All posts by Thom
That Awkward Feeling When…
Feeling awkward is something I rarely experience. I understand that sometimes in social situations there is an unspoken tension that exists that people are unwilling to discuss. Everyone knows it’s there but nobody wants to talk about it. It’s a circumstance that reminds me of the elephant in the room scenario. It may be that…
I Can’t Live Like This for Long
There are some difficulties of living that although hard just become a part of what’s normal. For instance, I anticipate and expect the news of the next bad choice by any one of my kids. I’m used to that. I’ve developed a tolerance for it. There was a time when I carried the weight of…
Three Words
As I have gotten older I have found that my memory is not what it once was. Over the past few years I have begun to forget little things like where I left my keys or wallet or where I parked my car. It has been particularly irritating to my children. I haven’t forgotten any…
The Edge of Reason and the Long Dark Night
I admit with a certain amount of wicked pride that I am a survivor. I can…and do get by. Sometimes the problem with just getting by and surviving is that one must kick his heart with its desires to the curb. Unfulfilled desires become chafing burdens. I have become very proficient in the art of…
I’m Just Not Feeling It
Most people carry out their lives based on how they feel. The criteria for decision making goes something like this. What will make me feel good now? How can I feel loved now? What can I choose to do now to minimize my pain? What can I choose to do now to prolong, manage, and…
Surrender Even This?
I’m thinking that if I were not being forced to endure the consequences of the poor choices of others then my life would be roses. On the other hand that may just be an illusion that I have manufactured. If I didn’t have the mess of someone else to distract me then I would have…
The Next Day
Carry over from: Wet Roads After returning home I went back to bed. I’m amazed now that I was able to go back to sleep. I had a huge mess to clean up in the morning. The following morning Nick and I went to the service station in the heart of downtown Ooltewah. After explaining…
Honor The Pain
How does one write a story that doesn’t end well? People don’t want the ending that’s real…the truth. People want the happy ending where everyone lives happily ever after…the lie. They want the lie even if they know it’s a lie. The reader is the customer. The writer is supposed to give the customer what…
Bella Speaks
I was sitting on my back porch trying to articulate my thoughts when Bella sat down next to me at the table. She had her IPad and asked me if I would let her use my keyboard. I explained that she couldn’t use it because I was using it. But I have a spare so…
The Code
It happened recently that my granddaughter’s wooden backyard play set was blown over during a storm. My son sent me pictures of the damage. One neighbor had another neighbor’s trampoline firmly planted high in a tree. According to my son the play set was damaged beyond repair so he was making plans to buy another…