Make that Call

My wife and I passed by the casket, having shaken hands with my deceased friend’s surviving siblings and mother. Then came the hardest part, the real reason we had come: we embraced his wife.  “You came!” she exclaimed, encircling us in her arms. Mandy was tired but strong and steady. Most of all, she was …

If Only

I stepped outside. The news was too disturbing: Israel responding to Hamas’ atrocities; Iran and others threatening to widen the war; incidents of antisemitism and islamophobia reported around the world.  But outside, it was quiet. The orange glow of the sun signaled its wake-up call to nature.  Two birds were having a vibrant conversation just …