25. The Conversation

When my wife was single, she lived in a three-unit apartment house. The owners occupied the first floor. Hailing from Spain, they retained many of their Spanish customs. For example, in their tiny back yard, they set up a long table under a pergola where they would spend many Sunday afternoons enjoying hearty meals with […]

23. The Dream of a Shepherd

The late high-wire artist Karl Wallenda famously said, “Being on the tightrope is living. Everything else is waiting.” Instead of “waiting,” he could have said “dreaming.” There is such a big difference between dreaming and doing. Dreaming about doing something has its satisfactions. But dreaming is just simulation, without real-world experience. It’s a safety net […]

20. The Hoarding Mindset

My younger sister has a friend, “Neva,” whose mother died at the age of 92. Neva, an only child, lived far away in another state with her own family, and because of health issues, was able to visit her mother only occasionally. When the time came to empty and clean the mother’s house to put […]

19. Hidden Talent

I’m about to reveal something revolutionary, so pay attention: in my home, I am the chief cook. My wife does all right, but she calls me “an artist in the kitchen.” Growing up in Italy, I was never expected to do much around the house, let alone in the kitchen. There were two reasons for […]