“That’s disappointing,” I thought as I looked at the dry, brown leaves of my favorite succulent plant I’d left on the windowsill. We’d been gone for two months, but I still clung to the hope that perhaps the plant would have survived. Apparently, ...

When my family first moved to Turkey, I labored through language study. I could not remember words even if my life depended on it. For a point of reference, it took me a month to remember how to count to ten! After years in the crucible of languag...

I can’t stand getting shots. I have been known to faint during multiple attempts to get my blood drawn, and the sight of a needle can put me into a star-seeing blackout mode that isn’t enjoyable for anyone. So when I found out I needed a flu shot ...

Each school day she is there. We can count on it. She greets us with a warm smile, asks how we’re doing, and waves goodbye as we leave. Her name is Mary*, and she is a parent volunteer at our children’s school where she greets families and student...