It’s best to do so gradually. — When you have a big birthday, you celebrate it in a big way. At age 75, however, it’s best to do so gradually. That’s not usually how I approach things. However, given the circumstance, going slow and steady was the formula I needed and certainly enjoyed. My blood pressure had…

A must-visit for all — Each time we visit our grandson and his parents in upstate New York, we try to stop at a new place on the way up or back, sometimes both. Returning home on our latest trip, we decided to visit the Flight 93 National Memorial near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. I had been…

Real and Virtual — A weekend with the grandchildren, real and virtual. On my way out of the old gym, I walked across the wooden floor and put my arm around Maren, where she had gathered with some of her volleyball teammates. Her seventh-grade team had just lost an ugly two games against a…

How I handled my first cremation burial — I stood at the back of the small group of relatives and friends of the deceased man I was about to help bury. It was my first experience covering the ashes of a person laid to rest in our church’s Memory Garden. The day was hot and sticky, as many…