The Sound of the Midnight Train: Reflections on Melancholy, Memory, and Growing Older
Melancholy. What a strange word. It can mean longing, reflection, sadness, the memory of times past. In living my life, it is not a word I have given much thought. Yet here I am, in the midst of what I suppose would be called melancholy. There is a train…
The Covered Wagon in 1931: How My Grandmother’s Journey Bridged Two Different Worlds
One small brush with mortality can pull open the drawers of the mind and shove every hidden emotion into the room. So here we go. Driving today, looking at the view rising ahead along the highway, I found my thoughts coming fast and furious. No, I was…
“Neglected, Not Gone”: Why the Good Old Days Are Less About Nostalgia and More About Faith
Every now and then, a song will sneak up on you. I was thinking about that old Judds song, “Grandpa,” and the line about the good old days. At first, it is easy to think the song is talking about old cars, dirt roads, front porches, and simpler times.…
Mares Eat Oats
“Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy. A kid’ll eat ivy too, wouldn’t you?” Hi. My name is Wayne. I am sixty-four years old. And in this moment, I realized the kid is a baby goat. Not a child. Not some strange little ankle biter…