On a family vacation this summer, we were out for an evening stroll when my husband saw a baby bird hopping along the sidewalk. The bird looked to be in rough shape, at least to our untrained eyes. Its brown feathers were ragged and patchy, its movements clumsy and...
On Camp and Letting Go in General
Today, I dropped my oldest off at camp for one week. It’s only been a few hours since we hugged goodbye, but I’m already wondering what she’s up to, whether she’s making friends in her cabin, and what she might eat for dinner (hopefully it’s spaghetti and meatballs). I’m...
Driving, Driving, Driving
Do you ever feel like a taxi? I do. I’m now at the stage of parenting that’s 99% driving and 1% everything else. Between soccer, ballet, piano, sleepovers, doctor’s appointments, and trips to Walgreen’s to buy gum, candy, and various other essentials, my car has gotten a lot of...
If Ghosts Could Write
When I was little, my mom was editor of The View, a community newspaper in our California hometown. Today I came across a photo of us marching together in a parade in April 1982. I don’t remember the experience, but I know I must have felt pretty important to...
It’s Okay If You’re Struggling
On day #1,467 of sheltering in place, I was watching my daughter participate in her regular dance class, now delivered via Zoom videoconferencing. We’d created a makeshift dance floor in our kitchen by pushing the table against the windows, positioning my laptop at just the right angle so her...