(APRIL 11-17, 1970)(1 minute, 56 seconds) In April 1970, fifty-five years ago, three American astronauts aboard Apollo 13 were happily and confidently mission-bound for the moon. They found themselves suddenly sideswiped by catastrophic damage to their spaceship, and in an instant their mission became one…

(1 minute, 38 seconds) One time, a kid doing donuts in a gravel parking lot kicked up rocks and shattered the back window of our SUV. The kid drove away fast. We went home with the heat on.Once, I threw a plate on the floor…

(1 minute 10 seconds) My artist friend Jane transforms blank canvases into splendor. It was my joy to tour one of her galleries recently with her as my personal guide, where I discovered the quiet power of seeing art through its creator’s eyes. I walked…

(1 minute, 24 seconds) High jumping is a complicated sport. I speak from experience. Crucial elements include: an accelerated arc approach, firm foot plant and push off with simultaneous dual arm swing overhead, arching one’s body in a giant “C” over the bar head first,…

(2 minutes, 11 seconds) Eleven years ago today, my surgeon—unbeknownst to me—handed me off to a student surgeon who ruined my hip. At an appointment many months after my total hip replacement surgery, when everything was still going steeply south rather than getting better, my…

January 2025(1 minute, 29 seconds) Stumbling into the Speedy Quick gas station, my husband and I desperately needed caffeine for the nine-hour drive ahead of us. After filling our cups, we waited in line. When I heard, “I can help who’s next,” I absentmindedly stepped…

December 2024(1 minute, 22 seconds) Two years ago, my dear husband was dealt an awful blow.After dedicating nearly 32 years to a company, his position was abruptly eliminated—with no inkling or warning. In an impromptu meeting, his boss, his boss’s boss, and an HR representative…

(1 minute, 48 seconds) Ever since I heard the embarrassing story of Debbie’s billowy dress getting caught in a fan, I’ve wanted to cultivate a quicker sense of humor and grow in the good habit of thinking less of myself. My friend Jon’s wife, Debbie,…

(1 minute, 29 seconds) I wore winter gloves to a conference a few weekends ago, and by mid-afternoon, I had tucked my mitts into my bag, along with two sweaters. ‘Tis the season when upper mid-westerners like myself must check the weather in the morning…

1 minute, 57 seconds Do you have a circumstance in your life that makes you so scared, vulnerable, or anxious that your heart trembles within you? I’m grateful if this unsteadiness of soul isn’t your current state. At some point, however, you may have fear…