My brother was born in March and died in March My husband was born in April and died in April What is it about March and April that marks the beginning, and also the ending, of some of my favorite people? My brother never liked his birth month. For many years he’d had health problems.…

A spider plant’s known to filter pollutants from the air. It’s tendrils extend from behind my computer and television set. They sniff and snort what’s been reported on Global and The National. Their tiny green eyes scan Facebook. They’ve heard me sing off-key. And they’ve inhaled burnt toast in the morning. No wonder the poor…

Shingles. Such an odd name for a disease I wasn’t supposed to have. For weeks I’d had aches and pains One night the pains were in my chest. I embarked on an adventure-filled trip in an ambulance to be hooked up to every heart monitor in the hospital. “Not your heart” said the friendly physician.…

Four-thirty in the morning listening to the radio. They’re talking about crises. ‘Bout how a crisis can lead to opportunity. The greatest crisis in my life was when my son was struck down by schizophrenia at the tender age of twenty-one. At first I couldn’t believe it. My son could not be suffering from a…

“MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY!” screamed the voice of the pilot, his words piercing through the mundane air traffic control communications emulating from distant speakers “Good God! the plane’s off the radar screen It must have gone down…!!!” CP AIR FLIGHT 21- JULY 8, 1965 is what’s inscribed in stone at the memorial cairn in 100 Mile…