Four years ago today, my mother died. Today is pretty good. Yesterday was pretty bad. Yesterday, I wanted to crawl under my desk, turn off the lights, and shut the door to my office. I didn't. I had a Dairy Queen Blizzard for lunch instead. I got home and waved the babysitter away, and stretched… Continue reading Backward and Forward
Category: bethetree
Wow
This morning. I stopped, even though I didn't quite have time. But man. That dark foreground, and the cloud, and the light breaking through behind it. Anne Lamott said all our prayers, at their core, come down to three words: help, thanks, wow. Wow. Amen.
The Long Night
It is the darkest day of the year. There are literally fewer minutes of sunlight today than any other day all year. And ... it feels dark, too. For so many people, December is hard. They are navigating grief, brand new or a few months old. It is the first Christmas with that particular hole… Continue reading The Long Night
When Someone Gives You a Pie
Some years ago, soon after one of their children was born, we took a meal over to our neighbors. Paul calls it the Baby Mess. (Because it's such a mess of stuff, not because it's disgusting. We hope.) The traditional Baby Mess includes a big roast, potatoes, a hot vegetable, a salad, some rolls, and… Continue reading When Someone Gives You a Pie