Only weeks ago, we thought the time would soon be upon us when, whatever our political camp, we would be able to stop holding our breath. Now, it would appear that we are close. But while some are breathing easier, others are more woeful. Most of us choose to communicate only with our like-minded friends … Continue reading Just Mumble
If Hard Times Come
I present this essay just days before the presidential election of 2020. Tensions are high and some predict that the results may be a long time coming. Lawyers are gearing up. Will this be another election decided by the Supreme Court? Whatever the outcome, I think we may be looking at hard times ahead. The … Continue reading If Hard Times Come
Healing the Divide Revisited
I rarely look back on failed ventures with lasting regret. I take account of what went wrong and move on with a new plan. But now I’m worried. Credible scholars of history, noting the current partisan political rift, suggest that a country divided is most at risk of succumbing to autocratic rule, the end … Continue reading Healing the Divide Revisited
It’s Complicated
Recently I submitted an essay to a Journal that had previously published my work. This time it was respectfully rejected. I had written about a personal experience of discriminatory treatment in 1980 and my involvement many years later with the very man who had earlier stood in my way. It was clear to me … Continue reading It’s Complicated
Too Much Talk
As I connect with friends, most often now by text, email or phone, when certain issues come up, I try to change the subject. If that fails, I discover that my cat urgently needs to be fed. I have closed the door on commiserating at length about the latest actions or tweets of prominent politicians, … Continue reading Too Much Talk
Am I Racist?
Consider this question posed by Byron McCauley, a columnist and member of the editorial board of the Cincinnati Enquirer. It was published in 2017 on the day the trial of a University of Cincinnati police officer accused of murder ended in a mistrial because the jury was unable to reach a verdict. Tensing was tried twice and twice the jury deadlocked. … Continue reading Am I Racist?
The Loss of Touch
As we keep our distance from one another, what I miss most is touch, a handshake, contact with a steadying arm allowing me to safely match the stride of a companion, and the pleasure of being pulled into the gentle embrace of a friend, feeling the texture of their clothing, their scent, the pressure of … Continue reading The Loss of Touch
“The Third Person in the Room” Wins Nautilus Book Award
Bea’s publisher/publicist, Nancy Nolan, here: Bea’s book, The Third Person in the Room: Stories of Relationships at a Turning Point, has been awarded a silver medal in the 2019 Nautilus International Book Awards. The book won one of 4 silver prizes awarded in the category of "Relationships and Communication". Some other recent silver medal award winners are Ann … Continue reading “The Third Person in the Room” Wins Nautilus Book Award
Another Turning Point
When I explore the meaning of an important turning point in my life and share it with a friend or loved one, I’m better known, to myself, and another. Loneliness dissipates. And belatedly, I can acknowledge and express gratitude to someone who offered me a positive, fulfilling new direction. But what about recalling those memorable … Continue reading Another Turning Point
Turning Points
Recently I put pen to paper and in a matter of minutes made note of nine turning points in my life, times when unanticipated events caused me to shift direction in a way that significantly impacted important decisions about my future, not those well considered plans developed over time that led me to select one … Continue reading Turning Points
