The growing up years

January 27, 2023

Growing up in the 1940s and ’50s was a lot different than growing up is today. Life was so much simpler. Each morning during the summer I got up and had chores to do. We lived with my grandparents. Grandma was in charge of overseeing my chores. After chores were done, I was free to play with the neighbor kids. We rode bikes. We played games. We embroidered. Hop scotch was one of the games we played on the sidewalk. Who could get to the top of the design first? We played kick-th -can in the street. There was not as much traffic back then. Sometimes we put on our roller skates. ...

Imagine owning your own island

January 26, 2023

I’m pretty confident that there aren’t too many Caribbean island owners among the readership. I’m not talking about land ownership in the tropics as the subject, although I would not argue with anyone who forced a small atoll on me. We all have our own island, it’s just not a completely physical place. I read an article recently – please don’t ask me where, I haven’t a clue – that describes the island that belongs to each of us. We all have our own space, our refuge, even if we live in the thick of a dense population. I know that sounds crazy, but stick with me. I am ...

Overspending GOP finally gets tough

January 21, 2023

House Republicans — now under the control of a minority of rather extremist members calling themselves the “Freedom Caucus” — are threatening to crash the nation’s economy by refusing to raise the debt ceiling. That means America would then be forced to refuse paying bills which are currently due — which incidentally would have no effect whatsoever on future spending. Gee, I wonder how things would go if you or I would just refuse to pay owed bills claiming we’ve reached our “debt ceiling”? Among other things, such a historic and massive default would irreparably ...

Another adventure

January 20, 2023

I consider books my friends. Once I open one, I think of it as another adventure. A few weeks ago, while some friends and I ate lunch we discussed our reading schedules. It seems like we all have been reading more. Several years ago, I invested in a Kindle. I had held off thinking that I liked a book in my hand when I was reading. Finally, I took the plunge and have not looked back. What I like about reading my Kindle is that new books are so easy to get. If I am in a spot where I can access the Internet I can get a new book – often for free – but if not free very ...

Fathers need ‘creative courage’

January 14, 2023

Editor’s note: This saint series will feature a saint and how they are a meaningful example for us today. Pope Francis once wrote that “the saints help all the faithful” for “their lives are concrete proof that it is possible to put the Gospel into practice.” St. Joseph provides proof of courageous fatherhood. The Gospel of Matthew shares that Joseph was a just man and that an angel revealed to him that he was to name Mary’s baby “Jesus.” We can infer that Joseph was the first human to utter the name “Jesus.” Shortly after Jesus’ birth, Matthew wrote that ...

View from Hickory Heights: The road less traveled

January 13, 2023

In a book that I was reading I came across a poem written by Robert Frost. I knew the author because I really liked the poem. The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In ...