[May 13, 2024] “We love having you at our house, Little Big Man.” We called him Granddaddy; he was Bigmama’s husband. He was a short but strong man, forgiving of my misbehavior, forthrightly religious, a good storyteller, skilled with his hands, able to fall asleep in his office chair, and intense but compassionate. He was a man who… Read More »
[May 12, 2024] Like so many children nationwide, Mother’s Day is a special time for her children to show their appreciation. My sister, brother, and I might have been young, not yet reaching the tender age of ten, but we knew our duty to cook Mom a spectacular, delicious, perfectly prepared breakfast, with cold orange juice and hot… Read More »
[May 11, 2024] One of the most celebrated and dominating players in baseball history, Walter Johnson established several pitching records, some of which remain unbroken, during his 21-year career with the Washington Senators. He is best known for his gentle nature, and to this day, he is held up as an example of good sportsmanship, while his name… Read More »
[May 8, 2024] Not long ago, at a week-long Boy Scout camp, I was sitting at a lunch table with a small troop of young boys. I immediately noticed their lack of table manners. We were at our annual campout learning outdoor skills, but just as important, they were learning how to get along with others. They had… Read More »
[May 5, 2024] Two loud, sharp toots from the locomotive followed by the railroad Conductor’s shouting ALL ABOARD. This trip would be another exciting and fun time for the family. Up to about the year 1970, the Missouri Pacific Railroad ran passenger trains. The one we took was officially known as the Delta Eagle, “Eagle,” referring to their… Read More »
[May 3, 2024] You probably never heard of her, nor would you ever have heard of her, except for her moral courage to represent Israel in the annual Eurovision music contest. According to those who follow Eurovision, this contest has become highly competitive and is a huge cultural event. I gave credit where it is due. Eden Golan… Read More »
[April 29, 2024] Truth be told, the Tooth Fairy was always my favorite childhood myth. The red-suited Santa was a close second. In my imagination, this tooth fairy was a beautiful Tinkerbell-like pixie with tiny wings and the uncanny ability to sneak into our bedroom and place a quarter under my pillow. She would snatch the baby tooth… Read More »
[April 28, 2024] You never know when a piece of good news comes along and prevents an embarrassing moment. As a kid, I was chronically unprepared for school, and when the school principal, Mr. Montgomery, came into our First-grade classroom, we were told to sit still and not talk. That was okay with me because, at that moment,… Read More »
[April 26, 2024] Titled Essential Etiquette for Young Men, Brett & Kate McKay feature a website devoted to improving the lives of men. Their works have helped many over the years, and I wanted to highlight their thinking on manhood. I had envisioned writing my own “Advice for Young Men” in the same way Brett & Kate wrote… Read More »
[April 22, 2024] In my recent exploration of advice for young men, I discovered a good deal worth sharing. The latest comes from Manly & Modern, a site dedicated to helping young men improve productivity, thought patterns, and habits. They give relationship advice, social tips, career and finance guidance, and workout content. We will find many similarities to… Read More »