I keep trying to start this piece, but some variation of the line, “I used to have a friend,” comes out. Then, I stop. I’m not sure if “used to have a friend” is a truthful or even a possible description. Is friendship temporal? If so, what does it take to keep a friendship going?…
Today is my birthday. A couple of days ago, I got a birthday card in the mail. An actual, physical, handwritten birthday card. It’s probably been twenty years since that’s happened. It was nice. It feels really good to get a card from someone who cares. It definitely made me smile. Then, I noticed something….
For a year now, people have been telling me that COVID is not just the flu. That’s how they always say it, “just the flu.” I always think to myself, “Just?” Used that way, “just” implies that the flu is no big deal. “Meh, it’s only the flu.” According to prevention magazine, millions of people…
I got a card in the mail from a friend. She wrote a little note inside saying that she was in town and thought of me, so she sent me a card. It wasn’t a huge gesture, but it made me really happy. That’s the power of friendship. It has a unique way of enriching…
Here is story number five in my 12 stories in 12 months challenge. For this one, the prompt was Rome and the word count was 1,200. To say the prompt left me cold is an understatement. I’ve never been to Rome and I only know the basics of its history and culture. So, I decided…
This is story #4 for my 12 stories in 12 months challenge. I’m not at all thrilled with this one. The prompt was “cut-throat” and the word count was 750. It was fairly easy to write, I can toss off 750 words in my sleep. But the prompt left me cold. I’m pretty sure the…
Today, August 18th, is Bad Poetry Day. Apparently, it’s a day for people who don’t do poetry to give it a go. I don’t do poetry as a rule. But, I did write and publish a poem a few years ago. Bad Poetry Day got me reminiscing. When I say I don’t do poetry, I…
I’ve been documenting my recent struggles with depression in this space. I don’t think I’m saying anything original, or particularly interesting. I’m mostly doing it out of my desire to not be a hypocrite. In the past, I have cared for people suffering from depression. I would always ask them to be open about it. …
Friendship has been a subject for philosophical thought since there has been philosophical thought. This only makes sense since friendship is such an important part of human life. As with much of philosophy, Plato discussed the topic, but Aristotle’s views are what dominate the landscape. Aristotle saw three different types of friendship. There are friendships…
