There was no stopping me as I burned the candle at both ends before my “let’s go have fun” mojo disappeared a few years ago. I’ve rediscovered the mojo, but it feels radically altered, with little desire to participate in many of my old activities. Gone are the days of regular, elaborate dinners with wine, […]
Meetinghouse
Joe Beardsley, Poland: From a man of many words, two that have made a difference
Professionals often have opportunities to attend out-of-town meetings. I attended one just after I moved to a new church. The timing is never convenient. However, I found the setting both comfortable and comforting. We were hosted by a famed author-speaker (whose name the reader would recognize). He had not only best-sellers to his credit but […]
Kate Cone, Waterville: Reaping ample rewards for finding the courage to fly again
My first plane trip was to Japan in 1959. I was 5 years old. Dad had received his orders – three years stationed at Tachikawa Air Force Base. We were so many and so young, we had a group passport picture: My harried mother stood clutching my baby brother Tom, four kids under the age […]
Kym Dakin, Yarmouth: Falling into a September sky
It was on my bucket list – but could I do it? I did know that I couldn’t imagine anything more thrilling than jumping out of a plane into the great blue beyond. So, one evening after I’d had a glass of wine, I opened the offer in my inbox. Before I could rethink it […]
Janine Pellerine, Saco: A family learns the meaning of ‘home’
“Let’s go!” my dad said as he put the car in gear and rolled down my grandmother’s driveway. “This will be a great adventure.” My mom watched my grandmother wave goodbye from the lace-curtained window. We did not want to leave Mémère’s home. It was warm and loving. We had been living with her for […]
Lee Van Dyke, Portland: From stage fright to stage struck
A guy sitting next to me in a college class said: “I’m going to audition for a campus play, let’s go!” The new me said: “Sure. Sounds like fun!” The old, too-cool-for-high-school me would have come up with a dozen fictional excuses. (Acting galore in life, not on stage.) I auditioned, was cast and rehearsed. […]
JulieAnn Heinrich, Portland: From home canning to home repair, Mom knew it – but didn’t flaunt it
Some time after my mom died, I received a wonderful present from my cousin Linda, daughter of one of my mom’s younger sisters. It may have been a phone call, or a conversation during one of my visits to my home state in the Midwest; I can’t recall. Her gift of words about my mom […]
Shelley Goad, Windham: You know you’re a grown-up when you seek Mom’s advice
Do you know any teenage girl who wants to ask her mother for advice? I have known a few, but I was not one of them. I was a private person. It was difficult to open myself up to people my own age. Why would I ask my mother anything about clothes, friendships, boys (you’ve […]
J. Lauren Sangster, Portland: With my life in flux, Mom’s spirit helps keep me grounded
I worked hard the past several months to prepare to travel and take time away from my home in Maine. I’ve rented my condo and now stay in a flat in Glasgow. I’ll be here two months, to settle my mind before I move on elsewhere. Or I may return to Portland after I leave […]
Gary Moore, Cumberland: Grandma taught us about kindness
It seemed like a “forever ride” for a boy of 4 or 5 whenever we struck out for Starks. Of course, this was decades prior to the transformation of Harry Brown’s farm into an infamous marijuana party place. Back then it was just another of the landmarks meaning we had almost arrived at Grandpa’s and […]