Serendipity

Stores open, prices slashed, bonus dollars, later hours, payment plans, never better offers, and the hype continues from late summer through December. Before sales, after sales, lowest prices ever, and while we’re still celebrating one season, we’re shoved into the next. January, particularly in the Midwest, has a way of bringing the mayhem to a...
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Dear Santa Claus, Yes, I know you’re a very busy man in December and probably wondering why a woman my age would be writing you a letter. Sentimentality for one reason and a genuine fondness for the season is another. You charmingly represent that which is good in society. You’re for all ages, just watch...
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Interest in travel was introduced to me by my mother. My father was supportive, but not keen on seeing the world and didn’t understand the appeal. My mother was more of an armchair traveler although she did visit my sister in Germany and visited other European cities. For high school graduation, my parents gifted me...
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Plans commenced months ago. While not previously a faithful reunion attendee, I wanted to be part of our 45th high school class reunion. I also hoped to encourage some of my dearest classmates to be there so I began checking dates and called my friend Mary whom I’ve known since...
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Wisdom arrives more easily when I’m surrounded by silence. Early morning provides excellent opportunities for contemplation. A cup of coffee, a view of the rising sun, and reflections on times past are excellent components for soul searching. While such introspection is awkward for some, I enjoy the mental journey. As...
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Dying isn’t optional; living to the fullest is! When I was in grade and high school, my Dad insisted once the 4th of July was over, summer picked up speed. That meant I’d be back in a classroom much before I was ready. True about the school situation, but I disagreed...
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She calls me on a Saturday morning to tell me my granddaughter is argumentative, difficult, and sassy.  For a moment I think she has the wrong number. Those adjectives don’t describe either of my angel granddaughters. But her familiar voice is a giveaway, and she’s the mother of one of those sweet little angels....
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While walking through the subdivision, we maintain a steady commentary about current and former owners of each house. Living in the same neighborhood since 1977 means the list is long with familiar names and addresses. When our son and two daughters were growing up, there were children galore for...
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Cooking lunch each weekday for some 375 people and delivering those meals is a formidable job. Dedicated drivers like Ron Walster help make it possible. About 9:00 every weekday morning, he leaves his comfortable home in Bartonville for the 15-minute drive to Neighborhood House in Peoria. He’s been doing...
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Some 31 years ago, plus or minus a month or two, my handsome date, who later became my handsome husband, stood in a long slow moving line with me and many others at the Madison Theatre in Peoria. We were waiting to see the much-hyped movie, Love Story, with Ali...
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