I sandwich a thick slab of clothes between my hands and lift them, hangers and all, from closet, plop them on bed. Grace and I sort through them. This shirt is stained. These pants are too small. We dump drawers, make three mounds–keep, toss, give away. The first is the highest. And this is just […]
So We Give All . . . Third World Symphony First Anniversary
She lives in Kenya. I sit down this morning to write to her, her last letter at my right hand. She tells me she was in position 1 in the first term of school and in position 3 in the third term. She tells me that she and her family are in good health and […]
Spilling the Filling
Snow dusts the field, the driveway, the roof. A robin shivers in the pregnant branches. Feathers ruffle in the bitter wind. The feeders are empty, so I don my jacket and boots, scoop black oil to refill. I purposely spill some for the ground-feeders and for the love of sunflowers. I come in and […]
When You Wait for Love…And Wait…And Wait…
. . . and your heart aches like the hollow of your hungry stomach. At least like your stomach used to feel. Because now something called Compassion has opened a program near your home. There’s food there. And you can go to school and learn to read and write. And you can learn about how […]
A Chicken for Christmas
That’s what my husband’s getting. Because he doesn’t need anything. He’ll tell you that himself. And I’m into simple and meaningful this year. And short on time. Or maybe I’ll give him a hammer and a saw. Well, not directly to him. To someone who knows what to do with them. And Grace Face? […]
Unwrapping the Gift(s)
May 9, 2012 Linking this post with Ann and the 1000 Moms Project to help in the funding of a Compassion International Maternity/Child Survival program in Haiti for a whole year. My mom passed away on November 27, 2011. Thank you, Mom, for the simple gifts, for laughter, and for teaching me to […]
So We Give All . . . Third World Symphony
She lives in Kenya. I sit down this morning to write to her, her last letter at my right hand. She tells me she was in position 1 in the first term of school and in position 3 in the third term. She tells me that she and her family are in good health and […]
Textures of Text: A Tale of Water
I yank the freezer door open and scoop a handful of ice from the purchased bag into her cup. A few chunks fall on my feet, and I kick them out of the way. I go out to the back kitchen and press the spigot on the white ceramic water crock. I fill the […]
A Gift of Compassion
I just looked through this catalog, and I’m so giddy with excitement that I can’t sit still. My heart leaps with joy at the creative possibilities. Perfect gifts. That teach the real meaning of Christmas. That don’t cost an arm and a leg. Unless you want to spend an arm and a leg. Or spend […]
Reclaimed and Repurposed
It’s been a long week. And so it’s midnight before I begin to stir chickpea flour into melted ghee, finely chop macadamia nuts and mix with coconut into peaked egg whites, form chocolate truffles and roll in chocolate sprinkles. While the rest of the house sleeps. Wash, mix, mold, bake, scrape, taste, lick. I’m making […]
