The fifth-century Saint Jerome kept a human skull on his desk to remind him of his mortality – memento mori. But if you’re like me and you like to take walks in the woods, you don’t need a skull taking up space on your desk to remind you that sooner or later everything dies, including you. That’s because the woods are full of dead stuff. Read more.
death
Winter Solstice — My Mother’s Last Words to Me Before She Died
My mother’s last words to me were nothing much. No parting words of love. No heartfelt messages to the grandchildren. Read more.
Found: Big Bucks in My Sock Drawer. Lost: My Mother
I just found four brand new hundred-dollar bills in my sock drawer. Where in the world did that money come from? Read more.
The Trouble With Daffodils — and My Writing
The trouble with daffodils is they have no subtext. They are all cheer and sparkle and optimism. They are avatars of perky. They get on my nerves. Read more.
A Case of the Human Condition: When a Young Mother Dies
In the months and years before she died of breast cancer, Beverly Bondy Rose created a safe and loving place for her little daugther and the people around her. Read more.
Death Is the Only Guarantee
Our bodies should be more like our cars. When a car fails, we can trade it in for a new one, but not our bodies. Some of my friends’ bodies are failing them at a very young age. Read more.