversary.  And fathers?  Well, I refer you to the famous Bill Cosby routine, where the kid picks up a stick, puts a notch in it with his pocket knife, and presents it to his dad for Father’s Day.  And so, it wasn’t a big surprise when my birthday fell

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Loss

Safety

There are times in life when it seems as if the most sensible thing I can do is to run screaming into the wilderness and keep running  until a bear catches and eviscerates me.  No- wait.  Let me try again.  There are times in life when it seems like  the most sensible thing to do is to run screaming off a cliff into the ocean.  Hold on.  What if there are sharks below, and the fall hasn’t killed me?  What

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Loss

Sanctuary

Whoo-whee, it’s hot tonight.  I’m shriveling in the upstairs heat like a raisin in the sun.  And for an old Alabama girl, who can remember life without air-conditioning, when we slept in cotton pajamas, sprawled in front of an electric fan, that’s saying a lot.  My grandmother had a fan that blew air over ice cubes, and when we came in hot and sweaty from the backyard, we stood in front of that fan until our faces tingled.  Well, I’m

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Life Stories

Bee Guardians

My grandson Christian called me the other day and informed me that he was a “bee guardian”.  He made this announcement with the undiluted enthusiasm and sincerity  found only  in small children.  This is my fault.  Ever since they watched an organic, freshly-squeezed, Colorado- based beekeeping video with me a few months ago, all my grandchildren are determined to become “bee guardians”.  They plan to defend and protect  honeybees from pesticides, antibiotics, unnatural cell size and things that go bump

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Loss

Jon’s Birthday Party

It’s been almost four months since Jon “relocated.” Some people will say that he just plain died, and that the idea of heaven is comforting nonsense. Well, when I need money, I know that no amount of wanting will make it materialize. Staring in a skinny mirror doesn’t take off pounds. And I can think positively about my teaching skills ’til the cows come home, but unless I plan my lessons, I waste my students’ time and look like an

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