Alan Shepard was not a crier. Shepard pioneered the space program and became the first American in space in 1961. In the intervening years, he was a tough-minded trainer of astronauts. Then came 1971. Shepard got his chance to go to the moon, golf clubs in tow. As he stood on the lunar surface, he looked across the barren landscape and saw [...]
On February 28, 2020, my wife and I attended a program by the comedian Jeannie Roberson. It was funny and enjoyable. We told each other we needed to do more of that. Then, life changed. COVID ramped up, and plans got put on hold. We learned to do grocery pickup and how to adapt to shortages. I learned Zoom and to make [...]
The calendar reminds us we are in the last week of November. The crisp air whispers to the leaves to begin their freefall. And with it brings Thanksgiving, our annual time to remember to give thanks. Songs encourage us to “count our blessings.” Paintings of pilgrim hands folded in prayer grace blog posts. The question of the hour is, “what are you [...]
New York Times columnist David Brooks wrote in 2015 about two kinds of virtues. "Resume virtues" are traits we list on resumes—leadership, initiative, self-discipline, people skills, etc. They comprise a list of what we can do. But most never consider a second set, something Brooks labeled “eulogy virtues.” Over my career, I have presented the “message” at funerals. I [...]
When did you feel “all grown up?” For most, it is not when they reach a mark on a wall. It is something that indicates they have reached a certain level of maturity. Mine was when I could buy my parents a meal in a restaurant. Maturity is elusive. Many count candles on a cake, but that’s age. Changing calendars [...]
After a trying year, the joy we share overwhelms the inconvenience of COVID-19 and all that went with it. Have a wonderful and safe Merry Christmas! -Robert G. Taylor- P. S.--For a fun story for Christmas, click here to read The Gift.
This is the year I received my official “old-man card” (aka Medicare). It arrived in the trail of gray hair, bifocals, and hearing loss. Such is life when you get to a certain age. The concept of an age at which things change is nothing new. The idea of retirement came from Otto Von Bismarck to rid himself of rivals and control [...]
We believe Amazon delivers happiness. We are happy when we get what we want. Many times, we need something more. This is the story of a cook who lost his more than his place. My mother subscribed to the idea that if truckers stopped at a restaurant, it is good food. So for a lot of my childhood, we surveyed the highway [...]
Adults groan at the first hint of Christmas. A few years ago, donned in shorts and a t-shirt to beat the Memorial Day heat, we walked into Hobby Lobby. They were putting up Christmas. “There oughta be a law,” I muttered. Christmas comes much too soon for most credit cards and bank accounts to handle. Invitations for competing events arrive in email [...]
Those old enough can complete the sentence "I remember where I was when__________ happened? Those of the "Greatest Generation" relive Pearl Harbor in their minds. Baby Boomers relate to the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The memory knows without explanation . December 7, 1941. November 22, 1963. Here's one. September 11, 2001. Not even close. Almost anyone over the age of 25 [...]
