December 28, 2018 I held on to my friend’s arm. With wool scarfs around our neck, we shivered, trying to keep the cold wind that swept through the streets of the city that never sleeps. We weaved around people on crowded sidewalks. A strange symphony of sounds played—cars blowing their horns, music blaring from speakers by …
December 21, 2018 MY recent house guests were my brother and his wife. With their help, my house came alive with red and green decorations. Time to Eat Once we placed the angel on the tree top, I announced, “We’ll have a delicious, home-cooked dinner.” “Sounds great,” they said. But as dinner time got closer, …
December 14, 2018 Tears flowed. The eulogy for this young man evoked sobs that echoed throughout the room. When a young man dies unexpectedly, shock brings unspeakable sorrow. He and my son Joe grew up together and remained close friends. My Joe has been in the glory of heaven since 2002, and now his close …
December 7, 2018 How can it happen? Whether we’re in a crowd or in the darkness of a silent room the battle to overcome loneliness begins. I was stunned. CNN reported yesterday that among thousands of entries, my hometown, La Paz, Bolivia, where I was born and spent my childhood was named the No. 1 …