Month: September 2019

“My name is Peggy. May I help you?”  “Peggy,” I said, pausing for the surprise little lump in my throat  “I really hope you can.” I was embarrassed by my emotion. Years ago I placed countless calls to cancel my husband’s name on accounts and remove it from many charity mailing lists. That was an understandable time for emotions. But a call to a customer service rep to get your bank password changed?  I was on day three of a quest to solve a series of technological challenges. In my effort to live out my intention to “simplify in September”

I’d had a lot of conversations with Doug over the years. At times understanding his speech was a challenge for me. After a second ask that he repeat himself, I turned to Dave for interpretation. Dave and Kenny, who have been a committed couple for 40 years, are Doug’s home teachers. Doug has Down syndrome.  I first met Doug when he was a little boy. We met at a local community center where, thanks to my junior high teacher Miss McCrae, I had my first introduction to volunteering. Doug is 56 now. He still has those big eyes and, as

“You wait here,” he said. I’m going to go get her.” Jack took off running. I sat on the concrete stoop of the veterinarian’s office, taking in the scenes of life in a small town just outside of Guadalajara. My son had flown from California and I from Nebraska to savor three precious days enjoying the palm trees, plazas, and pico de gallo of Mexico. We got more than we came for. In less than a half hour, Jack returned, dripping in sweat and cradling the little listless pup he’d wrapped in my sweater. He laid her on the glass