I never sat on a balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
But I’ve dreamed about it.
I’ve dreamt of palm trees blowing in the wind, the sound of California’s streets moving below me, and the West Coast sun falling into a sea I have only seen in my thoughts.

The world is filled with critics and criticism.
There will always be someone looking to Continue reading →

“I came home late last night and the stars were the brightest I’ve seen in a long time.
Usually, the city glare brightens the sky too much to notice them.
But it was late, and most of that brightness had gone to sleep.

I stood in front of my house and looked up;
I tried to find the biggest star and see if I could recognize any of the constellations.
I looked for Orion’s Belt and The Big Dipper.
I noticed strips of clouds hidden in the deep-night sky
and watched a plane fly overhead with its blinking lights.

I grew up here. In this town I mean.
I moved away for a while, but I came back.
The way life moves in circles and reconnects us is pretty amazing, if you think about it.

Someday, this will all make for an amazing story . . .”

October has changed the face of my neighborhood. Aside from the branches of emptying trees, or the color-changing leaves that Continue reading →

The idea of tomorrow seems too far away for the young mind to consider. I was young once too. I swore the fire from the bridges I burned behind me would light my way. But the light from the flames dwindled as I moved on, and when I turned back to see where I was—the light was gone, and it was too dark for me to retrace my footsteps and find my way back.

Closing winter, the sun returned with more warmth and the ground thawed. I was on the corner of Prospect and East Meadow Avenue. It was late afternoon and the sun was Continue reading →

A common definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again, but expect different results.
I am a combination of this process—but I am also a positive result.

On a hot morning, I began my walk from Seville Street and thought of where I could eat breakfast.
I crossed North Atlantic Boulevard and headed south on the sidewalk towards the strip along the beach in Ft. Lauderdale.
Along the way, I saw Tom walking Continue reading →

Ignorance is like a rash . . .
It spreads. It is often contagious. And it can be hereditary.

I grew up in a middle-income world. We had quiet suburban streets with average, single family homes, modest backyards, one or two car driveways, and the occasional flagpoles on front lawns with the American Flag waving in an otherwise safe environment.

Mail carriers drove their small postal trucks through Continue reading →